The role of heritage tourism in the Shetland Islands
International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research
ISSN: 1750-6182
Article publication date: 7 June 2010
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to determine the role of heritage tourism in Shetland Island destination development and how this links to tourism public policy in island communities.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is conducted in the Shetland Islands, located off the north coast of Scotland, UK. Descriptive and inductive approaches are utilized to enable the researchers to recognize multiple social structures and draw conclusions from observations and specific information. Primary research focuses on semi‐structured interviews with key informants. Data is analyzed via a mix of content analysis and interpretation of the responses through a connected narrative approach.
Findings
Seasonality is a key feature of Shetland Island tourism, alongside other key limitations to growth including transport links and climatic conditions. Potential conflicts exist between tourism stakeholders and their perceptions of the effectiveness of the heritage tourism public policy in Shetland, though overall stakeholder collaboration succeeds in enhancing heritage conservation and development.
Practical implications
While the findings relate specifically to the Shetland Islands, the general conclusions offer an example of best practice concerning tourism public policy for heritage‐focused tourism in island communities, which could be used in comparable destinations.
Originality/value
The choice of the Shetland Islands as an example of a cold water island destination offers the opportunity to extend existing research and examine how the community of Shetland embraces the opportunities afforded by tourism as an alternative to traditional industries.
Keywords
Citation
Leask, A. and Rihova, I. (2010), "The role of heritage tourism in the Shetland Islands", International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, Vol. 4 No. 2, pp. 118-129. https://doi.org/10.1108/17506181011045190
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited