Journeys of creation: experiencing the unknown, the Other and authenticity as an epiphany of the self

The purpose of this study is to offer an analysis of the tourist experience through a focus on 'epiphany', which is conceptualized as an interactional moment that creates change and transformation in self-identity. We suggest that an epiphany in tourism can be understood by analysing its links with the philosophical concepts of existential authenticity, the Other and the unknown. In the experience of the unknown, the traveller becomes more conscious of authentic modes of existence. This analysis explores the theoretical boundaries of the tourist experience by focusing on the construction of self-identity and subjectivity through the process of travel.