Pluralising touristic production and consumption roles of residents? An SME perspective on proximity tourism

Bibliographic Data

ID11411237
AuthorsJelmer Jeuring (0000-0001-7530-7160, University of Groningen, corresponding author), Jelmer H G Jeuring (University of Groningen)
Year2018
Volume43
Issue2
Pages147-160
Publication date2018-04-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueTourism Recreation Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0250-8281 • E-ISSN: 2320-0308
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02508281.2017.1410973
OpenAlexW2771716503
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited75

Production and consumption roles in tourism are often attributed exclusively to different stakeholders. However, when touristic consumption and production of ‘home’ and ‘away’ blur, stakeholder roles and relationships become entangled in circuits of ‘re-consumption’, making exclusive role attributions problematic and restrictive. This qualitative study explored small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME)-resident relationships in the Dutch province of Friesland by scrutinising how tourism SMEs attribute touristic production and consumption roles to residents of this province. Roles were attributed along four themes: ‘Being a tourist’, ‘Discovery and unawareness’, ‘Life course experiences’ and ‘Ambassadorship’. Findings signify a potential ‘lock-in’ of roles: residents were seen as unattractive target group, given their everyday familiarity, but were simultaneously ascribed insufficient awareness of local attractiveness. Pluralised role attributions and interdependent role switching of both residents and entrepreneurs could overcome this impasse and facilitate ‘proximity tourism’. Potential ways for tourism SMEs to incorporate multiple roles of residents into business strategies are discussed

Attractiveness · Attribution · Business · Consumption (sociology · Economics · Geography · Interdependence · Perspective (graphical · Political science · Production (economics · Public relations · Sociology · Stakeholder · Tourism · Cultural Industries and Urban Development · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research · Hospitality and Tourism Education · Psychology · Social Psychology · Marketing