Case study of island tourism : a place theories approach

Abstract

Islands are geographic entities of particular interest to geographers, and island studies have received significant attention within the discipline of geography. However, the notion of place has not been sufficiently explored in such endeavours. As an essential concept within geography, place deserves more scrutiny, both theoretically and empirically, in island studies. This thesis first discusses perspectives within humanistic geography and the relevance of place theories for theoretically meditating upon island studies and “islandness”. Second, it contributes more specifically to the subfield of island tourism within island studies. To situate this approach, literature is reviewed upon place theories in geography and on various researches of island tourism. Third, the study ethnographically investigates two islands in southern China, Dongao Island and Wailingding Island, through fieldwork involving participatory observation and in-depth interviews with tourists, islanders and tourism practitioners. Findings suggest that tourists’ consumption and construction of the islands as meaningful places are not centred around experiences of “the island” but rather “the sea”; whereas islanders and immigrant practitioners’ consumption and construction of the “island places” agree with what the existing literature emphasizing upon the notion of islandness in island tourism. Theoretically, the study argues that people consume and construct “island places” through their experiences and performances in island tourism and that, from a humanistic perspective, “being-on-the-island” and “being-at-the-seaside” are essentially what “islandness” connotes. Finally, “place” is argued to have significant potential for serving as a framing for studies of island tourism and for informing a more coherent pursuit of island studies; and the potential of a humanistic island study is discussed at the end.