The notion that the market extends beyond the concept of mass tourists as
envisioned by producers is not new of course. Cohen (1972), partly in direct
recognition of the growth of the packaged holiday at the time, pointed to a basic
two-fold typology of ‘tourism roles’; institutionalised tourists which included the
individual mass tourist and organised mass tourist, and non-institutionalised
tourists which included ‘explorers’ and ‘drifters’. Whilst it was clear that there was a
mass market, Cohen highlighted that tourists had needs beyond this. Broadly this
analysis holds true today. Mass tourism continues to dominate and characterise the
patterns of tourist flows, but with a larger number of more specialised forms of
tourism. Visitors are increasingly interested in visiting the places, as much as in
discovering, experiencing, participating in, learning about and more intimately
being included in the everyday life of the destinations. Moreover, a larger number
of tourists would probably argue themselves out of the ‘mass tourism’ category
despite engaging in inclusive tours as they like to see themselves as ‘individuals’
even though they are engaging in ‘mass practices’.