The Funny Side of Tourism: Exploring Children's Engagement With Humour-Driven Interpretation

Abstract

Engaging young visitors is crucial for a meaningful tourism experience. This study focuses on humour as a positive psychology practice, to explore how it enhances children's engagement with tourism interpretation. Using constructivist grounded theory, the research employed participant observation of tours operated for children in Iran. Children aged 9–12 years were specifically targeted. Results revealed that children responded most positively to silly, witty and clever humour, with smiling and laughter being the predominant reactions. Nature-themed humour proved most effective in fostering social, emotional and cognitive engagement. The study also identified five ways that humour influences children's engagement: promoting social interaction, enhancing enjoyment, sparking curiosity, alleviating fatigue and encouraging active participation. These findings extend existing frameworks on humour in tourism to include child-specific reactions and preferences, contributing to both theoretical and practical applications. The research provides valuable insights into effectively incorporating humour into interpretive programmes designed for child-focused tourism experiences.