COMMUNICATION AS “EXCHANGE OF ENERGY” IN TOURISM
AND IT’S IMPLICATIONS
Saša Đorđević, phD.Sci. in Tourism
ABSTRACT
Communication as an exchange of energy is, in essence, confrontation and exchange of
personality traits, positive or negative, in terms of mutual acquainting and friendship, leading to
closeness or creating a distance. Energy exchange in communication is emerging as the exchange
between personality influences, and the content of this influence, in fact, is made of all the
characteristics of a person (knowledge, abilities, skills, attitudes, beliefs, worldview, character
traits, temperament, integrity, honor, dignity, etc.). In this paper, in the context of
communication, understood as the exchange of energy, three kinds (types) of communication in
tourism are considered, namely: communication between tourists; communication between
tourists and people working in tourism, and communications between the employees in tourism
themselves. Finally, the paper describes the communication and its interconnection with the
tourist animation, with animation and communication subliming in the process of “the exchange
of energy”, as the broadest framework of communication, with positive or negative implications,
with special reference to Serbia as a tourist destination.
Keywords: Communication, the exchange of energy, tourist animation, Serbia.
INTRODUCTION
Communication is not only the exchange of information, but, above all, the exchange energy,
which is incorporated into all aspects of life. As such, it is very diverse (verbal, nonverbal,
business, written, interpersonal, etc..), has many aspects (cultural, educational, ethnic, religious,
etc..), and can be studied and approached from many other aspects (philosophical, sociological,
historical, rhetorical, biological, etc.).. 1
Without going into all separate aspects and specific forms of communication, this paper first
draws attention to the philosophical and psychological framework and content of
communication, that is, to communication as “the exchange of energy”. This spiritual framework
and content of communication requires, first of all, the answer to following questions: What is
the energy in this case? What makes the content of energy? How is the exchange of human
energy made? 2
Energy, like human power, is expressed through a variety of activities in direct interpersonal
communication. At that, spiritual energy has a dominant position, as the representative power of
the human personality, which, through works and activities may show itself in predominantly
positive or predominantly negative aspect.
Energy exchange in communication is, in essence, confrontation and exchange of personality
traits, positive or negative. It appears as the exchange between personality influences, and the
content of this influence, in fact, is made of all the characteristics of a person (knowledge,
abilities, skills, attitudes, beliefs, worldview, character traits, temperament, integrity, honor,
dignity, etc.).
The exchange of energy is not given, but required category. It is a process that begins the
moment the circumstances for a meeting “face to face” are created, i.e. establishment of a
genuine and immediate communication, by verbal or nonverbal means. The process of energy
exchange, in fact, usually begins with the establishment of non-verbal communication, as the
oldest and most widespread mode of communication 3 , which can “grow” into verbal
communication, and on to the,, energy exchange," if that happens, reaching its peak.
The process of energy exchange can be nurtured and made to last, but also can be shortened and
stopped. In this sense, if it happens that a tourist following his/her stay in a tourist destination,
after returning to his/her residence, continues to communicate and socialize, then the energy
exchange process, which began on a tourist trip, deepens, and the initial communication and
friendship gradually grow in relatively common bonds of friendship. Furthermore, if the number
of such examples increases, especially if they become mass occurrence, then the conditions for
many modern forms of alienation are gradually reduced and eliminated. Otherwise, if the interest
for exchange of energy no longer exists, the process disappears, is lost, and process of alienation
is further intensified, taking on new forms. This applies to all types of tourist communication. 4
In this paper, however, primarily from the standpoint of “the exchange of energy” and the
implications arising from this exchange, three types of communication are considered, namely:
communication between tourists themselves; communication between tourists and people
working in tourism, and communications between the employees in tourism themselves.
Communication between tourists
“Travelling is communication” says Krippendorf explicitly, the famous Swiss scholar of
tourism, stressing that an important aspect of tourism travel is connection with people, as
opposed to the anonymity and loneliness of everyday life. It is this "connection" with people that
is the basis of the process of “energy exchange”. According to him, during travel it is easier to
make new acquaintances in order to find human warmth, as one of the important aspects of trade,
perhaps the primary, basic one. In this context, traveling in a group of compatriots and ‘en
masse’ is interpreted positively, as a greater opportunity to establish contacts with people, and
accordingly, as greater opportunity for “exchange of energy”. 5
The base or foundation of communication as an “exchange of energy” between tourists is a
certain form of nonverbal communication that may or may not be crucial for establishing
contacts between tourists. There are numerous signals that can occur in the initial, non-verbal
communication.
Angelis B. states few relatively synonymous “categories” of energy, which may be relevant to
the nature of nonverbal communication, including:
- Psychic energy, as the sum of all the individual “does” or “does not do” (for example, in
relation to food, cigarettes, exercise, sex, alcohol ...), then
- Mental energy, as the sum of all thoughts, beliefs and estimates of the individual;
- Emotional - the sum of all past and present feelings, and
- Spiritual energy - the sum of the feelings of stability and peace with oneself and feeling (and
understanding), resulting from a spiritual and philosophical personality profile, as a reflection of
all the energy and “vibrations” together. 6
This kind of “spiritual chemistry” can be seen in the initial stage of contact among tourists about
“fitting in” together, association and socializing, regardless of the author (Angelis, B.),
mentioning the stated types of energy in a different connotation.
Communication between tourists can be varied in character, relating to various areas of human
activities (sports, entertainment, film, theater, politics, economics, culture ...), which provides an
opportunity to launch a broad "energy potential" of energy exchange with the tourists. This type
of communication through the exchange of energy is, from a tourism point of view, the most
interesting one in relation to other types of communication. Energy exchange through
interpersonal communication between tourists holds the possibility of transforming the nature of
human consciousness (at individual and social level) in the context of interaction within a group,
but also with the wider environment, social system and values. Social relations that are created
by such communication are shaping the subjectivity of tourists – individuals; with significant
elements of that subjectivity making it easier for tourists to navigate, for their self-realization and
self-evaluation ... 7
The establishment of communication as the exchange of energy and achievement of interactivity
as the main lever of such communication, with positive implications, tourists become the active
subject of creating transformation in the flow of occurrences, relationships and processes that
appear through a variety of events in a given tourist destination. Unlike active, “passive” tourists
exist more as mere objects of events, “emitting” certain personality traits that are, in terms of
“the exchange energy”, more or less blocked. Therefore, their characteristics can be treated
mostly in a negative sense, because they “exist” in a negative context (state of passivity). In such
kind of tourists, a sort of “blockage” dominates in the process of opening “the being”, that could
be “revived” by adequate communication activism. In this regard, since they are not involved in
the communication and animation, their experience of the communication process of “energy
exchange” in which they do not participate, is essentially frozen. Hence the urgent need for
change, for turnaround, in terms of finding appropriate new forms of immediate (direct) human
and interpersonal communication. In this respect, appropriate tourism animation programs that
are adequate to the aspirations of tourists, can make a special contribution. Such orientation (of
including animation programs in tourism offer) in the contemporary tourism is particularly
important because it directly affects the dramatic process of human alienation, that is
“pressuring” a man/woman even during a tourist trip, when he/she appears as a passenger with
“half-closed eyes” who “does not participate” in what he/she sees (J.P. Dannaud), because the
camera “sees” for him/her, and holiday experience is replaced with a collection of photos (E.
From).
Hence, active tourists, explicitly in terms of communication, are tending towards the process of
“exchange of energy”, as the transfer of personality characteristics. This process involves twoway flow and interactivity, which both feature in interpersonal communication of tourists. The
exchange of energy puts the emphasis on quality in inter-relations, which are established
between the tourists, with the support of the subjectivity that can channel transformation of these
tourist relationships into deeper levels of exchange, which increases their satisfaction,
particularly with regard to the cultural enrichment of their personality.
Communication between tourists and people working in tourism
From the standpoint of communication (as the exchange of energy) and its
implications, in addition to communication on relation tourists - tourists, communication
between tourists and people working in tourism and hotel industry is very important. Travel and
hotel workers, as representatives of their profession, place and country, are coming into direct
contact with tourists every day. Their duties may be reduced to the following: make a profit, but
also to adequate communication with tourists (guests), which could, through comprehensive
mutual socializing (energy exchange) in the process of tourist animation and high-quality
tourism and hospitality services, contribute to the acquisition of beautiful impressions in all
stages of tourism trips (departure-stay-return).
Tourists are usually prone to make general assessments about everything, the country as a whole
even, by the satisfaction and the impressions they have gained in some places and tourist
facilities, as well as through contacts with employed persons and intermediary groups. Therefore,
the requirements regarding the selection of tourist workers are increasing, especially when it
comes to demand in tourist animators, as a profile of workers that are very present in touristdeveloped countries, unlike Serbia, and also very valuable and inevitable. Tourism workers, in
addition to general culture and education, appropriate professional education and foreign
languages, must possess the appropriate knowledge in psychology, business psychology above
all, and their application in practice. In addition, they must have adequate psycho - physical
capabilities, as the basis for a potentially successful “energy exchange” with tourists. 8
In this type of communication (employed in tourism - tourists), energy potential of exchange can
be constantly growing, creating, thus, higher intensity. Manifesting their personality
characteristics, in a heterogeneous spectrum of their manifestations (extraversion, introversion,
optimism, pessimism, abilities, skills, preferences, habits, interests, worldview, values, ideals ...)
can be enriched by establishing social relations of tourism workers and tourists themselves,
making sure that conditions are such that the tourist is major “generator” in exchange of
energy. Thus, the focus of the exchange of energy is aimed towards “meeting” the expectations
of tourists, according to their preferences. In that way, increasing so focused energy exchange, it
increases the degree of familiarization with the personality of tourists, their mentality and their
needs and desires. In this way, it opens up a broader “maneuvering space” for tourist workers to
“manage” the process of desired satisfaction of tourists and gain their loyalty. In addition, the
profile of tourist personality is important for the animators, in a psychological sense, among
other things. In this sense, Littauer F. distinguishes four types:
- “Sanguine popular” with the main features - extroversion, talkativeness and optimism;
- “The perfect melancholic”- introversion, thoughtfulness, pessimism;
- “Energetic Choleric” - extroversion, activity, optimism, and
- “Peaceful phlegmatic” - introversion, observer, pessimism. 9
The aim is, in fact, recognition of creative potential of tourists and positive ways of transmitting
this potential through communication and tourist animation, consistent with achieving the
positive implications of communication (exchange of energy) in all domains.
Communication between people working in tourism
Communication between people working in tourism, as opposed to communication between
tourists themselves and communication between tourists and employees, from the point of “the
exchange of energy” does not possess great energy potential, because of frequent fluctuation in
labor force in tourism (leaving of the old and arrival of new employees, especially migrant
workers), and also as the consequence of uniformity in nature of communication, which is based
on minimal co-operation of workers in tourism, due to the so-called “proverbial humility”. “The
exchange of energy” in these circumstances is reduced to the minimal capacity of
communication, and is usually instrumental, superficial and formal.
However, the good cooperation between tourism workers, as a sign of wider “energy exchange”
and of complete agreement on common goals, can have positive effects in every
respect. Problems arise only when “the inverse situation” occurs in working environment in
terms of “the exchange of energy”, which leads to conflict situations. In this context, as some of
the causes for negative “exchange of energy”, Barton identifies the following moments:
disagreement, personality conflicts, power struggles, unreasonable behavior, frustration, lack of
cooperation, decrease in performance and others. 10
In order for “the exchange of energy” to be properly exercised between people working in
tourism, in terms of communication, it is of particular importance, as already outlined above, to
have harmonious team work in tourism and hotel business organizations. We should not forget
that the entire work of employees, as well as their relationship and communication, tourists
(visitors) constantly observe and follow. Therefore, employees must demonstrate full
responsibility and care for the improvement of their skills and teamwork
capabilities. According Đ. Čomić (2000:234), in order to achieve a successful team work, it is
necessary to develop the following skills and abilities:
- Presentation of ideas, in terms of feedback from employees;
- Helping others, in terms of helping and teaching younger workers to improve their individual
capabilities, and therefore the quality of the whole team;
- Check of understanding, as a communication strategy that checks the level of understanding,
repeating what was said, so the partner in communication is shown that he/she was attentively
heard. It is useful and could also be applied in relation to the guests.
In addition, we can talk about other skills and abilities, such as: asking questions, respect of
diversity, compliance to procedures, division of responsibilities, agreement on objectives and
others.
Incorporation of communication and animation in the tourist market of Serbia
The incorporation of all types of communication (as “the exchange of energy”), which were
previously discussed, as well as of animation (seen as interpersonal communication “face to
face”) into a modern tourist offer, represents a very important and urgent need of modern tourism
market in Serbia. This is all the more so as communication and animation in Serbia as a tourist
destination, as opposed to tourism in developed countries, are quite neglected, despite the fact
that tourist market is very rich in natural tourism potential and attractions, and also in social, that
is spiritual and cultural tourism potential.
The entire issue related to communication and animation in tourism, as well as the implications
thereof, falls within the area that is characterized by insufficient research. But, even the little
research results existent today in Serbia provide sufficient grounds to consider the true value and
importance of animation in tourism and to identify further strategic measures in this regard. 11
The conditions for the incorporation of communication and animation in Serbian tourism have
their positive and negative side. Serbia as a tourist destination, taken as a geographic area, and
regardless of the fact it has no sea, has the potential for a variety of forms of tourism (spa, river,
lake, mountain, village, etc.). On the other hand, based on the traditions and mentality of people,
and especially of their ideas and creativity, Serbia has on its tourism market and offers those
forms of tourism (cultural 12 , sports and recreation, health resort, convention, hiking, hunting,
adventure, “dark tourism”' 13 , etc.) that characterize the contemporary tourism trends of
globalized world.
However, the main questions that still remain without a satisfactory answer, are as
follows: first - to what extent are the available tourism potentials of Serbia used?; and, second –
to what extent are appropriate tourism animation programs and communication incorporated in
the modern tourist market offer of Serbia, which today, in touristic developed Western countries
are included in a unique price as an integral part of modern tourist offer?
The answers to these questions, obviously, require more thorough research which would draw
attention to all aspects of the necessity to adapt to modern changes in tourism-related
innovations, to experiences which become “the core of tourism product” 14 , for a high quality of
experience for tourists 15 , for the proper integration of alienated tourists into groups, but also for
a kind of “acceleration” of their mutual acquaintance process 16 , and especially, for the
promotion of communication as animation, i.e. animation as a communication.
CONCLUSION
Energy exchange in communication is emerging as the exchange between personality influences,
and the content of this influence, in fact, is made of all the characteristics of a person
(knowledge, abilities, skills, attitudes, beliefs, worldview, character traits, temperament,
integrity, honor, dignity, etc.). The manifestation of communication as “energy exchange” in
tourism could most evidently be demonstrated in achieving adequate programs of animation, so
that the communication itself appears as animation, and animation as communication, the
sublimation of which is expressed in the “exchange of energy”.
Modern tourism in search of new areas and attractions creates in them the processes and
phenomena that can, on one hand, to further promote the area and products, but also at the same
time to contribute to further increase in the satisfaction of tourists. Serbia as a tourist destination
“lags” behind developed countries where tourist animation was introduced as an integral part of
tourist offer already in the last decade of the twentieth century, and which is included in the
travel arrangement. Serbia is already facing such a challenge. The challenge poses as one of the
most important alternatives for better positioning of Serbia in the modern tourist market, in the
spirit of modern tourism trends.
REFERENCES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
Angelis, B. (1994): Are you the one for me? Dell Publishing, a division of Bantam
Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Broadway, New York.
Bauman, Z. (1994): Alone again - ethics after certainty. Demos, London.
Burton, J. (1997): Interpersonal skills for travel and tourism. Longman, London.
Carey, JW (1989): Communication as culture. Unwin & Hyman, Boston.
Cooper, C., Hall, M. (2008): Contemporary tourism: an international approach.
Elsevier Ltd, Oxford.
Čanak, N. (2007): Communication - challenge of the XXI century. Tims.acta (1)
Čavlek, N. At all: Drivers of innovations in tourism: some theoretical and practical
aspects.
Čomić Đ. (2000): Travel through geopanopticon. SCUH, Belgrade.
Dikić, N., Kontić, A. (2011): Power of nonverbal communication. Hotellink, HSHB,
Belgrade (17-18)
Fox, R. (2006): Business Communication. Croatian university press, Zagreb.
Đorđević, S. (2012): Applications of animation in the function of re-election of
tourist destination. Speedgraf, Belgrade.
Đukić – Dojčinović V. (2005): Cultural Tourism. Clio, Belgrade.
Krasojević, B. (2011): Cultural tourism - from market niche to basic tourist offer.
Hotellink, HSHB, Belgrade (17-18)
Krippendorf, J. (1986): Travelling mankind. Tourism Research Institute, Zagreb.
Littauer, F. (1992): Personality plus. Division of Baker Book House Company,
Michigan.
Major, Đ.: Communication revival as an assumption of established sustainable
competitiveness, pdf.
Mandić, T. (2003): Communicology. Clio.
Pearsce, DG (1989): Tourist Development (2nd edition). Harlow: Longman, New
York: Wiley.
Pompl, W. (1 983): The Concept of Animation. Butterworth & Co., Tourism
Management.
Stone, PR (2006): A dark tourism spectrum. Tourism: an international
interdisciplinary journal.
Tomić, Z. (2003): Communicology. Čigoja press, Belgrade.
Tomka, M. (2011): Touristic cultural spaces - practice, theory, education.
International scientific conference, FDU, Belgrade.
Vlajki, E. (1984): Games of social communication. Large edition of ideas, Belgrade.
Vujaklija, M (1997): Dictionary of foreign words and phrases. Prosveta, Belgrade.
Weiermair, K. (2004): Product improvement or innovation: What is the key to
success in tourism? In proceedings of the OECD Conference on innovation and
growth in tourism, Lugano, Switzerland.
See Čanak, N. (2007): Communication: the challenge of the XXI century. Tims.acta, Faculty of Sport and
Tourism, Novi Sad, (1) p. 30-34.
2
Starting from the original meaning of the word energy (Greek - business, industry, labor, work, effectiveness), the
energy and its forms can be discussed from several aspects, mainly from physical and philosophical standpoint.
Physical point first takes into account energy as the ability to perform the work; then, the ability of the mass to
perform the work due to being put into motion (kinetic or actual energy of motion); the ability to perform work that
the mass has due to its position, when it is lifted off the ground and able to drop (potential energy). Also, the
physical point of view takes into account various forms of energy (electric, magnetic, thermal), and the principle of
eternal conservation of energy in inorganic nature, which is invariant in quantity. Otherwise, from the philosophical
point of view, energy is usually taken in the Latin meaning of the word that can be found in Aristotle. In fact,
Aristotle distinguishes energy as “actus”' (form, substance, reality), and energy as “dynamis-potentia” (ability,
matter). [See: Vujaklija, M (1997): Dictionary of foreign words and phrases. Prosveta, Belgrade, 278].
3
See: Dikić, N., Kontić, A. (2011): The power of nonverbal communication, Hotellink, VHS, Belgrade, 17-18,
p. 71st
4
See: Djordjević, S. (2012): Programs of animation in the function of re-election of tourist destination. Speedgraf,
Belgrade, p. 47th
5
See Krippendorf, J. (1986): Travelling mankind. Tourism Research Institute, Zagreb, 54
6
See Angelis, B. (1994): Are you the one for me? Dell Publishing, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing
Group, Broadway, New York.
7
See: Major, Đ.: Communication revival as an assumption of established sustainable competitiveness, pdf.
8
Čomić, Đ. (2000): Travel through geopanopticon. SCUH, Belgrade.
9
Littauer, F. (1992): Personality plus. Division of Baker Book House Company, Michigan.
10
Burton, J. (1997): Interpersonal skills for travel and tourism. Longman, London.
11
One such study was conducted in the Vrnjačka Banja Spa hotels and in Viminacium. It refers to the importance
and role of tourist animation in making the decision to re-select a tourist destination. According to the survey results,
if the standard elements of modern tourist offer (transport, accommodation, meals, etc..) are joined by animation,
and all is represented by a 100% mark, then the animation, in making such decision of tourists, accounts for 23.7%,
and therefore, with almost a quarter, is a very important indicator for the future relation of any management in
tourism and hotel business towards animation and communication (See: Djordjević, S. (2012): Programs of
animation in the function of re-election of tourist destination. Speedgraf, Belgrade, p. 220).
12
Today, many international experts (Richards, McKercher, du Cros et al.) claim that 70% of all international travel
fall into the category of cultural tourism (See Krasojević, B. (2011): Cultural tourism - from market niche to basic
tourist offer. Hotellink, HSHB, Belgrade, 17-18, p. 2).
13
Stone, PR (2006): A dark tourism spectrum. Tourism: an interdisciplinary international journal, Vol.54
14
Čavlek, N. at all: Drivers of innovations in tourism: some theoretical and practical aspects.
15
Weiermair, K. (2004): Product Improvement or Innovation: What is the Key to Success in
Tourism. In Proceedings of the OECD Conference on Innovation and Growth in Tourism, Lugano, Switzerland.
16
Pompl, W. (1983): The concept of animation. Butterworth & Co., Tourism Management.
1