Sea ferry travel: the tourists’ liminal experience on the ferry

• Published in: Tourism review (Association internationale d'experts scientifiques du tourisme) 2023-01, Vol.78 (1), p.260-272
• Main Authors: Sang, Senyao, Huang, Lingjun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Decision making; Ferries; Islands; Passengers; Public transportation; Rites of passage; Social interaction; Social norms; Tourism
• ISSN: 1660-5373; 1660-5373; 1759-8451
• DOI: 10.1108/TR-07-2022-0350

Purpose This study aims to explore the tourist’s liminal experience on a ferry and form a conceptual framework of liminal experience in the mobile liminal setting from the perspective of island tourists. Design/methodology/approach To address the purpose of taking the ferry from Zhoushan Island to Sijiao Island in China as the part of research, a qualitative method research design was used, including participatory observation, in-depth interviews and online data from social media. Findings Ferry as a mobile liminal space on the sea provides tourists to experience liminality by perceiving unique time construction, the overlap of physical and figurative space, the sense of liminal community and perceived existential authenticity, embodied spatial practices and perceived liminal benefits and costs under the specific social and cultural contexts. Practical implications This study proposes that tourism planners should strengthen tourists’ liminal experience on the ferry through integrated shipscape planning, including ship space planning, theme design and product development, which can make the ferry to be a meaningful place brand. Originality/value This study not only confirms that taking tourism public transport such as a ferry is a rite of passage for tourists before entering the island destination but also points out that public transport is a tourist attraction with time, space and social meaning for tourists. 目的 本研究将从岛屿游客的角度探讨游客在渡船上的阈限体验, 并探讨移动阈限环境中的阈限体验概念框架。 设计 本研究以舟山岛至泗礁岛的渡轮为研究田野, 采用了包括参与性观察、深度访谈和社交媒体数据在内的定性数据收集开展研究。 结论 在特定的社会和文化情境下, 独特的时间结构感知、物理和形象空间的重叠、阈限社区感和存在本真感知、具身空间实践以及阈限利益和成本共同构成了游客的轮渡阈限体验。 现实意义 本研究建议, 旅游规划者应通过综合的船舶景观规划, 包括船舶空间规划、主题设计和产品开发, 加强游客在渡轮上的阈限体验, 从而使渡轮成为一个有意义的地方品牌。 原创性 这项研究不仅证实了像渡轮一样乘坐旅游公共交通工具是游客进入目的地之前的一种通行仪式, 而且还指出公共交通是一个具有时间、空间和社会意义的旅游景点。 Propósito Este estudio explorará la experiencia liminar del turista en un ferry y formará un marco conceptual de la experiencia liminar en el entorno liminar móvil desde la perspectiva de los turistas de la isla. Diseño Para abordar el propósito, de tomar el ferry de la isla de Zhoushan a la isla de Sijiao en China como el campo de investigación, se empleó un diseño de investigación de métodos cualitativos, incluyendo la observación participativa, entrevistas en profundidad, y los datos en línea de los medios de comunicación social. Resultados El ferry, como espacio liminar móvil en el mar, permite a los turistas experimentar la liminaridad percibiendo una construcción temporal única, la superposició