Touristic-Fictional Representation

Ronaldo Leites Diaz (Caxias do Sul University, Brazil) & Luciane Todeschini Ferreira (Caxias do Sul University, Brazil)

Touristic-fictional representation constitutes an intentional symbolic-narrative tourism process through which tourism stakeholders plan, organise, develop, and offer attractions aimed at providing tourism experiences grounded in literary worlds (including settings, characters, plots, and authors) that are firmly embedded in the collective imagination but developed in geographical territories distinct from those originally associated with the literary works.

This understanding aligns with discussions within the field of literary tourism, which conceptualise it as a form of cultural tourism associated with the discovery of places and events depicted in fictional narratives, as well as sites connected with the lives of their authors. Literary tourists are interested both in how places have influenced literary production and in how literary works have, in turn, attributed new meanings to those places. Consequently, the tourism experience is constructed not only through the materiality of space but also through the symbolic relationships established among narrative, territory, and the collective imagination (Sardo, 2024).

It is considered a process because it is characterised by a perspective of continuous becoming and is therefore open to ongoing modification. The word process, derived from the Latin processus, means “moving forward”. In this sense, touristic-fictional representation is grounded in a continuous course of action that involves successive stages and requires constant evaluation. From the perspective of tourism management, this process encompasses planning, organising, leading, and controlling. Building upon the Tourism System Model proposed by Beni (2001), which is configured as an open system that both influences and is influenced by the systems with which it interacts (environmental relations, structural organisations, and operational actions), touristic-fictional representation is understood as the outcome of a systemic process rooted in the literary world while extending beyond it.

It is symbolic-narrative because it is grounded in the understanding that fiction functions as a matrix of cultural and spatial representation. Hall (1997) conceptualises representation as a process through which socially shared meanings are produced, in which language, images, and discourse contribute to the construction of cultural reality. Applied to literary tourism, this perspective suggests that literary works generate symbolic systems capable of shaping perceptions, emotions, and tourist mobilities. These characteristics, when associated with the concept of touristic-fictional representation, enable the creation of literary worlds in geographical spaces distinct from those originally represented in literature.

It is intentional because it is grounded in coordinated processes whose outcomes result from continuous efforts guided by a market-oriented perspective based on the prior identification of niche markets composed of literary tourists and literary pilgrims (Baleiro & Quinteiro, 2014), who seek to experience places, atmospheres, characters, and narratives previously encountered through reading.

Touristic-fictional representation operates precisely at the intersection of territory, fiction, and experience, transforming other real spaces into touristic-narrative settings capable of sustaining experiences that visitors perceive as coherent with the evoked fictional world. At the same time, it broadens the conceptual scope by placing the question of the authenticity of visited places at the centre of the discussion.

This perspective aligns with Barthes’ (2001) discussion of systems of cultural signification, through which images and narratives attribute socially shared meanings to objects and spaces. In the context of tourism, this means that landscapes may acquire new meanings through associations intentionally created by tourism stakeholders and previously consolidated within the collective imagination.

At the core of the concept of touristic-fictional representation lies the proposition that literary tourists seek not only to encounter the spaces represented in literary narratives but also to experience the atmospheres, emotions, and symbols associated with the fictional worlds they admire. This concept is further expanded by incorporating the intentional role of tourism stakeholders, who, by recognising the aspirations of literary tourists, create products and places that relocate visitors into a third tourism space.

Although the concept of touristic-fictional representation is structured around the creation of alternative places by tourism stakeholders, the role of literary tourists must also be acknowledged. Through reviews, comments, and engagement in fan communities, they actively participate in the circulation, interpretation, and legitimisation of the narrative worlds mobilised by tourism. According to Gonçalves (2024), fan communities function as cultural agents that expand, reinterpret, and sustain narrative worlds through the collaborative production of content, symbols, and engagement practices. Within the framework of touristic-fictional representation, fandoms, for example, play a central role in legitimising tourism experiences that extend beyond the original settings of literary works. By recognising these dynamics, tourism stakeholders actively nurture these narrative worlds by creating new products for potential consumers of alternative tourism spaces and experiences. Consequently, territory becomes a space where fiction is continually reactivated, allowing experiences that were once confined to the imaginary realm to be partially materialised through tourism experiences intentionally planned by tourism stakeholders.

An illustrative example of touristic-fictional representation is the Universal Orlando Resort in Florida, home to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, based on the literary character created by the British author J. K. Rowling. Across its three theme parks, visitors can explore immersive recreations featuring shops, restaurants, and state-of-the-art attractions, even though the parks are geographically distant from the places depicted in the literary works.

In the city of Gramado, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Hector Pizzeria similarly evokes the universe of the famous young wizard. Although the character’s name cannot be used explicitly for intellectual property reasons, visitors frequently refer to the literary work in their reviews, describing the venue as “perfect for Harry Potter fans” (KarenVC, 2009) and praising its immersive atmosphere, which transports them into a magical world, even though it is not officially affiliated with the franchise.

Another example is a themed café inspired by the literary universe of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, located in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Its menu is based on character names and references to scenes from the novel, while its décor, including the walls, tables, ceiling, and even the tableware, evokes the story’s fantastical world. The outdoor picnic area likewise alludes to the Mad Tea Party.

Touristic-fictional representation, therefore, manifests when tourism stakeholders organise experiences that symbolically materialise elements of a narrative world, transforming literary references into tourism products and attractions. Such experiences are grounded in the capacity of the created place to evoke meanings shared by readers and visitors.

The concept, therefore, emerges from the need to understand contemporary practices in literary tourism, in which the tourism experience does not necessarily depend on a correspondence between the place visited and the location originally associated with the narrative, but rather on the evocative and symbolic capacity of territories to mobilise literary worlds. In this context, places are reinterpreted and appropriated for tourism through symbolic associations established among landscape, atmosphere, memory, and fictional narrative, giving rise to new forms of tourism experience and territorial engagement.

This perspective also reveals contemporary transformations in the relationships among tourism, media, and culture. In a context characterised by the circulation of narratives across multiple media and platforms, fictional worlds extend beyond their original formats and increasingly shape economic, cultural, and tourism practices. Jenkins (2010) argues that contemporary narratives frequently expand across multiple platforms and modes of expression, fostering participatory forms of cultural consumption.

The epistemological contribution of the concept lies precisely in recognising that contemporary tourism increasingly operates through the circulation of collective imaginaries, affects, and literary narrative representations, and that this dynamic is actively acknowledged by those involved in the creation of tourism attractions. Touristic-fictional representation demonstrates that tourism stakeholders involved in the development and provision of tourism experiences strategically rely on the premise that tourism territories are produced not only through their historical and geographical materiality but also through the symbolic power of the cultural narratives that permeate them. Although the concept finds its primary application in literary tourism, its analytical perspective also provides a framework for understanding experiences inspired by other narrative worlds, provided that they are grounded in processes of symbolic representation and the tourism appropriation of fiction.

How to cite this entry: Diaz, R. L. &  Ferreira, L. T. (2026). Touristic-Fictional Representation. In R. Baleiro, G. Capecchi & J. Arcos-Pumarola (Eds.), E-Dictionary of Literary Tourism. University for Foreigners of Perugia. https://doi.org/10.34623/zdg2-hn59

References 

Barthes, R. (2001). Mitologias (Trans. R. Buongermino & P. de Souza). Bertrand Brasil.

Beni, M. C. (2001). Análise estrutural do turismo (5th ed.). Senac.

Gonçalves, K. W. C. (2024). O fandom e suas possibilidades criativas na otimização dos serviços ofertados no interior das bibliotecas. Revista Bibliomar, 23(1).

Hall, S. (1997). Representation: Cultural representations and signifying practices. Sage.

Jenkins, H. (2010). Transmedia Storytelling and Entertainment: An annotated syllabus. Continuum, 24(6), 943–958. https://doi.org/10.1080/10304312.2010.510599

KarenVC. (2019, October 31). Perfeito para fãs do Harry Potter [Review of Hector Pizzaria Temática]. Tripadvisor. https://www.tripadvisor.com.br/ShowUserReviews-g303536-d19235455-r722821437-Hector_Pizzaria_Tematica-Gramado_State_of_Rio_Grande_do_Sul.html

Quinteiro, S. & Baleiro, R. (2014). Uma personagem à procura da literatura: A ficção literária e a prática turística. Dos Algarves: A Multidisciplinary e-Journal, 24, 9–27. https://doi.org/10.34623/DAMeJ.2014.24

Sardo, A. N. (2024). Turismo literário: Uma forma de valorização do património e da cultura locais. Egitania Sciencia, 1(2), 75–96. https://doi.org/10.46691/xe1xrx66