Interpretation: communicating across cultures

Abstract

A central component of tourism is communication. Interpretation is about effective communication; it is the process of communicating the importance or significance of what is seen or experienced to visitors. It has been argued that effective interpretation is a critical element of sustainable tourism. If this is true then a major challenge for the development of more sustainable tourism in the Asia Pacific region is to ensure that interpretation is effective. Meeting this challenge requires, however, that greater attention be paid to cross-cultural issues. This paper will argue that culture plays an important role in a number of places in the interpretation system or process. The paper will review the potential role of culture at these various points and suggest steps for further research and attention.