“We are reconciliators”: When Indigenous tourism begins with agency

Abstract

The notion that Indigenous tourism can advance reconciliation contrasts with prevailing 'tourism as industry' discourses. Commodification processes treat tourists as consumers, rather than as visitors to a place, or visitors to the people of a place. How can Indigenous tourism deliver sustainable benefits to the hosts and communities that receive visitors? This study adopts critical Indigenous methodology with constructivist grounded theory, as we source and validate theoretical constructs of sustainability in Indigenous tourism with Aboriginal tourism operators themselves. Three practices emerge, namely hosting, connecting, and sharing. Through hosting, operators set the scene for culturally safe interactions. Through connecting, hosts and tourists recognise their shared humanity. Through sharing, local identities, cultures, and histories are brought to the surface. These three practices of hosting, connecting, and sharing arise from the agency, and thereby reinforce the agency, of Aboriginal tourism operators. In order for Indigenous tourism operators and communities to derive sustainable benefits from receiving visitors, such engagements must be founded on recognition and respect for Indigenous agency. These practices imply reciprocity and point to local understandings of reconciliation, not as an endpoint, but as a practice in the here and now. We argue that this represents a strengths-based model of Indigenous tourism.

“It's Self‐Determination. Blackfullas Making Right Decisions for Blackfullas”: Why Indigenous‐owned businesses create better Indigenous employment outcomes

“…Through this process, the researchers were also able to determine what elements of the data were significant in relation to the central research question, whilst also identifying further data elements that are better suited to a separate publication. The coding and themes were cross-analysed amongst all members of the research team, and the findings were presented to participants for comment before publication (Charmaz, 2006;Curtin & Bird, 2022).…”

The institutional antecedents of sustainable development in cultural heritage tourism

“…This may be significant for many communities, in particular indigenous communities, the preservation of natural resources may be a significant element of their identities (cf. Curtin & Bird, 2022). The role of language (Whitney‐Squire et al, 2018) and storytelling in establishing communities' connection to their identities in cultural heritage tourism cannot be overemphasised (Rivero‐Moreno, 2020).…”

“…Ruhanen and Whitford (2019) state that indigenous communities' strong connections to their identities through active involvement in their cultural heritage can enhance their own linkages and interactions in pursuit of shared interests and the sustainable utilisation of cultural and ecological resources. This may be significant for many communities, in particular indigenous communities, the preservation of natural resources may be a significant element of their identities (cf Curtin & Bird, 2022)…”

Management of Indigenous Resources for Promotion of Indigenous Tourism: A Study of Selected Tribal Districts of Madhya Pradesh

“…Likewise, serious travellers will reveal their respect and support for indigenous culture by seeking authentic experiences and donating to cultural conservation (Wu et al, 2017). Indigenous hosts leverage tourismand the recognition it bringsto motivate the next generation about the relevance, importance, and feasibility of maintaining their culture (Curtin and Bird, 2022). When it connects with scholars' discussionon various tourist phenomena where indigenous culture is the core of attraction in different types of tourism activity is called Aboriginal tourism (Lin and Chang, 2013).…”