The concept:
The tacky tourists or the unfriendly locals. While there’s no doubt you don’t want to be labeled as either, there’s a good chance you’ll at some point in your life fall into one of the two categories.
Let’s take Jane and Joe for example; they booked their flights, mapped
out the “must-see” areas of their final destinations and packed plenty of snacks (that will without a doubt be confiscated at agricultural customs). However, despite having spent months Googling what to do on their dream vacation, Jane and Joe still had no idea how to assimilate during their travels and are in for a huge culture shock upon arrival.
“Conscious tourism” is the effort of “minimizing negative social, economical and environmental impacts” and “maintaining a culturally sensitive attitude”1. This concept is mutually beneficial for the tourist and the host culture. In a nut shell, Jane and Joe will have much more enjoyable travels if they focus their efforts more on experiencing the culture- not the other way around.
The design:
A picture is worth 1000 words that speak every language… and no language. In Italy I personally experienced culture shock during experiences like my first time at the beach (so many Speedos) or watching Italians speak with their hands. However, I have had the opportunity to illustrate how Italians see some tourists as well. The illustrations are based off photos I took personally and I found through news articles about tourism. The photos are broken down into basic geometric shapes combined a limited color palette to create a playful aesthetic.
