From stage to a sense of place: the power of tourism performing arts storytelling for sustainable tourism growth

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study adopts a circuits of culture approach to examine the role of tourism performing arts (TPA) storytelling in conveying a sense of place to visitors, and its potential impact on their attitudes towards sustainable tourism development. Through a survey of 437 visitors and structural equation modeling, the study reveals the distinct storytelling attributes that contribute to TPA’s effectiveness. The study also finds that tourists’ sense of place completely mediates the relationship between these storytelling attributes and their support for tourism development. These findings offer important insights into the potential of TPA storytelling as a tool for promoting sustainable tourism.