‘Drought tourism’ as compassion
- Publisher:
- Elsevier Masson
- Publication Type:
- Journal Article
- Citation:
- Annals of Tourism Research, 2020, 83, pp. 1-4
- Issue Date:
- 2020
Open Access
Copyright Clearance Process
- Recently Added
- In Progress
- Open Access
This item is open access.
Australia is experiencing a drought that for many farmers is the “worst they've experienced in their lifetime … the worst in 400 years” (Bedo, 2018). The negative effects of drought on rural communities is well documented (Edwards, Gray, & Hunter, 2015), as is the potential for knock-on effects to impact on the viability of rural communities, tourism destinations and their constituent industries (van Dijk et al., 2013). In spite of this, however, there is also recognition of a role for tourism in the promotion of rural community resilience (Gibson & Gordon, 2018). In Australia, many regions affected by drought are endeavouring to portray themselves from a tourism perspective as “open for business” (Ennion, 2019).
With the media attempting to raise the profile of the drought affected regions and communities (e.g. Reardon, 2019), the focus of this paper is to consider media's opportunity to frame and promote a different type of tourist engagement with drought. Higgins Desbiolles (2006) has argued that tourism discourse needs to look beyond its industrial nature and instead also explore tourism's role in ensuring the wider public good. Forms of tourism including volunteer tourism have been recognised for their potential to aid the plight of the disadvantaged (Wearing & McGehee, 2013). Drawing on a representation of volunteer tourism in a drought-affected region (see Power, 2018), this paper will consider the role of the media in promoting a richer and deeper host-guest connection.
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: