Tribal Tourism in Fiji: An Application and Extension of Smith's 4Hs of Indigenous Tourism

Abstract

Indigenous tourism has seen significant growth in recent years. This type of cultural tourism is often seen as a way to promote and reinforce native culture and provide pro-poor benefits to the local community. This research extends the predominantly supply-side view of indigenous tourism put forward by Smith [1996. Indigenous tourism: The four Hs. In R. Butler & T. Hinch (Eds.), Tourism and indigenous peoples (pp. 283–307). Toronto: International Thomson Business Press] who used the four Hs of Habitat, Heritage, History and Handicrafts as a framework to examine indigenous tourism. The paper argues that from the demand-side, tourists attracted to and interested in indigenous tourism are likely to be adventurous, want authenticity, seek education and desire personal interaction. These four attributes of the tourist complement the four “H”s of indigenous tourism. By combining both the demand and supply perspective, this research contributes to a more holistic view of indigenous tourism and provides an extended framework in which to analyse indigenous tourism.