Conversation topics, determination and participation

All but two reported interactions included a verbal exchange between interaction participants, and virtually all interviewees described a routine-like initial topic sequence that they reported to be applicable to not only their reported interactions but also to other interactions they have had with other visitors during their holiday.

Intrinsically motivated interactions and those resulting from conformity – regardless of interaction type – began with an initial greeting, an enquiry about the interaction participants’ country of origin and an exchange about the respective travel patterns.

These initial questions were often referred to as ‘chit chat’ or ice-breakers to establish a first level of familiarity with interaction participants that would later

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allow for the introduction of further topics. These patterns emerged not only throughout the main interviews but were also frequently described in more general terms during exploratory interviews:

“First, especially in the beginning, everyone just talks about what they’ve done and what to do, cause that’s very easy to talk about. How long have you been in New Zealand. Just so you get to know each other a bit, then you can talk about other things.”

Female backpacker (Netherlands, exploratory)

“I just asked her what state she was from. So she said New York, and we said we were from Wisconsin. And then just where we were going, and our travel plans.”

Female young FIT (USA)

“If it’s international travellers it’s perhaps a bit more of a pattern, where are you from, why are you here, how long have you been here, what are you seeing, what are you doing. And, and then, you may get down to, can you recommend anything.”

Female mature FIT (Canada, exploratory)

While extrinsically motivated interactions began with a greeting and the original request underlying this initial approach, it was frequently reported as polite to then continue on to the pattern described above if the situation allowed doing so. The conversation topic of travels within both New Zealand and other countries was the most popular conversation theme covered by the large majority of social interactions.

In addition, all interviewees were able to name the country of origin of their interaction participants. Environmental and circumstantial topics were included in over half of all reported interactions, mostly referring to the current situation and the experiences that interaction participants had at the time. The exact nature was thus strongly dependent upon the environmental context, but topics ranged from weather and scenery to wine tastings and other current activities. During some interactions, participants also drew comparisons between New Zealand and their respective home countries. After following the initial social protocol by asking non-personal questions and exchanging travel information, nearly half of all interactions proceeded to a more personal level. Most commonly, these included information

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about occupation, reasons for travelling or family background. However, only a few of all interactions went beyond these superficial personal topics and included personal preferences or more private, personal topics.

“I’d say the usual first question is where are you from, how long do you stay, what have you done, when do you leave. It’s always the same really, but you need to get that out of the way first, you have to talk about this. And then, if there’s some interest, it’s about, well a bit more about the people, what they do at home, and why they’re here.”

Female backpacker (Germany, exploratory)

“Where are you from, how long have you been here, we talked about University a bit. He’s from the UK, and we had studied in the UK for a bit, at the same university. So we exchanged stories, and talked about our experiences there.”

Female young FIT (USA)

“It was mainly where they’ve been and what they have been doing in New Zealand, and, sort of, home experiences. We moved around in the UK and they were thinking of relocating in the UK, so we talked about those things, and the partner, her husband was semi-retired and she was working towards that, so we were in places of our lives that were similar.”

Female mature FIT (UK)

In about two thirds of all interactions, topics were determined by all participants equally, while the remaining cases showed a slight tendency that those who initiated the interaction were also those who influenced the selection of interaction topics.

The participation level shows a similar pattern, with all interaction participants contributing equally in two thirds of all reported interactions. In some cases the participation level depended upon language skills. During the remaining interactions, participation level was directly related to topic determination when one interaction participant showed a specific interest in something and therefore determined the topic and, through questioning, re-distributing the participation level towards his or her counterpart.

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While topic determination and participation level show no difference in direct relation with visitor types, interaction type, or the duration of the interaction, the actual conversation topics are part of a pattern between several previously illustrated variables that can again be traced back to the context and the visitor type. Table 5.3 shows the distribution of conversation topics by setting context and interaction type (multiple responses possible), which will then lead to a comparison between visitor types. These patterns are again only indicative due to the sample size.

Table 5.3 Conversation topics by environmental context and interaction type*

Accommodation Waiting for transport

On transport

Initiated Responded Initiated Responded Initiated Responded

% n % n % n % n % n % n

Initiated Responded Initiated Responded

% n % n % n % n

* Multiple responses possible, totals higher than 100%

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Comparing Table 5.3 to Table 5.1 (duration by environmental context and interaction type), it is clear that longer social interactions included a larger range of conversation topics. In particular accommodation interactions, those on transport, and during organized activities often covered the whole variety. On the other hand, interactions during independently undertaken tourist activities and while waiting for transport frequently did not proceed past the previously illustrated initial topics, coming with considerable time constraints that might not allow for a greater familiarity to be established.

Only backpackers and one young FIT proceeded to even more personal and private topics, a function perhaps of the environmental settings. Mature FITs tended to focus more heavily on circumstantial instead of personal topics – this can also be assumed to be connected to their interaction settings, which are activity-related and therefore encourage an exchange about this. Table 5.4 provides a summary of the conversation topics by visitor types to illustrate these patterns.

Table 5.4 Conversation topics by visitor type*

Backpackers Young FITs Mature FITs

% n % n % n

Overall 100 72 100 22 100 26

Travel talk 89 64 86 19 81 21

Circumstantial 60 43 46 10 54 14

Personal background

64 46 64 14 46 12

Country comparisons

- - 32 7 12 3

Personal preferences/

Private topics

18 13 5 1 - -

* Multiple responses possible, totals higher than 100%

Overall, backpackers, as single travellers, are most likely to reach a more intimate personal level during their interactions, whereas young FITs frequently only proceed to a comparatively superficial personal level. This, as well as the shorter duration of young FIT interactions, relates back to Section 4.3, where it was found that the environmental and personal context for backpackers and young FITs in

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accommodation settings was very similar – however, both group constellation and individual attitudes as examined in more detail in Section 5.6.1 lead to different interaction processes regardless of the contextual similarities. Mature FITs, who mostly interact during independent activities, show the least variety of topics and are most likely to focus on circumstantial topics and less on personal aspects. The impact of the environmental context of these interactions on duration has been illustrated in the previous section, and the ensuing results on interaction contents in form of conversation topics have now been demonstrated.