“Authenticity” in travel is not found as easily as it might seem

“For many tourists, the desire for authenticity is rather simplistically expressed in terms of seeking out that which is not contaminated by outside influences—particularly by the presence of other tourists. There are some important things to keep in mind here. First, nearly all tourism experiences are carefully crafted and staged by someone, specifically for our appreciation and consumption. It is more difficult than most of us realize, and not necessarily desirable, to try to get beyond such experiences and intrude into places where we might not be welcome.”
–Erve Chambers, “Can the Anthropology of Tourism Make us Better Travelers?”, NAPA Bulletin 23, 2005