A geographical approach to trust in tourism

Sun, J., Yang, Y. and de Jong, A. (2020) A geographical approach to trust in tourism. Tourism Geographies, 22(4-5), pp. 768-786. (doi: 10.1080/14616688.2019.1652337)

Abstract

Within tourism research, trust has largely been conceptualised from psychological perspectives, allowing insights into the mechanisms through which resident/stakeholder relations generate trust. Whilst this work is valuable in understanding dynamics of trust relations, such focus has meant less attention and has been given to the ways space influences trust in tourism contexts. Thus, a geographical approach is put forth to understanding trust in tourism. Through observation and semi-structured interviews concerned with the implementation of a community tourism project in southwest China, insights are provided illustrating how trust is inscribed in place. It is shown that in the Chinese context, cultural place-based specificities relating to pre-existing governance structures, social hierarchies, and the intersection of power, knowledge and trust influence the (in)abilities of NGOs to develop trust with specific residents. More meaningful dialogue between tourism research and geographical conceptualisations of trust is called for – as a way to attend to spatial and scalar differences in understanding of trust within tourism contexts.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This work was supported by The National Social Sciences Fund of China.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: de Jong, Dr Anna
• Authors: Sun, J., Yang, Y., and de Jong, A.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social & Environmental Sustainability
• Journal Name: Tourism Geographies
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 1461-6688
• ISSN (Online): 1470-1340
• Published Online: 18 August 2019
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor and Francis Group
• First Published: First published in Tourism Geographies 22(4-5): 768-786
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy