Short answer

When designing tourism experiences, consider how local tangible objects can be integrated to tell the story of a place's unique identity and foster deeper visitor engagement.

Field
Innovation & Design
Source
Tourism & Management Studies (2019)
Method
Qualitative research, Idea Laboratories, Case Study
Evidence
Moderate effect

Valued tangible objects can effectively capture and communicate the intangible identity and meaning of a place, serving as a powerful tool for developing authentic creative tourism experiences. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2019 study published in Tourism & Management Studies. Using Qualitative research, idea laboratories, case study, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing tourism experiences, consider how local tangible objects can be integrated to tell the story of a place's unique identity and foster deeper visitor engagement.

Study
Innovation & DesignHigh ImpactModerate effect

Tangible Objects as Catalysts for Creative Tourism Identity

Valued tangible objects can effectively capture and communicate the intangible identity and meaning of a place, serving as a powerful tool for developing authentic creative tourism experiences.

Tourism & Management Studies · 2019

01

Key Findings

  • 01Tangible objects can serve as proxies for intangible cultural attributes and place identity.
  • 02Using objects in mapping exercises helps regional actors articulate the unique characteristics of their locations.
  • 03This approach can lead to the development of more sustainable and community-integrated tourism offers.
  • 04Object-based cultural mapping enhances destination marketing by highlighting unique selling propositions.
02

Application

Design takeaway

When designing tourism experiences, consider how local tangible objects can be integrated to tell the story of a place's unique identity and foster deeper visitor engagement.

How to apply

Conduct workshops where stakeholders identify and discuss objects that represent their region's unique character, then use these insights to co-create tourism narratives and experiences.

Project actions

  • 01When researching a place for a design project, look for common or significant objects that people associate with it.
  • 02Consider how these objects can be used in a design to communicate the 'feeling' or 'story' of that place.
03

Method & Evidence

AimHow can tangible objects be utilized as a methodological approach to map and express the intangible identity of creative tourism territories, thereby informing the development of authentic tourism offers?
MethodQualitative research, Idea Laboratories, Case Study
ProcedureThe CREATOUR project organized idea laboratories involving entities that provide creative tourism experiences. Participants engaged in exercises to identify and discuss valued tangible objects associated with their regions, using these objects as a means to map intangible aspects of place identity and inform the design of creative tourism offers.
ContextCreative tourism development, cultural mapping, destination marketing

Variables

IVTangible objects associated with a place
DVPerceived place identity, narrative richness of tourism offers
CVType of creative tourism entity, participants' familiarity with the region
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Provides a practical methodology for uncovering place-specific narratives.
  • +Emphasizes community involvement and local authenticity in design.

Limitations

It can be challenging to objectively measure the 'intangible' qualities that objects represent. The selection of objects might be biased by the participants' personal preferences.

Reliability & validity

Reliability could be improved by using multiple facilitators and standardized prompts during object identification. Validity is supported by the qualitative depth of participant narratives, but generalizability may be limited.

Think critically

To what extent can the interpretation of an object's meaning be standardized, and what are the risks of oversimplification when mapping intangibilities through tangible items?

05

Design Principles

"Leverage tangible artifacts to represent and communicate intangible cultural significance for enhanced user engagement and product differentiation."

Understanding the 'specialness' of a location through its associated objects allows designers and destination marketers to create more resonant and culturally rich tourism offers. This approach fosters deeper connections between visitors and local communities, leading to more sustainable and memorable experiences.

06

What This Means for Your Design

Think about everyday objects that are special to a place. These objects can tell a story about what makes that place unique and help create cool tourist experiences.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Use this approach to justify the selection of specific materials or forms in your design project by linking them to the intangible qualities of a place or user group, as represented by tangible objects.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights the potential of using tangible objects as a method for cultural mapping, revealing how these artifacts can effectively represent and communicate the intangible identity of a place. This approach is valuable for developing authentic and meaningful design solutions, particularly within the context of creative tourism, by grounding abstract concepts in concrete, relatable elements.

09

Source

Tourism & Management Studies

Mapping intangibilities in creative tourism territories through tangible objects: a methodological approach for developing creative tourism offers

journal · 2019

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about tangible objects as catalysts for creative tourism identity?
When designing tourism experiences, consider how local tangible objects can be integrated to tell the story of a place's unique identity and foster deeper visitor engagement. Evidence: Tourism & Management Studies (2019).
Why does "Tangible Objects as Catalysts for Creative Tourism Identity" matter for design?
Understanding the 'specialness' of a location through its associated objects allows designers and destination marketers to create more resonant and culturally rich tourism offers. This approach fosters deeper connections between visitors and local communities, leading to more sustainable and memorable experiences.
How can designers apply this research?
When designing tourism experiences, consider how local tangible objects can be integrated to tell the story of a place's unique identity and foster deeper visitor engagement.
What were the main findings?
Tangible objects can serve as proxies for intangible cultural attributes and place identity.. Using objects in mapping exercises helps regional actors articulate the unique characteristics of their locations.. This approach can lead to the development of more sustainable and community-integrated tourism offers.. Object-based cultural mapping enhances destination marketing by highlighting unique selling propositions.
What research method was used?
Qualitative research, Idea Laboratories, Case Study.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2019 journal from Tourism & Management Studies.
What should I do differently in my next project?
Conduct workshops where stakeholders identify and discuss objects that represent their region's unique character, then use these insights to co-create tourism narratives and experiences.
What are the limitations?
The effectiveness of this method may vary depending on the cultural context and the types of objects identified. The interpretation of object meanings can be subjective.