Between acceptance and dislike: the intricacy of cross-cultural contacts while travelling

Abstract

Today travelling is a global phenomenon. Many journeys involve cross-cultural contacts, often between cultures which are very remote from each other. Some questions arise: does the contemporary traveller expect cross-cultural contacts and how does he/she imagine such interactions? These seemingly simple questions enable us to reflect on the intentionality and complexity of cross-cultural interactions, the main issue discussed in the article. The author draws the reader's attention to the social roles assumed by the modern traveller, as well as the theoretical scenarios of cross-cultural contact, analyzing its symmetric and asymmetric forms.