Picturing the urban residents. On the issue of forming the local dweller’s image

Abstract

The article focuses on the issue of forming the local dweller’s image in tourist practices. It is proved that the promotion of a tourist destination is connected not only with commercial benefits, but also always concerns the local population, its interaction with tourists and visitors. Nevertheless, the development of tourism has led to a certain separation of travelers and locals. As a result, they are at risk of developing social stereotypes and bias against each other. The interview materials reveal the main features of tourist ideas about the residents of the Kaliningrad region. External assessments of Kaliningrad residents reveal an imbalance between impressions of them as residents of the frontier territory and as residents of the resort city. It is also noted that the labor, military, and cultural qualities of the local population are poorly reflected in external views. The article identifies main channels and ways for shaping the image of local dwellers: the creation of specialized tourist materials, modern thematic museums and expositions, the incorporation of stories about the local population into urban infrastructure and service facilities, and their representation in sightseeing discourse. Despite the fact that the article analyzes the Kaliningrad case, which has its own specifics, the proposed ways of constructing a positive image of the local population seem relevant for other regions.