This study provides a critical and thematic review of the visitor attraction literature over the period 2015-2024, a decade which reflects significant changes in tourism demand, technological innovation, societal trends and global crises. The study identifies and critiques the dominant themes and emerging issues in visitor attraction research in this period, outlines how research methodology has evolved during this period, and what implications such changes have for management practice and theory. The study delivers a multi-dimensional review of visitor attraction scholarship that enables both synthesis of ideas and critical reflection and informs both academic scholarship and practitioner strategy. For the future, the study advances the need to continue to engage critically with the evolving challenges and opportunities facing the sector, and to deepen reflection on the role of attractions within broader tourism systems and their potential to contribute positively to cultural, social, and ecological wellbeing.

Visual research methods have been gaining attention among leisure studies scholars in recent years. As a form of freehand drawing, this paper mobilizes rich picture building (RPB) for future serious leisure studies, and particularly those concerned with devotee work. Employed during focus groups to encourage discussion using pictorial representations of complex social issues, this paper demonstrates the value of RPB for generating new insights into social situations. Through an example of serious leisure via devotee work, this paper presents RPB as a means to support participant discussions since humans are thought to express themselves more easily through pictures than words. Considering serious leisure is inherently social and rooted in human activity, RPB is an innovative approach that can enhance focus group research and triangulate qualitative data across verbal, textual and pictorial data. Through RPB, this paper demonstrates how simplistic pictorial representations of ideas or topics can enhance verbal information collected in traditional focus groups and/or interviews and deepen future serious leisure research.

This study explores the perspectives of re-enactor tour guides (RTG) concerning their role and re-enactment of dark histories-an overlooked topic within dark tourism research. A conceptual model is proposed that reflects the role of RTGs and how they differ from re-enactors and non-acting tour guides. The model was developed from data collected using rich picture building (RPB) during focus groups with RTGs at three lighter dark visitor attractions. The findings reveal RTGs are passionate about the history and committed to delivering memorable visitor experiences. They also reveal RTGs can offer attraction management constructive feedback and ideas to enhance the visitor experience. The study extends existing literature and provides important insights pertaining to RTGs and the re-enactment of dark histories within lighter dark tourism.

In an increasingly competitive market for tourist destinations, visitor attractions play a key role in enticing visitors to the destination, and as such must continually develop new extraordinary experiential offerings to keep visitors coming. The Renaissance castle of Kronborg, a Danish heritage visitor attraction and the setting of Shakespeare's Hamlet, has shown the way by staging Hamlet Live, an interactive theatrical experience. Its success is due to the professional actors' co-creative performances and improvisations. In this study, based on observations, semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis of TripAdvisor reviews, we identify and describe seven interconnected elements that have made Hamlet Live successful in terms of revenue and visitor satisfaction. These elements form an experiential strategy framework that other heritage visitor attractions could use to create extraordinary experiences. We provide recommendations on which types of heritage visitor attractions could replicate the achievements of Kronborg's Hamlet Live.

Film-induced tourism at heritage attractions (HAs) is a growing industry of international relevance. It can influence visitors' expectations of the site and further their preferences for interpretation to include a degree of reference to the film(s). Drawing upon in-depth interviews with visitors at a UK HA further popularised through book and film, this paper explores visitors' preferences for heritage interpretation. The paper identifies four visitor taxonomies - vigorous followers, curious investigators, versatile explorers and purposeful avoiders. It ultimately highlights the value of data-driven visitor taxonomies, providing an in-depth insight into heritage tourism in general and film-induced tourism at this heritage site in particular. Thus, this paper contributes to a greater understanding of the popular media products' influence on visitor preferences for on-site heritage interpretation.

Fyall, A., Garrod, B., Leask, A., Wanhill, S. (eds) (2008). Managing Visitor Attractions. Butterworth-Heinemann Elsevier, Oxford, 384 pp Introduction: The role and nature of visitor attractions: The Nature and Purpose of Visitor Attractions; Interpreting the Development of the Visitor Attraction Product; Developing visitor attraction provision : Economic Aspects of Developing Theme Parks; Creating Visitor Attractions in Peripheral Areas; Visitor Attraction Development in East Asia; Public Transport as a Visitor Attraction; The management of visitor attractions: Authenticating Visitor Attractions based upon Ethnicity; Managing Visitor Impacts; Seasonality: The Perennial Challenge for Visitor Attractions; Management Challenges for Religion-based Attractions; Visitor Attractions and Human Resource Management; Marketing visitor attractions: Marketing Challenges and Opportunities for Heritage Tourism; World Heritage Sites: Managing the Brand; Competitive Theme Park Strategies: Lessons from Central Florida; Marketing Visitor Attractions: A Collaborative Approach; Future trends: Rediscovering the Imagination: Meeting the Needs of the ?New? Visitor; A National Strategy for Visitor Attractions; The Future of Visitor Attractions

The global population is ageing with implications for the provision of tourism experiences to meet changing needs. The shift in demographics has encouraged a focus on the older visitor with tourism organisations recognising the value of engaging with this market, though little research exists to inform the development of experiences. Many in the ‘Traditionalist’ category, born pre-WW2, have a lifetime habit of visiting attractions but find it increasingly difficult to continue this engagement. Barriers include available time due to multiple social and caring responsibilities and concerns regarding physical and intellectual accessibility, while attraction managers lack data on this market's needs, leading to misconceptions and limited provision. Key enablers are inclusive design, clear communication of access, and the provision of specifically designed experiences. Key features of these to be regular events to develop visitor familiarisation, and to include interactive activities relating to attraction assets and a strong socialisation aspect.

Existing dark tourism literature has explored various aspects of interpretation, including challenges in balancing interpretation efforts with concerns for historical accuracy, and managing ethical issues with interpreting past tragedies for packaged tourism purposes. However, research appears under-developed concerning the influences on the design of interpretation at dark visitor attractions, particularly those considered lighter due to their edutainment agenda. This paper thus critically explores the influences on the design of edutainment interpretation at three lighter dark visitor attractions, which are introduced as new attractions for study within dark tourism research. It also discusses the findings achieved that not only contribute to the study's conclusions and recommendations for future research in the realms of dark tourism and interpretation, but also contribute to enhancing interpretation design understanding for both dark tourism research and practice.

This chapter seeks to explore the levels of dementia friendliness of destinations in Scotland, UK. Accessible tourism is an increasingly important sector of the tourism industry. The ageing population represents an underdeveloped market for destinations. Globally 46 million people live with dementia, a number expected to triple by 2050. Travel is still possible in the early stages of dementia and has been recognised for its improvements to quality of life and benefits to physical, psychological, and social wellbeing. By being accessible to hidden disabilities, such as dementia, destinations might gain a competitive advantage.

Educational research, which includes issues of curriculum design, pedagogy and the educational experience developed for students is a germane topic to consider for nascent subject areas such as Event Studies. Broader issues for interdisciplinary subject areas such as Event Studies arise in an educational context related to the philosophical stance and perspectives used to design student curricula. This chapter examines the evolution of events education which was partially stimulated by industry needs, the academic programmes subsequently developed and how this was underpinned by a growing body of academic and practitioner research. The chapter also considers recent trends in event education, the specialisms developed and how the area has matured and developed. The chapter also examines the move from undergraduate to postgraduate programmes as the area has developed.

Cultural heritage is recognized as one of the major contributors to the economy and has traditionally been funded from the public sector. Operating in an increasingly competitive tourism environment, museums have moved away from their traditional role as collectors and conservators of artefacts of historical importance, to become more audience- focused visitor attractions. This obligation to meet the needs and wants of its visitors has resulted in an improved museum experience, where museums are increasingly offering specially curated after-hours event experiences to attract, engage and retain new audiences such as Generation Y. This research uses National Museums Scotland as a case study to apply audience development and visitor attraction management theories to explore the effectiveness of after-hours events in attracting, engaging and retaining new museum audiences. Following a comprehensive narrative literature review, it employs qualitative semi-structured interviews and a quantitative on-line self-completion survey to collect the necessary data. The research findings suggest that after-hours events have been successful in attracting and engaging new museum audiences and encouraging repeat visits, therefore achieving the event and museum objectives. It is also seen that products designed specifically for one new audience may have broader appeal in engaging with other new and established audiences.

Hospitality and tourism programmes have, over the recent decades, been involved in the delivery of their degrees in international locations through a variety of export models. A case strategy approach was used to explore programmes delivering their degrees at international branches campuses. The study's findings not only suggested that delivering degrees overseas effected internationalisation at home, but similarly to multinational national corporations resulted in reverse knowledge flow and positive and negative returns on the foreign venture. A conceptual model to illustrate an explanation of the impacts that overseas expansion has on the exporting hospitality and tourism programmes is presented.

Museums are institutions that collect, safeguard and present artefacts and memories for the non-profit purposes of learning and enjoyment. However, significant changes in the environment in which museums operate have led to the creation of new types of activities to attract different audiences who will contribute to their future economic and social sustainability. One group that has recently been identified as a target is Generation Y (Gen Y) who have been attracted through the specifically created night-time thematic events, or 'Lates'. This study critically evaluates visitor engagement with both permanent collections and activities specifically developed for the Gen Y visitor at a 'Lates' event at a national museum. The paper explores the potential contribution of this type of event in enhancing the future sustainability of museums via balanced use of resources, visitor engagement across a diverse audience and contribution to the achievement of long term goals.

Our paper furthers understanding of lived experiences in tourism settings as remembered by informants. We propose the value of a phenomenological ‘artefact elicitation’ method in revealing rich insights into informants’ recollections of their lived tourism experiences. Our approach, which is underpinned by tourism, anthropology, and psychology, draws from both visual and material culture concepts. Our presentation considers lived experience, phenomenological approaches, and the proposed artefact elicitation approach, which draws from visual methods, material culture, and memory concepts. The use of phenomenological methods has become increasingly pertinent in studying consumers’ embodied lived experiences in tourism settings, both conceptually and empirically (e.g., Cresswell, 2013; Pernecky & Jamal, 2010). The emergence of innovative sociological methods in tourism has seen increased interest in the visual and ethnographic and phenomenological methods melded with visual practices, including photography, film-making, and image collection or creation. These have been forwarded as approaches to explore embodied performances of lived tourism experiences (Haldrup & Larsen, 2003; Pink, 2007, 2016; Rakić & Chambers, 2012; Scarles, 2010). Material culture has long been studied in archaeology, anthropology, geography, history, and design disciplines. More recently, the ‘material turn’, being concerned with objects, bodies, and texts (Law & Hetherington, 2000), has been seen across the social sciences and in tourism studies specifically (Haldrup & Larsen, 2006; Morgan & Pritchard, 2005; Muecke & Wergin, 2014). The postmodernist perspective of history as a constructed and illusionary phenomenon has led to interest in the study of memory in the arts, humanities, and social sciences (see Baudrillard, 1994; Jenkins, 2003; Joyce & Kelly, 1991; Stone & Speigel, 1992; amongst others). The subjective nature of memory may be viewed through its relationship with material objects and their role in remembering experiences. We therefore propose the use of artefacts as a valuable means of igniting memories of lived tourism experiences, and suggest the use of souvenirs and other objects in this approach (Morgan & Pritchard, 2005). Our artefact elicitation approach adapts a photo-elicitation method by inserting informant collected visual and material sources within phenomenological interviews (Harper, 2012). Our approach aims to elicit detailed multi-sensorial and corporeal personal accounts of informants’ memories of their embodied lived experiences and to highlight remembered in-depth memories of their engagement and immersion within these experiences. Edinburgh’s Festival Fringe is a cultural hallmark event tourism phenomenon, (Getz & Page, 2016; Todd, Leask, & Ensor, 2017). Our paper draws from a study which was concerned with understanding stakeholders’ lived experiences in this setting. We conclude by discussing the analytical potential of artefact elicitation as a useful and innovative means of understanding the nature of memories of lived experiences in further tourism settings. References Baudrillard, J. (1994). The system of collecting. The Cultures of Collecting, 18. Creswell, J.W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five 1 Todd et al.: Materialities, Memories, and Lived Event Tourism Experiences Published by Digital Commons @ TRU Library, 2017 approaches. Sage. Getz, D., & Page, S.J. (2016). Progress and prospects for event tourism research. Tourism Management, 52, 593–631. Haldrup, M., & Larsen, J. (2003). The family gaze. Tourist Studies, 3(1), 23–46. Haldrup, M., & Larsen, J. (2006). Material cultures of tourism. Leisure Studies, 25(3), 275–289. Harper, D. (2012). Visual sociology. Routledge. Jenkins, K. (2003). Rethinking history. Routledge. Joyce, P., & Kelly, C. (1991). History and post-modernism. Past & Present, 133, 204–213. Law, J., & Hetherington, K. (2000), Materialities, globalities, spatialities. In J. Bryson, P. Daniels, N. Henry, & J. Pollard, eds., Knowledge, Space, Economy (pp. 34–49). London: Routledge. Morgan, N., & Pritchard, A. (2005). On souvenirs and metonymy: Narratives of memory, Metaphor, and materiality. Tourist Studies, 5(1), 29–53. Muecke, S., & Wergin, C. (2014). Intensifying the tourist experience: ‘Survenirs’ at Daly Waters Pub. Tourist Studies, 14(3), 231–245. Pernecky, T., & Jamal, T. (2010). (Hermeneutic) phenomenology in tourism studies. Annals of Tourism Research, 37(4), 1055–1075. Pink, S. (2007). Walking with video. Visual Studies, 22(3), 240–252. Pink, S. (2016). Doing visual ethnography, 3rd edition. Sage. Rakić, T., & Chambers, D. (2012). Rethinking the consumption of places. Annals of Tourism Research, 39(3), 1612–1633. Scarles, C. (2010). Where words fail, visuals ignite: Opportunities for visual autoethnography in tourism research. Annals of Tourism Research, 37(4), 905–926. Stone, L., & Spiegel, G.M. (1992). History and post-modernism. Past & Present, 135, 189– 208. Todd, L., Leask, A., & Ensor, J. (2017). Understanding primary stakeholders’ multiple roles in hallmark event tourism management. Tourism Management, 59, 494–509. 2 Critical Tourism Studies Proceedings, Vol. 2017 [2017], Art. 16 https://digitalcommons.library.tru.ca/cts-proceedings/vol2017/iss1/16

In response to an increasingly competitive environment, a number of heritage visitor attractions (HVAs) have encouraged filming, as well as subsequent film-induced tourism, in order to raise their profile, generate revenue and differentiate themselves from other attractions. However, while film-induced tourism may bring benefits, it can also be problematic, especially at HVAs which have conservation at their core. This article identifies a variety of challenges that film-induced tourism has created at Rosslyn Chapel and Alnwick Castle, both UK-based HVAs popular among film-induced tourists. The findings show that film-induced tourism resulted in a number of challenges at both sites not solely related to an increase in visitor numbers but also changes in visitor profile and behavior. Film-induced tourism at both sites has not only influenced visitors' expectations but also preferences for heritage interpretation resulting in management tensions. This article concludes with a discussion of possible heritage management responses to these challenges.

This chapter shows the potential value of heritage interpretation in the context of addressing a range of potential visitor management (VM) challenges at heritage visitor attractions (HVAs) where film-induced tourism has occurred. Its empirical discussions explore management challenges at one such HVA, Alnwick Castle in the UK, and pay particular attention to (post-film exposure) visitors' expectations and the influence these have had on heritage interpretation at the site. The chapter argues that, in the context of film-induced tourism at HVAs, heritage interpretation can be a particularly valuable VM tool and one which is increasingly considered to be an essential part of the overall quality of visitors' experiences.

In view of the growth, dynamism and increasing influence of the Asian tourism industry and the contribution to be played in the future by Gen Y visitors and workforce, this study compares and contrasts the views of professionals in the visitor attractions' sector in Asia. The research explores how they acknowledge Gen Y as a unique generational cohort worthy of attention and the strategies adopted by visitor attractions to meet this cohort's combination of needs, wants and expectations. The study provides a critical reflection on the usefulness of generational theory for studies of this nature and the contribution of “face” and “face consumption” as explanatory variables in the Asian context. The articles ends with a recommendation for a deeper, longitudinal approach to the further study of generational cohorts.

This study empirically investigates the effects of three destination consumptions (namely symbolic, experiential and functional) on tourists' destination attachment and satisfaction, and further on destination loyalty at a heritage tourism destinations. Using a sample of 512 international tourists visiting Angkor, Cambodia, results reveal that all three types of consumptions have significantly positive effects on destination attachment and satisfaction, which in turn positively affect destination loyalty. However, the effects of symbolic consumption and experiential consumption are greater than that of functional consumption. The results also support the importance of the role of destination attachment in the quality–satisfaction–loyalty relationship. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.