tourism and pop culture

Book review - Contents Tourism and Pop Culture Fandom – Transnational Tourist Experiences

Journal of Tourism Futures

ISSN : 2055-5911

Article publication date: 15 April 2021

Issue publication date: 4 June 2021

Reichenberger, I. (2021), "Book review - Contents Tourism and Pop Culture Fandom – Transnational Tourist Experiences", Journal of Tourism Futures , Vol. 7 No. 1, pp. 151-152. https://doi.org/10.1108/JTF-03-2021-190

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Ina Reichenberger.

Published in Journal of Tourism Futures . Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode

Contents Tourism and Pop Culture Fandom , edited by Yamamura and Seaton (2020) , was published in 2020 as part of Channel View’s Aspects of Tourism series. It is the first book that bridges the longstanding gap between Eastern and Western perspectives on popular culture-induced tourism, making a much-needed contribution to global scholarship in this area through this alone. Western research on popular culture-related tourism is still highly fragmented in nature, both in what it considers the perspectives it adopts and the fields within which it is conducted. Eastern research, to date, then lacks contextualisation within the transmedia and transnational aspect. Yamamura and Seaton thus propose “contents tourism” as a unifying framework, based on dynamic practices and experiences motivated by contents such as narratives, characters or locations where the narrative world is expanded through not only its adaptations in the media but also tourism practice. Through this, the previously often neglected and disjointed role of the actual content that unites fans receives the attention that is required to fully understand the role of popular culture for individuals and in the contemporary tourism landscape.

The introduction outlines developments and current challenges of popular culture tourism and introduces contents tourism as the underlying framework for the subsequent three parts. Part 1, “The Contentsization of Literary Worlds”, considers the origin of many narratives worlds in writing and focuses on transmedia content development. Chapters on Jane Austen and The Witcher , for example, explore the development of narratives through various media representations and thus further “contentsization” and their subsequent impact on visitor profiles and destination development. Brontё and Nesbit are then used to examine the complexities between different narratives, author and place through brandscapes, acknowledging the complexities and challenges of exploring dual fictionalities within the real.

Part 2, “Tourist Behaviour at ‘Sacred sites’ of Contents Tourism”, then explores collective tourist experiences through performativity, often addressing the transnational aspect of popular culture tourism. Here, content and narrative are at the core of many international tourism sites and their design, emphasising the relevance of visitor practice and rituals. This adds a valuable perspective to existing, often site-focused, research where a certain location is frequently considered the main attraction and appeal – here, however, place characteristics have been found to often play secondary roles overridden by visitors’ interpretation of and engagement with the narrative, acknowledging the co-creational nature of contents and popular culture tourism.

Finally, Part 3, “Contents Tourism as Pilgrimage”, then looks at the connections between places and imaginations from individualised perspectives, expanding on the previous sections. The multiplicity of places as real, fictional and imaginary and the impact on experiences and perceptions, combined with perspectives on experience design and personal connections. This section of the book contributes significantly to our understanding of often highly involved fans and how the meaning that certain contents hold for them impacts the way in which sites, attractions, places and self are explored and experienced.

This book contributes greatly to our understanding of the role of popular culture and its contents for the contemporary global tourism landscape. Nearly all chapters include visitor voices or, at the very least, consider visitor behaviour in relation to their connection with content, narrative, characters and the multiple identities of places. It examines contents tourism under the umbrella of both meaning and practice, effectively transferring findings to managerial areas. As pop-cultural phenomena are participatory, social and community-focused, this is a much-needed contribution to the field. This, however, could have been expanded upon. Placing the popularity of contents tourism within a wider societal context and acknowledging its meaning for and contributions to individuals and their subcultural fandoms more explicitly would have added an additional dimension to the publication’s aim to address the transnationality of the contents tourism beyond individual case studies.

The conclusion provides several practical implications and directions for future sustainable contents tourism planning and development; however, the future directions of popular culture and its contents have not been considered. It must be noted, though, that it was not the editors’ aim to provide future directions and anticipated developments in this area. In summary, Contents Tourism and Pop Culture Fandom provides a fresh perspective that will hopefully decrease the fragmentation of existing related research while making especially Japanese research in this area more accessible to English-speaking academia. On a personal note, I am slightly disappointed in the lack of Harry Potter-related content despite the book cover featuring what appears to be the Hogwarts Express – but the conclusion suggests that perhaps there is something to look forward to?

Yamamura , T. and Seaton , P. (Eds) ( 2020 ), Contents Tourism and Pop Culture Fandom – Transnational Tourist Experiences , Channel View Publications , Clevedon .

About the author

Ina Reichenberger is based at the School of Management, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.

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Contents Tourism and Pop Culture Fandom

Transnational tourist experiences.

• Edited by: Takayoshi Yamamura and Philip Seaton
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Please login or register with De Gruyter to order this product.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Channel View Publications
• Copyright year: 2020
• Audience: College/higher education;
• Main content: 264
• Keywords: popular culture and tourism ; fandom ; pilgrimage ; media ; tourist behaviour ; tourist experience ; contents tourism ; pop culture
• Published: January 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781845417239

More about OUTPACE

The tourism sector is a vital component of member states’ economies because of its contribution to economic growth and employment, as well as its social, cultural and environmental implications (UNWTO; Eurostat). Today, many up-and-coming tourism destinations are experiencing rapid growth directly because of their links to popular culture: television, film and music etc.. Other parts of Europe are capitalizing significantly on film induced/pop culture tourism. Overseas visitors to the island of Ireland (includes Northern Ireland) grew by 8.8% in 2016, faster than both the world (+3.6%) and Europe (+1.6%) (TourismIreland), while in Iceland the number of foreign visitors has nearly quadrupled since 2010 (Icelandic Tourist Board).

However, there is a risk that the economic boost from pop culture may prove short lived. While a number of ‘first-mover’ local businesses have capitalized on trends, the tourism sector’s response to the opportunities has been fragmented. Evidence suggests that companies perform well on providing traditional services but are less able to respond to the more complex motives of pop culture tourists which rely on the mythology and perception of a destination rather than the real place (MacCannell, 1999; Selwyn, 1996 in Lexhagan et al.) and are ill equipped to offer the immersive, aspirational and emotional-based experiences that new generations of tourists come to expect (VisitBritain, 2016).

We will respond to the needs by pursuing the following objectives;

• IO1 Pop Culture Tourism Alliances & Actions Plans bring together tourism and creative/cultural industies stakeholders to analyse regional skills gaps audits, create an action plan and mechanisms for ongoing collaboration.
• IO2 Pop Culture Tourism Resource Pack uses narrative text, examples and case studies to introduce tourism , creative industries and cultural heritage stakeholders to the concept of Pop Culture Tourism and its ability to transform regional tourism economies.

• IO4 Pop Culture Tourism Innovators’ App, gives direct access to training and collective learning for educators, students and entrepreneurs interested in moving into tourism and the digital content for same through creative industries.

On completion the immediate impact of the project will be felt most keenly at regional level but we believe it will attract a significant degree of interest from enterprise development and tourism policy makers and practitioners at national level.

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Now boarding: Faces, places, and trends shaping tourism in 2024

After falling by 75 percent in 2020, travel is on its way to a full recovery by the end of 2024. Domestic travel is expected to grow 3 percent annually and reach 19 billion lodging nights per year by 2030. 1 Unless otherwise noted, the source for all data and projections is Oxford Economics. Over the same time frame, international travel should likewise ramp up to its historical average of nine billion nights. Spending on travel is expected to follow a similar trajectory, with an estimated $8.6 trillion in traveler outlays in 2024, representing roughly 9 percent of this year’s global GDP.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Caroline Tufft , Margaux Constantin , Matteo Pacca , and Ryan Mann , with Ivan Gladstone and Jasperina de Vries, representing views from McKinsey’s Travel, Logistics & Infrastructure Practice.

There’s no doubt people still love to travel and will continue to seek new experiences in new places. But where will travelers come from, and where will they go? We developed a snapshot of current traveler flows, along with estimates for growth through 2030. For the purposes of this report, we have divided the world into four regions—the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa.

Our analysis identifies three major themes for industry stakeholders to consider:

• The bulk of travel spending is close to home. Stakeholders should ensure they capture the full potential of domestic travel before shifting their focus to international travelers. And they should start with international travelers who visit nearby countries—as intraregional trips represent the largest travel segment after domestic trips.
• Source markets are shifting. Although established source markets continue to anchor global travel, Eastern Europe, India, and Southeast Asia are all becoming fast-growing sources of outbound tourism.
• The destinations of the future may not be the ones you imagine. Alongside enduring favorites, places that weren’t on many tourists’ maps are finding clever ways to lure international travelers and establish themselves as desirable destinations.

The bulk of travel spending is close to home

International travel might feel more glamorous, but tourism players should not forget that domestic travel still represents the bulk of the market, accounting for 75 percent of global travel spending (Exhibit 1). Domestic travel recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic faster than international travel, as is typical coming out of downturns. And although there has been a recent boom in “revenge travel,” with travelers prioritizing international trips that were delayed by the pandemic, a return to prepandemic norms, in which domestic travel represents 70 percent of spending, is expected by 2030.

The United States is the world’s largest domestic travel market at $1 trillion in annual spending. Sixty-eight percent of all trips that start in the United States remain within its borders. Domestic demand has softened slightly, as American travelers return abroad. 2 Dawit Habtemariam, “Domestic U.S. tourism growth levels off as Americans head overseas,” Skift, August 18, 2023. But tourism players with the right offerings are still thriving: five national parks broke attendance records in 2023 (including Joshua Tree National Park, which capitalized on growing interest from stargazers indulging in “dark sky” tourism 3 Scott McConkey, “5 national parks set attendance records in 2023, and the reasons may surprise you,” Wealth of Geeks, April 16, 2024. ).

China’s $744 billion domestic travel market is currently the world’s second largest. Chinese travelers spent the pandemic learning to appreciate the diversity of experiences on offer within their own country. Even as borders open back up, Chinese travelers are staying close to home. And domestic destinations are benefiting: for example, Changchun (home to the Changchun Ice and Snow Festival) realized 160 percent year-on-year growth in visitors in 2023. 4 Shi Xiaoji, “Why don’t Chinese people like to travel abroad anymore? The global tourism industry has lost 900 billion yuan. What is the situation?,” NetEase, February 12, 2024. In 2024, domestic travel during Lunar New Year exceeded prepandemic levels by 19 percent.

China’s domestic travel market is expected to grow 12 percent annually and overtake the United States’ to become the world’s largest by 2030. Hotel construction reflects this expectation: 30 percent of the global hotel construction pipeline is currently concentrated in China. The pipeline is heavily skewed toward luxury properties, with more than twice as many luxury hotels under construction in China as in the United States.

India, currently the world’s sixth-largest domestic travel market by spending, is another thriving area for domestic travel. With the subcontinent’s growing middle class powering travel spending growth of roughly 9 percent per year, India’s domestic market could overtake Japan’s and Mexico’s to become the world’s fourth largest by 2030. Domestic air passenger traffic in India is projected to double by 2030, 5 Murali Krishnan, “Can India’s airports cope with rapid passenger growth?,” Deutsche Welle, February 7, 2024. boosted in part by a state-subsidized initiative that aims to connect underserved domestic airports. 6 “India is seeing a massive aviation boom,” Economist , November 23, 2023.

When travelers do go abroad, they often stay close to home (Exhibit 2).

Europe and Asia, in particular, demonstrate strong and growing intraregional travel markets.

Recognizing this general trend, stakeholders have been funneling investment toward regional tourism destinations. An Emirati wealth fund, for instance, has announced its intent to invest roughly $35 billion into established hospitality properties and development opportunities in Egypt. 7 Michael Gunn and Mirette Magdy, “UAE’s $35 billion Egypt deal marks Gulf powers’ buying spree,” Bloomberg, April 27, 2024.

Europe has long played host to a high share of intraregional travel. Seventy percent of its travelers’ international trips stay within the region. Europe’s most popular destinations for intraregional travelers are perennial warm-weather favorites—Spain (18 percent), Italy (10 percent), and France (8 percent)—with limited change to these preferences expected between now and 2030.

Despite longer travel distances between Asian countries, Asia’s intraregional travel market is beginning to resemble Europe’s. Intraregional travel currently accounts for about 60 percent of international trips in Asia—a share expected to climb to 64 percent by 2030. As in Europe in past decades, Asian intraregional travel is benefiting from diminishing visa barriers and the development of a low-cost, regional flight network.

Thailand is projected to enjoy continued, growing popularity with Asian travelers. Thailand waived visa requirements for Chinese tourists in 2023 and plans to do the same for Indian tourists starting in 2024. It has aggressively targeted the fast-growing Indian traveler segment, launching more than 50 marketing campaigns directed at Indians over the past decade. The investment may be paying off: Bangkok recently overtook Dubai as the most popular city destination for Indian tourists. 8 “Bangkok overtakes Dubai as top destination for Indians post visa relaxation, reveals Agoda,” PR Newswire, January 18, 2024.

A McKinsey ConsumerWise survey on consumer sentiment, conducted in February 2024, suggests that Chinese travelers are also exhibiting high interest in international travel, with 36 percent of survey respondents indicating that they intend to spend more on international travel in the next three months. 9 Daniel Zipser, “ China brief: Consumers are spending again (outside of China) ,” McKinsey, April 8, 2024. Much of this interest is directed toward regional destinations such as Southeast Asia and Japan, with interest in travel to Europe down from previous years. 10 Guang Chen, Zi Chen, Steve Saxon, and Jackey Yu, “ Outlook for China tourism 2023: Light at the end of the tunnel ,” McKinsey, May 9, 2023.

Given travelers’ preference for proximity, how can tourism stakeholders further capitalize on domestic and intraregional travel demand? Here are a few strategies:

• Craft offerings that encourage domestic tourists to rediscover local gems. Destinations, hotels, and transportation providers can encourage domestic tourists to integrate lesser-known cultural landmarks into their trips to visit friends and relatives. In France, the upscale hotel chain Relais & Châteaux markets historic properties that lie far from classic tourist sights—such as Château Saint-Jean in rural Auvergne—as a welcome escape from the bustle of Paris. In Mexico, the Pueblos Mágicos program has successfully boosted domestic tourist visits to a set of “magical towns” that showcase Mexican heritage.
• Fold one-off domestic destinations into fuller itineraries. Route 66 in the United States is a classic road trip pathway, which spurs visits to attractions all along the highway’s length. Tourism stakeholders can collaborate to create similar types of domestic itineraries around the world. For instance, Mexico has expanded on its Pueblos Mágicos concept by branding coordinated visits to multiple villages as “magical routes.” In France, local tourism boards and vineyards have collaborated to promote bucket list “wine routes” around the country.
• Make crossing borders into neighboring countries seamless. Removing logistical barriers to travel can nudge tourists to upgrade a one-off trip to a single attraction into a bucket list journey across multiple, less-trodden destinations. In Africa, for example, Ethiopian Airlines is facilitating cross-border travel to major regional tourist sites through improved air connectivity. In Asia, Thailand has announced its intent to create a joint visa easing travel among Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Source markets are shifting

The United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, and France remain the world’s five largest sources of travelers, in that order. These countries collectively accounted for 38 percent of international travel spending in 2023 and are expected to remain the top five source markets through 2030. But interest in travel is blossoming in other parts of the world—causing a shift in the balance of outbound travel flows (Exhibit 3).

North Americans’ travel spending is projected to hold steady at roughly 3 percent annual growth. US consumers voice growing concerns about inflation, and the most cost-constrained traveler segments are reducing travel, which is affecting ultra-low-cost airlines and budget hotels. Most travelers, however, plan to continue traveling: McKinsey research suggests that American consumers rank international and domestic travel as their highest-priority areas for discretionary spending. Instead of canceling their trips, these consumers are adapting their behavior by traveling during off-peak periods or booking travel further in advance. Travel spending by Europeans paints a slightly rosier picture, with roughly 5 percent projected annual growth. Meanwhile, the projected 12 percent annual growth in Chinese travelers’ spending should anchor substantial increases in travel spending across Northeast Asia.

Alongside these enduring traveler segments, new groups of travelers are emerging. Eastern Europe, India, and Southeast Asia are still comparatively small source markets, but they are developing fast-growing pools of first-time tourists (Exhibit 4).

India’s breakneck GDP growth of 6 percent year over year is bolstering a new generation of travelers, 11 Benjamin Laker, “India will grow to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027,” Forbes , February 23, 2024. resulting in a projected annual growth in travel spending of 9 percent between now and 2030. Indian air carriers and lodging companies are making substantial investments to meet projected demand. Budget airline IndiGo placed the largest aircraft order in commercial aviation history in 2023, when it pledged to buy 500 Airbus A320 planes 12 Anna Cooban, “Biggest plane deal in history: Airbus clinches massive order from India’s IndiGo,” CNN, June 19, 2023. ; that same week, Air India nearly equaled IndiGo’s order size with purchase agreements for 250 Airbus and 220 Boeing jets. IndiGo later added an order for 30 additional Airbus A350 planes, well suited to serving both domestic and international routes. 13 “Airbus confirms IndiGo's A350 aircraft order,” Economic Times , May 6, 2024. The Indian Hotels Company Limited is ramping up its hotel pipeline, aiming to open two new hotels per month in the near future. International players are not sitting on the sidelines: seven hotel chains are launching new brands in India in 2024, 14 Peden Doma Bhutia, “Indian Hotels expansion plans: 2 new brands launching, 2 hotels opening every month,” Skift, February 2, 2024. including Marriott’s first Moxy- and Tribute-branded hotels in India and entrants from Hilton’s Curio and Tapestry brands. 15 Forum Gandhi, “Check-in frenzy: International hotel giants unleash fresh brands in India’s booming hospitality landscape,” Hindu Businessline , February 13, 2024. Development focus has shifted away from major metropolises such as Mumbai and Delhi and toward fast-developing, smaller cities such as Chandigarh and Hyderabad.

Southeast Asian travel spending is projected to grow at roughly 7 percent per year. Pockets of particularly high growth exist in Cambodia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. To capitalize on this blossoming source market, neighboring countries are rolling out attractive visa arrangements: for example, China has agreed to reciprocal visa waivers for short-term travelers from Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. 16 Julienna Law, “China launches ‘visa-free era’ with Southeast Asia. Will travel retail boom?,” Jing Daily , January 30, 2024.

Travel spending by Eastern Europeans is expected to grow at 7 percent per year until 2030—two percentage points higher than spending by Western Europeans. Areas of especially high growth include the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland, where middle-class travelers are increasingly venturing farther afield. Major tourism players, including the TUI Group, have tapped into these new source markets by offering charter flights to warm-weather destinations such as Egypt. 17 Hildbrandt von Klaus, “TUI develops Czech Republic as a new source market,” FVW, December 22, 2023.

Although the number of travelers from these new source markets is growing, their purchasing power remains relatively limited. Compared with Western European travelers (who average $159 per night in total travel spending), South Asians spend 20 percent less, Eastern Europeans spend 40 percent less, and Southeast Asians spend 55 percent less. Only 3 percent of the current Asian hotel construction pipeline caters to economy travelers, suggesting a potential supply gap of rooms that could appeal to budget-constrained tourists.

While acknowledging that historical source markets will continue to constitute the bulk of travel spending, tourism players can consider actions such as these to capitalize on growing travel demand from newer markets:

• Reduce obstacles to travel. Countries can look for ways to strategically invest in simplifying travel for visitors from growing source markets. In 2017, for example, Azerbaijan introduced express processing of electronic visas for Indian visitors; annual arrivals from India increased fivefold in two years. Requirements regarding passport photocopies or in-person check-ins can similarly be assessed with an eye toward reducing red tape for travelers.
• Use culturally relevant marketing channels to reach new demographics. Unique, thoughtful marketing strategies can help destinations place themselves on first-time travelers’ bucket lists. For example, after the release of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara , a popular Bollywood movie shot in Spain with support from the Spanish Ministry of Tourism, Indian tourism to Spain increased by 65 percent. 18 “ Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara part of syllabus in Spain colleges,” India Today , June 6, 2004.
• Give new travelers the tech they expect. Travelers from newer source markets often have access to tech-forward travel offerings. For example, Indian travelers can travel anywhere within their country without physical identification, thanks to the Digi Yatra app. The Southeast Asian rideshare app Grab has several helpful travel features that competitors lack, such as automated menu translation and currency conversion. Tourism stakeholders should consider how to adapt to the tech expectations of newer travelers, integrating relevant offerings that ease journeys.
• Create vibrant experiences tailored to different price points. Crafting lower-budget offerings for more cost-constrained travelers doesn’t need to result in giving them a subpar experience. Capsule hotels, in which guests sleep in small cubbies, began as a response to the high cost of accommodations in Japan, but they have become an attraction in their own right—appearing on many must-do lists. 19 Philip Tang, “24 of the best experiences in Japan,” Lonely Planet, March 23, 2024.

The places you’ll go: The destinations of the future may not be the ones you imagine

The world’s top ten destination countries (the United States, Spain, China, France, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Italy, Thailand, Japan, and India, in that order) currently receive 45 percent of all travel spending, including for domestic travel. But some new locales are gaining traction (Exhibit 5).

A significant number of travelers are expanding their horizons, booking journeys to less visited countries that are near to old standbys. For instance, Laos and Malaysia, which both border Thailand—an established destination that is home to Bangkok, the world’s most visited city 20 Katherine LaGrave, “This is the world’s most visited city,” AFAR , January 31, 2024. —are up a respective 20 percent and 17 percent, respectively, in year-over-year international travel spending.

The world’s top ten destination countries currently receive 45 percent of all travel spending, including domestic-travel spending. But some new locales are gaining traction.

Several other countries that have crafted thoughtful tourism demand generation strategies—such as Peru, the Philippines, Rwanda, and Vietnam—are also expected to reap benefits in the coming years. Vietnam logged a remarkable 40 percent increase in tourism spending in the five years before the pandemic. Postpandemic, it has rebounded in part by waiving visa requirements for European travelers (while indicating intent to offer similar exemptions in the future for Chinese and Indian travelers). 21 Ashvita Singh, “Vietnam looks to offer visa-free entry to Indians: India report,” Skift, November 20, 2023. The Philippines has made a concerted effort to shift its sun-and-beach branding toward a more well-rounded image, replacing its long-standing “It’s more fun in the Philippines” tourism slogan with “Love the Philippines.” Peru is highlighting less visited archeological sites while also marketing itself as a top-notch culinary destination through the promotion of Peruvian restaurants abroad. Rwanda is investing in infrastructure to become a major African transit hub, facilitated by Qatar Airways’ purchase of a 60 percent stake in the country’s major airport. 22 Dylan Cresswell, “Rwanda plots ambitious tourism recovery,” African Business , July 28, 2022. Rwanda has also successfully capitalized on sustainable tourism: by charging $1,500 per gorilla trekking permit, for instance, it has maximized revenue while reducing environmental impact.

Tourism players might consider taking some of these actions to lure tourists to less familiar destinations:

• Collaborate across the tourism ecosystem. Promotion is not solely the domain of destination marketing organizations. Accommodation, transportation, and experience providers can also play important roles. In Singapore, for instance, the luxury resort Marina Bay Sands partners extensively with Singapore Airlines and the Singapore Tourism Board to offer compelling tourism offerings. Past collaborations have included flight and stay packages built around culinary festivals and a Lunar New Year drone show. 23 “Singapore Tourism Board, Marina Bay Sands & UOB partner to enliven Marina Bay precinct,” Singapore Tourism Board news release, January 25, 2024.
• Use infrastructure linkage to promote new destinations. By extending route options, transportation providers can encourage visitors to create itineraries that combine familiar destinations with new attractions. In Asia, Thailand’s tourism authority has attempted to nudge visitors away from the most heavily trafficked parts of the country, such as Bangkok and Phuket, and toward less popular destinations.
• Deploy social media to reach different demographics. Innovative social media campaigns can help put a destination on the map. Australia launched its “Ruby the kangaroo” campaign in China to coincide with the return of postpandemic air capacity between the two places. A video adapted for Chinese context (with appropriate gestures and a hashtag in Mandarin) garnered more than 20 million views in a single day on one of China’s largest social media platforms. 24 Nicole Gong, “Can Ruby the kangaroo bring Chinese tourists hopping back to Australia?,” SBS, June 5, 2023.
• Embrace unknown status. “Off the beaten path” messaging can appeal to widely traveled tourists seeking fresh experiences. Saudi Arabia’s “#WhereInTheWorld” campaign promoted the country’s tourist spots by acknowledging that they are less familiar to travelers, using a series of images that compared these spots with better-known destinations.

As tourism stakeholders look to the future, they can take steps to ensure that they continue to delight existing travelers while also embracing new ones. Domestic and intraregional tourism remain major opportunities—catering to local tourists’ preferences while building infrastructure that makes travel more seamless within a region could help capture them. Creative collaboration among tourism stakeholders can help put lesser-known destinations on the map. Travel tides are shifting. Expertly navigating these currents could yield rich rewards.

Caroline Tufft is a senior partner in McKinsey’s London office, Margaux Constantin is a partner in the Dubai office, Matteo Pacca is a senior partner in the Paris office, Ryan Mann is a partner in the Chicago office, Ivan Gladstone is an associate partner in the Riyadh office, and Jasperina de Vries is an associate partner in the Amsterdam office.

The authors wish to thank Abdulhadi Alghamdi, Alessandra Powell, Alex Dichter, Cedric Tsai, Diane Vu, Elisa Wallwitz, Lily Miller, Maggie Coffey, Nadya Snezhkova, Nick Meronyk, Paulina Baum, Peimin Suo, Rebecca Stone, Sarah Fellay, Sarah Sahel, Steffen Fuchs, Steffen Köpke, Steve Saxon, Sophia Wang, and Urs Binggeli for their contributions to this article.

This article was edited by Seth Stevenson, a senior editor in the New York office.

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Tour company, colonial memorial among those honoured at Queensland Reconciliation Awards

On a quiet bush property in Far North Queensland, visitors are learning about a way of life that sustained traditional owners here for tens of thousands of years. 

The city of Cairns is a short boat ride away across the bay but it is here where new connections are being made between the Mandingalbay Yidinji people and the 5,500 tour guests they receive each year — three-quarters of whom come from overseas.

"Country belongs to us and we belong to it," explained Dale Mundraby, operations manager at the Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation.

"In terms of ownership, that's that respect, and people who come and share that experience get a really better understanding of what that is."

The Mandingalbay Yidinji have been operating cultural tours at East Trinity for more than two years, but the business was a vision two decades in the making.

Among the team of guides are three young mothers, who have returned to the workforce to share the stories of their country.

"We want to make a social impact and smash the welfare cycle, having self-independence and autonomy through delivering a cultural experience on country," Mr Mundraby said.

Mandingalbay Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation's achievements were recognised with a business prize at the Queensland Reconciliation Awards presented in Cairns on Monday night.

Tour guide Joanne Mundraby said the venture was "a good opportunity for everyone".

"We do see a big future, not just creating employment, not just for Mundingalbay Yidinji but Indigenous people from all over and creating those big job titles for up-and-coming elders like myself," she said.

Nation first memorial honoured

As part of National Reconciliation Week, events are held across the country to promote a greater awareness of First Nations culture and history and to strengthen relationships with non-Indigenous Australians.

It's held each year from May 27 to June 3, marking the dates of the 1967 referendum to recognise Indigenous Australians in the Constitution and the High Court's Mabo decision.

This year's Reconciliation Week is the first since October's failed referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

The Butchulla Men's Business Aboriginal Association was recognised at the awards ceremony for its memorial dedicated to the Butchulla warriors who defended their country in the Frontier Wars during colonisation.

The memorial, unveiled last year on Butchulla country in Maryborough, was the first of its kind anywhere in Australia.

Association founder Glen Miller said it was an honour to win the Premier's Reconciliation Award.

The men's business group also runs camps for boys and their fathers and was founded to help connect Butchulla people with culture.

"Many a night, us men sat around the campfire talking about the things in our community that concerned us and we were all concerned about our young men," Mr Miller said.

"We've positively influenced quite a number of young boys who've given up their social media stuff and joined the army, gone to boxing, or come down to Ravens Hill and do stuff with us men and go fishing."

Abergowrie State School in North Queensland, which partnered with Warrgamay traditional owners to establish a native bush tucker garden and introduce Warrgamay language into its curriculum, won the education award.

The health and wellbeing award went to Cape York health service Apunipima and the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service for a kidney care program.

Isa Rodeo Limited and Mona Aboriginal Corporation won the partnership category for the Mount Isa Indigenous Rodeo Championships.

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Adult Workshop: Pop Art

Location Creative Rebel Studio, 538 Main Street Montague

Contact [email protected] 9023131783 (T)

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