There are no sides: new narratives in tourism communication
Tourism has often been seen as a way for ‘outsiders’ to step into a country or region and experience its culture. It has often led to the ‘packaging’ of cultural experiences or the commodification of culture as a way to draw in visitors and increase tourist spending. The dichotomy between tourist and local has therefore been established as one where the local takes on the role of guide, educator, or host, and the tourist takes on the role of explorer, student, or guest. Communication becomes one-way, and therefore limits the opportunity for meaningful stories and experiences to be shared.
A dialogic approach to tourism storytelling takes into account how the ‘insider’ and ‘outsider both exist in a space, simultaneously influencing each other and interweaving their narratives to create rich and meaningful connections. While this might seem like an idealistic goal, there are three key strategies that can enable this approach to become a reality.
Incorporating storytelling into the content strategy
Make destination marketing efforts more conversational and communal by establishing relationships through storytelling. Being able to tell unique, authentic stories is a way to draw audiences into your narrative, so that they stop being passive recipients of tourism products, and start becoming active participants in a tourism experience.
Highlighting the journey
Individuals and cultures are not static; they grow and change. Brands and organisations in the tourism sector often have interesting journeys to share, from the whys and hows of a community initiative, to the ways in which the individuals in a team have evolved. When these become part of your brand, you move from being a single-dimensional tourist ‘package’ to being a living, breathing expression of life.
Providing spaces for co-created narratives
At the regional or industry level, physical and digital spaces that allow for visitors and locals to share their experiences are opportunities to cross-pollinate ideas and facilitate exchanges. Designing such spaces in an equitable and inclusive manner ensures that all voices are heard and contribute to the larger tourist narrative in a region.
Moving from an ‘insider’ vs ‘outsider’ approach to a mindset where there are no sides, only multiple voices around a table, offers opportunities for individuals and businesses of all sizes to tell their stories and contribute to tourism recovery.
Read more about brand storytelling in tourism.
