Following a focus group discussion, a questionnaire was compiled consisting
of a series of four holiday scenarios which varied in the authenticity of
the experience of the host country. Participants also completed an adaptati
on of a tourist, motivation scale. Both student and general public samples
rated the four scenarios consistently for authenticity and their predicted
enjoyment of each scenario was positively correlated with their perception
of its authenticity. People scoring highly predicted higher enjoyment for a
ll scenarios, and, in the general public sample, showed a more marked effec
t of authenticity on enjoyment. Older and higher social class participants
also showed more effect or authenticity on enjoyment.