Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential of cultural centres to be spaces that foster interaction between tourists and locals, and thereby meet the demands of new cultural tourists. This is done through conducting a case study of Katuaq Cultural Centre in Nuuk, Greenland. Combining theories of cultural contact and placemaking, the paper analyses how locals and tourists make use of and experience the centre. The paper then goes on to conduct a broader discussion about how future placemaking in tourism can respond to the emerging demands of cultural Arctic tourists, and to suggest ways to encourage positive interaction on both a local community level and a resident-visitor level. Design/methodology/approach A series of anthropological research methods were used, including participant observation in the cultural centre itself, and informal and semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders. Findings Concluding that, from multiple perspectives, Katuaq fails to perform as a “centre of culture”, the study offers innovative insights into how cultural centres can be operated more inclusively in the future, as spaces in which members of different cultural groups can achieve positive interaction. It is argued that the future of successful and fulfilling cultural tourism offerings in the Arctic lies at the intersection of tourism and leisure studies. Originality/value The originality of this paper lies first in its deepening of the academic discussion of cultural centres. Second, and on a broader level, the paper identifies an emerging trend of “community–tourism spaces” as cultural tourism offerings, and provides some insights into the conflicts experienced in these kinds of spaces, as well as some suggestions as to how further research on these spaces should continue.
Highlights
Tourism is relatively new to Greenland, with approximately 90,000 tourist arrivals registered in 2017 (Tourismstat.gl, 2018)
I conclude that Katuaq does not fulfil the image it presents of itself; the data have shown that it cannot be considered a third place or a contact zone, and that in some cases the kind of contact it enables is perceived as negative
It does not fulfil the aims it presents as a cultural centre – of being a meeting space for the local community and for tourists and locals
Summary
Tourism is relatively new to Greenland, with approximately 90,000 tourist arrivals registered in 2017 (Tourismstat.gl, 2018) It is, growing at a notable rate, and in particular in the capital city of Nuuk, where previous market research has revealed that the amount of cultural activities on offer does not meet tourist demand (Visit Greenland, 2018). The author argues that cultural tourists, to some extent, seek an experience that reflects the banalities of their everyday life. He continues: “Cultural tourism [...] is not so much a process of reversal, but is an extension of everyday life” This balance of cultural tourists seeking “Otherness”, whilst simultaneously seeking a reflection of their own everyday life, exposes one of the perpetual dilemmas of tourism studies: how to generate natural interaction, or at least the natural sharing of space, between hosts and guests
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