Déjà-vu: tourist practices of repeat visitors in the city of Paris

摘要

In the context of sustained growth in European city tourism, competingtravel destinations develop marketing strategies that include measures toattract an increasing number of repeat visitors. This paper explores thecase of Paris in order to provide a better understanding of the specificmotivations, interests and activities of leisure tourists who had previouslystayed in the capital of France. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu's concept of"distinction" it is argued that repeat visitors tend to differentiatethemselves from other tourists. On the basis of substantive field work inParis, a set of repeat visitor practices is presented that includestrategies to avoid spatial concentrations of major tourist spots in orderto participate in Parisian everyday life. Moreover, it is suggested toconceptualize the encounters between repeat visitors and tourismdestinations as a lifelong relationship, which can be renewed and reproducedthrough further visits and virtual encounters. The distinct characteristicsof repeat visitor practices have substantial implications for theorganization of tourism in the city and the relationships between first-timetourists, repeat visitors and the local population.