Moving beyond sense of place to care of place: the role of Indigenous values and interpretation in promoting transformative change in tourists' place images and personal values

Abstract

A key element of sustainable tourism is the inclusion of activities that both provide insights into the destination, or develop a “sense of place”, and that encourage tourists to develop a sense of responsibility for the conservation of that destination, which could be described as “care of place”. Interpretation of Indigenous culture and lifestyle to tourists is often proposed as a tool to achieve these goals. This paper reports on research conducted at Stanley Island, off the North-eastern coast of Australia, and examines the aspirations of the Traditional Indigenous Owners with regard to expedition cruises to this area and compared these to changes in place images and values of passengers from these cruises. The analysis focused on the nature of changes in tourist place perceptions and the development of a “care of place” associated with Indigenous interpretive practices. The results suggest positive outcomes from this form of Indigenous interpretation, showing its special qualities and identifying areas for further development. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of using values as a basis for the design and delivery of experiences that move tourists beyond a sense of place to developing a sense of care of place.