TOPIC 1

INTRODUCTION TO LEISURE

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS LEISURE ?

AS WELL AS TOURISM IT IS A VERY COMPLEX ASPECT OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE

Definition of Leisure:

1.Freedom or spare time provided by the cessation of activities;

2.free time as a result of temporary exemption from work or duties;

3.a time at one's own command that is free of engagements or responsibilities;

4.a period of unemployed time;

5.opportunity provided by free time.

Webster's Third New International Dictionary

LATIN WORD “LICERE”

Freedom (licence to do something)Constraint (licenced in the sense of regulated)

Latin root languages:

Otium - Nec-otium

RECREATION

Original form implied

RE-CREATION

of a readiness to return to work

Dimensions of Leisure

• Time

• Activity

• Experience

ACTIVITY

•Gardening•Going out•Watching TV•Taking part in sports•Any other of the myriad activities which people find interesting

Experience

• Experience has to do with feelings brought about by involvement in activity

PARTICULAR QUALITY OF LIVING

•to have fun, •to exercise, •to develop your own interest

REST AND RECUPERATION FROM WORK

ANTIDOTE TO THE STRESSES AND STRAINS FROM A MODERN LIFE

You are a leisure person.

What does it mean in our languages????

“Leisure consists of relatively self-determined activity/experience that falls into one’s free-time roles, that is seen as leisure by participants, that is psychologically pleasant in anticipation and recollection , that potentially covers the whole range of commitment and intensity, that contains characteristic norms and constraints and that provides opportunities for recreation, personal growth and service to others”

(Kaplan, 1975)

CONCEPTIONS OF LEISURE

As residual time (unobligated, discretionary)

As activitiesAs functional (therapeutic, training)

As freedom (autonomy personal development)

(Haywood et al.,1995)

Work

Stress – Routine - Obstruction to faculties

Rest - Fun - Personal development

Leisure

(Dumazedier, 1974)

•Homo Faber

•Homo Sapiens

•Homo ludens

(Huizinga, 1938)

TIME LEFT OVER AFTER WORK

•Obligations•Spare time

According to Cuenca Leisure is not time but an attitude (mental state)

Leisure is not universal or generic but rather subjective

It depends of every person

Example Football:

Unbearable or a passion

Freedom feeling

If there is not freedom feeling there is not real enjoyment

Freedom of choice is also necessary otherwise it is not leisure is an obligation

(Cuenca, 2000)

“Silence revolution” at the end of the 90’s

(sms and internet)

Oral to written communication

Leisure trends:

From a need to a right

Quality of life indicator

To fulfill oneself

From pasive to active

Different aspects of Leisure:

•Recreational (hobbies, games)•Creative (educational)•Environmental (Green sense and sensibility)•Festive (celebrations, colective leisure)•Solidarity

(Cuenca, 2000)

WHY STUDY LEISURE ?

•ECONOMIC

•PSYCHOLOGICAL

•QUALITY OF LIFE

•SOCIAL

•POLITICAL

ECONOMIC

Huge business (between 25%-38% of all cosumer spending in UK)

Leisure industry remains one of the few economic sector in which more employment is envisages almost everywhere

It includes tourism

PSYCHOLOGICAL

Leisure enables people to relax, refresh and literally recreate themselves so they can return, suitably restored, to other roles in their workplaces and families

Leisure permits people the express desires and drives that would otherwise remain hidden and even suppressed “Let off steam”

Educative

SOCIAL

Most leisure has a social dimension and it is therefore socially important

It binds people together (families, friends, countries, cities)

What can unite can also divide

QUALITY OF LIFE

Important contributor to the quality of people’s life

Paradox

Although most people do not rate leisure activities as highly important (health, job and families)

Contribution to life’s satisfaction

POLITICAL

All governments become interested in leisure if only because of the functions already described.

Promoting the import of tourists

Social bonding, national identity

Ultimate custodians of social order

Did you know that …

Pornography is a very large leisure industry. The main product was the sex video. In the USA 150 new titles were produced every week in the 1990’s. USA pornography had a larger turnover than:

•Mainstream cinema•Theatre•Rock and country music

(Sharkey, 1997)