Research
Chain of Reflective Experiences: How Tourists Give Meaning to Intangible Cultural Heritage Experiences
Author:
Thilini Alahakoon
University of Sri Jayawardenepura, LK
About Thilini
Postgraduate Institute of Management
Abstract
Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) is a tourist offer that is embedded within the people of a destination and their lifestyles. Given this nature of ICH, this paper aims to explore how tourists give meaning to ICH experiences especially in the absence of formal sources of information. It employs a qualitative phenomenological stance with a sample of 21 European tourists. The Appropriation Theory was used for theoretical support. Findings indicate that recollections and reflections of past travel experiences contribute to the interpretation of ICH experiences. Specifically, such recollections and reflections create a sense of familiarity with new ICH experiences allowing tourists to connect with them more, resulting in subjective meaning assignment which may or may not be the meaning envisioned by destination marketers and the host community. This study also initiates a discussion on ‘chain of reflective experiences’, through which further exploration of the effects of past travel experiences on new experiences are encouraged.
How to Cite:
Alahakoon, T., 2021. Chain of Reflective Experiences: How Tourists Give Meaning to Intangible Cultural Heritage Experiences. Colombo Business Journal, 12(1), pp.29–53. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cbj.v12i1.70
Published on
29 Jun 2021.
Peer Reviewed
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