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Abstract
Travel plays a part in shaping the perception of self through experiences of other people and places. “Finding yourself” through travel has been widely discussed in the tourism literature; however, relatively little has been documented about how identity can influence an individual's travel choices. This paper investigates the role of interpersonal relationships in shaping identity and influencing tourism mobility. To gain insight into identity, there must be an understanding of the narratives used to create and affirm identities. A narrative interview method was used with 22 participants. The findings demonstrate how interpersonal relationships shape the self and identity which can have an impact on a tourist's travel behaviour. The analysis explores the role played by visiting friends and relatives and the impact on identity and travel. It also addresses how travel is used to enhance relationships through physical and emotional connectedness. This can lead to people undertaking travel they do not desire.