The effect of social status on visitors' behaviour at one type of tourist event, a world's fair, is examined. A model is developed which shows that: 1. Socialisation experiences can influence individuals positions in the social status hierarchy; 2. People who have had similar socialisation experiences may exhibit similar behaviours; 3. A basis of social status is the prestige awarded to an individual by society; 4. Tourism is associated with prestige; 5. Tourism experiences can affect an individual's position in the social status hierarchy; 6. World's fairs can be a destination oe event where the experiences or 'ritual transformations' can occur. These ideas that visitor's behaviour at a tourist destination may differ depending on his/her level of social status. To test this thesis, hypotheses based on five constructs are developed and tested using data collected at Expo '86 in Vancouver, Canada. The five constucts that are expected to vary with level of 7. Attending cultural events; social status are: 1. Mode of travel to Expo '86; 2. Trip planning; 3. Expectations of Expo'86; and 4. Souvenir collecting. Although the results are in general inconclusive, the viability of the hypotheses cannot be dismissed because of some limitation in the data; they were collected for reasons other than this research and the research instrument used was not meant to measure the constructs specified here. As well there is strong evidence in the research literature to support the main argument. A model of social status and behaviour, adapted in this thesis to tourism behaviour, can be used in future investigations. Areas for further investigations are suggested including areas of the model that should be expanded and clarified and new methods to test the constructs. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate