NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IN CROSS-CULTURAL TOURISM DISCOURSE: A CONCEPTUAL PERSPECTIVE
Abstract
Tourism discourse represents a unique communicative domain characterized by intercultural interaction, institutional roles, and service-oriented pragmatics. While linguistic competence remains central in tourism communication, nonverbal resources significantly shape meaning, relational dynamics, and communicative success. This conceptual paper examines nonverbal communication in cross-cultural tourism contexts, focusing on proxemics, kinesics, vocal modulation, and cultural interpretive frameworks. Drawing on foundational theories of proxemics (Hall, 1966), kinesics (Birdwhistell, 1970), bodily communication (Argyle, 1988), and gesture–speech integration (McNeill, 1992), the article proposes a contextual-pragmatic model for analyzing tourism interaction. The discussion highlights how spatial norms, body movement, eye contact, and tone influence service perception and intercultural understanding. The study argues that effective tourism communication depends not only on linguistic proficiency but also on culturally informed nonverbal competence.
References
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3. Hall, E. T. (1966). The hidden dimension. Anchor Books.
4. McNeill, D. (1992). Hand and mind: What gestures reveal about thought. University of Chicago Press.
