Place Meanings Ascribed to Marine Settings: The Case of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Using data collected from in-depth interviews of recreational visitors to Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, place-related meanings ascribed to a marine environment are described. The usefulness of using symbolic interactionism to understand the creation of these meanings is also assessed. Ten meaning-themes emerged (aesthetic beauty, lack of built infrastructure/pristine environment, abundance and diversity of coral and other wildlife, unique natural resource, facilitation of desired recreation activity, safety and accessibility, curiosity and exploration, sense of connection to the natural world, escape from the everyday, and experiences with family and friends), and evidence supporting the utility of symbolic interactionism was identified. Using these findings, researchers may be better able to identify place meanings and the processes that create them.     

Falling in love with a place because of a song: the transportation effects of music on place attachment

With the growing influence of media on tourism destination marketing, this research proposes a possible psychological process of music effect on place attachment, using the narrative transportation theory. Data were collected through an online survey in China (n?=?531) and analyzed using SEM. Results indicate that (1) music transportation positively affects individuals’ attachment; (2) attitude plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between music transportation and place attachment; (3) previous visits have significant moderate effects on the attitude-attachment path rather than on the transportation-attachment path or the transportation-attitude path. Theoretical and practical implications for destination marketing are provided.