From the first travel souvenirs to modern "airport art" : an analysis of the commodification of handicraft based on the example of Southeast Asia

Everyone knows the complaints of long-distance travelers and lovers of exotic destinations that once everything used to be more original, "authentic", that one could still buy "real, genuine" handicraft objects and not only souvenirs produced in mass production for the global tourist world market, which hardly have any connection to traditional material culture in tourist destinations. Such complaints come particularly often from travelers and tourists travelling so-called "third world" countries such as the countries of Southeast Asia. However, as is so often the case, the "before-was-everything-better" lament does not stand up to closer historical examination.