Nostalgia and Literary Tourism

Nostalgia (from Greek “nóstos” and “álgos”) refers to a yearning to return home (Online Etymology Dictionary). The word “nostalgia” was initially used in the seventeenth century by Swiss physician Johannes Hofer to describe the medical condition of soldiers away from home. Doctor Hofer conceptualised nostalgia as a medical or neurological disease, considering it “a cerebral disease” (Earl & Hall, 2023, p. 307). In the nineteenth century, nostalgia was deemed a form of melancholia or depression more than a neurological disease (McCann, 1941; Rosen, 1975, as cited in Earl & Hall, 2023, p. 307). During the later part of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, nostalgia was still viewed as a form of psychological disorder and “a regressive manifestation closely related to the issue of loss, grief, incomplete mourning, and, finally, depression” (Castelnuovo-Tedesco, 1980, as cited in Earl & Hall, 2023, p. 308). However, in the late twentieth century, it came to be regarded mainly as a sentimental longing for the past. The meaning of the word has expanded, including emotional memories of a familiar place, which objective and subjective perceptions can trigger (Chen et al., 2014, p. 355). It is most likely to emerge when society undergoes rapid change and is characterised by “the interlocking nature of place and time, a yearning to transcend the constrictions of present place and time and to recapture a lost past” (Kong & Tay, 1998, p. 134).

Since the 1980s, nostalgia has become associated with the heritage industry and the creation of consumer experiences, especially in a tourism and leisure context. People’s desire “to both experience and conserve heritage” (Earl & Hall, 2023, p. 309) can be understood as a form of nostalgia Nostalgia is one of the factors that can affect visitors’ travel behaviour, decision, and destination (Pereira & Hor-Meyll, 2018, p. 211), which can be an important motivation especially for cultural heritage tourism as it can “fulfil travellers' recreational or aesthetic needs, such as interest in history, admiration for arts and architectures, romantic identification, and a sense of loss of these in contemporary society” (Wang, 2023, p. 8). It has both direct and indirect impacts on consumption intentions, which can be used to explain consumer preference for certain products (Chen et al., 2014, p. 354). In tourism, nostalgia is significant for individual and collective memories (Earl & Hall, 2023, p. 315). It can play a role in the lives of consumers and the design of marketing strategies (Holbrook & Schindler, 2006, p. 107).

Even though literary tourism is one of the fields in heritage tourism in which the potential of nostalgia has not been fully explored and probably overlooked, the bond between the two is stronger than it might appear at first sight: the former is a temporary escape in time, while the latter, an escape in space.

The cognitive base of personal nostalgia is personal memory, which can be triggered by either internal or external stimuli (Shi et al., 2021) such as childhood memories (Squire,1994). As literature is characterized by “a nostalgic recollection of past times and places” (Kong & Tay, 1998, p. 133), nostalgia can be a good drive, especially for those literary tourists looking for emotions going beyond a specific writer or work (Herbert, 2001, p. 314). Such visitors try to evoke memories linked with the past, for instance, as described in books they read as children: “The emergence of the past reflects a larger condition: a broader adult yearning to transcend the constrictions of present place and time ... to recapture a lost past” (Kong & Tay, 1998, p.134). As “nostalgic desires are stimulated through active consumption of positive images of the past” (Kim & Petrick 2019, p. 283), literary tourism provides the perfect avenue to consume the books read by following the footsteps of the characters or inhabiting the author’s world for a moment. Examples can include places related to Andersen’s or the Grim Brothers’ tales, Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles, or Jane Austen's house in Bath, furnished in the Regency style, allowing visitors to step back in time and imagine themselves living in the world of her novels. Similarly, people can visit Pippy Longstocking’s colourful house in Sweden to step into her adventures now as grownups who have never outgrown their childhood stories. There are numerous reviews on TripAdvisor for Green Gables in Prince Edward Island, Canada, which mention nostalgia as the main trigger to visit the place associated with the book they read as children. On the other hand, embarking on a literary tour can also unleash nostalgia even when it was not the primary reason for the trip. Tourism can create nostalgia through advertising and branding or by developing certain products and services.

Nostalgia can act as a facilitator between the past and the present. It plays an important role in place perception, and as such, it can generate interest in literary tourism by offering that kind of emotional layer needed to get the visitors actively involved through a genuine, memorable experience. From this perspective, literary tourism can also be deemed as a form of nostalgic tourism which offers a great opportunity for visitors to revive memories from the past on a personal level as well as share them with people safeguarding the same memories and values. As such, it can foster social connectedness.

In conclusion, because of its ability to influence human behaviour, it is important to understand the role of nostalgia in consumption strategies, including its potential application to literary tourism as well. As nostalgia is a type of psychological need based on longing, in a tourism context, it can trigger an individual to visit a place. Because of its significance, nostalgia needs to be positioned within a wider cultural context, including literary tourism. Literary tourism, intertwined with nostalgia, enriches our travel experiences. As we journey to places immortalized in literature, we not only explore physical landscapes but also evoke memories and emotions associated with the written word. Nostalgia tourism allows us to relive cherished moments and connect with the past, making literature an enduring companion on our journeys.

How to cite this dictionary entry: Erkoçi, I. (2024). Nostalgia and Literary tourism. In R. Baleiro, G. Capecchi & J. Arcos-Pumarola (Eds.). E-Dictionary of Literary Tourism. University for Foreigners of Perugia.