Page 76 - Introduction to Tourism

Several tourism history scholars decry the

eurocentricity of writings about the history of

tourism. Most notable of these is Trevor Sofi eld,

of the University of Tasmania, who states:

Sofi eld and Li in their article “ Tourism

Development and Cultural Policies in China ”
report that one of the main features of China ’ s

domestic tourism lies in the traditions
about travel and heritage sites established over a

4000 - year period when ancestral gods and
animistic spirits resided in mountains, rivers,

lakes, and other natural features.

Polynesians

Among early voyages, those in Oceania were

amazing. Small dugout canoes not over 40 feet

in length were used for voyages from Southeast

Asia southward and eastward through what is

now called Micronesia across the Pacific to the

Marquesas Islands, the Tuamotu Archipelago,

and the Society Islands. About 500 C.E. ,

Polynesians from the Society Islands traveled to

Hawaii, a distance of over 2000 miles. Navigation

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