100
Popular Culture Review
We assume that the presentation of tourism and tourist destinations . . . is an
apt representation and reinforcement of viewers’ expectations, beliefs and
practices. In other words, we consider the discourse of [travel shows] as an
instrument through which dominant ideologies of tourism are (re-)produced.
(Jaworski, Ylanne-McEwan and Thurlow 137)
In many ways, the proliferation of travel shows on television has
contributed to a sense that tourism is a part of our everyday leisure practices and
activities (McCabe), and yet this routinization of tourism can cause travelers to
look even harder for difference when they leave the safe confines of their own
home. In this way, shows like No Reservations contribute to a sense of banality
when confronted with images of “the Other” while also encouraging travelers to
seek out even more extreme experiences of difference when they try to recreate
such an experience in their own lives, often intruding upon the lives of
indigenous populations and severely impacting their destinations. Because of
these dual impacts, it is important to consider the ethical dimensions of travel
shows. While travel shows and the tourism industry that they promote are
deeply entrenched in growth industries designed to sustain their own economic
futures, the larger notion of travel is inherently connected to a multitude of
ethical dilemmas that must be considered, such as “the reciprocity (or lack of it)
in ‘host’-‘guest’ relations, the (un)fair distribution of benefits and revenues,
issues like sex-tourism, ‘staged authenticity’ and travel to countries with
repressive regimes” (Smith and Duffy 5).
This is not to say that all touristic encounters such as these are steeped in
inequality or the potential for exploitation. Indeed, in many host-guest
relationships, the hosts see the exchange in an entirely positive light, as it gives
them the opportunity to showcase their own culture or cooking talents, to narrate
their experiences and life stories, to learn about another culture and meet new
people, and more broadly to simply socialize and enjoy themselves. Opening
one’s home and sharing a meal with strangers reflects an admirable sense of
altruism and hospitality that should not be downplayed. Further, travelling to a
foreign country and dining with local families can be an important site for crosscultural exchange for both parties, breaking down barriers between Americans
and individuals from other countries over the course of the meal. Despite these
possibilities, this investigation of the show No Reservations is still important to
consider due to the fact that this is no simple encounter between travelers and
native populations—the intrusion of the camera and the urgent expectations for
creating a marketable television show add a power dynamic that cannot be
ignored. In the filming of the show, native informants might find it difficult to
deny &