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Free Guided Tours : Storytelling as a means of glocalizing urban places

Nilsson, Jan-Henrik LU orcid and Zillinger, Malin LU (2020) In Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism 20(3). p.286-301
Abstract
This article poses the question of how storytelling takes place in free guided tours. It aims to explore guides’ contributions to the glocalization of urban places. Theoretically, the study departs from the concepts of glocalization, place, and storytelling. Empirically, it builds on data from Copenhagen, Berlin, Warsaw and Tallinn, collected by means of participant observations and document studies. Results show that storytelling in free guided tours is based on recognizable narratives from the twentieth century. These in turn, relate both to local urban and to national histories. Likewise, storytelling is influenced by global influences formed by free guided tours as an international business model. Global influences are embodied in the... (More)
This article poses the question of how storytelling takes place in free guided tours. It aims to explore guides’ contributions to the glocalization of urban places. Theoretically, the study departs from the concepts of glocalization, place, and storytelling. Empirically, it builds on data from Copenhagen, Berlin, Warsaw and Tallinn, collected by means of participant observations and document studies. Results show that storytelling in free guided tours is based on recognizable narratives from the twentieth century. These in turn, relate both to local urban and to national histories. Likewise, storytelling is influenced by global influences formed by free guided tours as an international business model. Global influences are embodied in the guides, whose biographies accentuate their international experience as travellers. Their guiding practices have a strong influence on the practice of history. They have the power to choose attractions, movements, and stories. In the end, new forms of guiding practices and storytelling emerge. Important factors for this are: the collaborative business model, internationally experienced guides, guests’ previous knowledge, and the cities’ local context. The practices combine local context and cosmopolitan culture and thereby contribute to the glocalization of urban places. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
urban tourism, tourism geography, urban geography, Free guided tours, storytelling, practice of history, glocalisation, tourism geography
in
Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism
volume
20
issue
3
pages
16 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85087359023
ISSN
1502-2250
DOI
10.1080/15022250.2020.1772866
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
db2327d3-0c3e-47a8-b75c-d634e974f169
date added to LUP
2019-12-02 11:02:55
date last changed
2022-12-23 19:03:52
@article{db2327d3-0c3e-47a8-b75c-d634e974f169,
  abstract     = {{This article poses the question of how storytelling takes place in free guided tours. It aims to explore guides’ contributions to the glocalization of urban places. Theoretically, the study departs from the concepts of glocalization, place, and storytelling. Empirically, it builds on data from Copenhagen, Berlin, Warsaw and Tallinn, collected by means of participant observations and document studies. Results show that storytelling in free guided tours is based on recognizable narratives from the twentieth century. These in turn, relate both to local urban and to national histories. Likewise, storytelling is influenced by global influences formed by free guided tours as an international business model. Global influences are embodied in the guides, whose biographies accentuate their international experience as travellers. Their guiding practices have a strong influence on the practice of history. They have the power to choose attractions, movements, and stories. In the end, new forms of guiding practices and storytelling emerge. Important factors for this are: the collaborative business model, internationally experienced guides, guests’ previous knowledge, and the cities’ local context. The practices combine local context and cosmopolitan culture and thereby contribute to the glocalization of urban places.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Jan-Henrik and Zillinger, Malin}},
  issn         = {{1502-2250}},
  keywords     = {{urban tourism; tourism geography; urban geography; Free guided tours; storytelling; practice of history; glocalisation; tourism geography}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{286--301}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism}},
  title        = {{Free Guided Tours : Storytelling as a means of glocalizing urban places}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15022250.2020.1772866}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/15022250.2020.1772866}},
  volume       = {{20}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}