Abstract By applying the methods of philosophical speculation and logical reasoning,the thesis queries the concept proposed by Professor WANG Yu-hai who defines tourism as "people employ their leisure time to experience the unusual environment",and puts forward that "experience the unusual environment" is not the essence and necessary condition of tourism. The nature of tourism is determined by the basic purpose and behavior pattern of tourism,however,"to experience the unusual environment" is neither the ultimate purpose nor the essential condition of tourism. The word "joy" has remained to be the focus of debate about the definition of tourism. In view of Professor Wang's questioning of the idea of "joy" introduced by Professor Xie Yanjun,the study discriminates the aesthetic connotation of the word "joy",holds that "joy" should not be simply interpreted into "happy",but "a pleasant sensation" is much closer to the implication. There is no obvious problem and large deviation in professor Xie's definition,which has approached to the essence of traveling and covers the main contents of tourism,though there exists an expression problem and a need to further improve the depth of the theoretical definition. The discussion about the definition and essence of tourism ultimately should be dealt with from the perspective of philosophy and the angle of behavioral science. The article,from the "academic definition" level,redefines tourism as a kind of experience of the freedom of mind and body attained by people who use their spare time to travel,visit and stay in places different from their daily life and work environment with purposes of recreation,appreciation of beauty and seeking knowledge. The paper also examines the relations and differences between tourism and leisure,deems that tourism can not be simply defined as "a kind of recreational experience and activities people engaged in their spare time and in alien places".
2013, Vol. 28 
