The Cutural Shocks Experienced by Internasional Tourists Arrived in Medan City

Abstract

This research deals with The Cultural Shocks Experienced by Internasional Tourists Arrived in Medan City, which aimed to find out the process of cultural shocks experienced by tourists in Medan city. This research used qualitative method and by using the U curve theory by Collen Ward. The data collections of this research are the researcher used interview sheet as instrument of the research in Medan city. The researcher found that there are four processes of cultural shocks experienced by tourists. Such as honeymoon phase is first stage because of hospitality, scenery of the host country. The second is crisis stage is the crisis phase because of cross culture differences in how people communicate. The third is recovery phases, where they began to accept, to resolve and to adjust their cultural differences. Finally is adjustment phase where they were enjoyed and accepted the cultural differences in new environment. The conclusion of the research described the phases of culture shock by using Ward’s of culture shock theory that can give information to readers or to the next researchers who want to know and research more about it.