Literary Tourism Research Articles (Page 1)

Tourism literature has increasingly been recognized as a strategic medium for promoting local wisdom–based tourism. In this regard, the present study aims to investigate the function of literary tourism texts published by the Balai Bahasa Jawa Tengah in representing and promoting tourism destinations in Central Java. Employing a qualitative approach with a literature study method, five tourism-themed texts were analyzed using Huberman and Miles’ analytical framework. The findings indicate that Festival Layang-Layang di Pantai Ketawang, Gerabah Mak Nah, Ingin Melihat Dieng Culture Festival, Berkunjung di Desa Klipoh, and Jangan Macam-macam dengan Keluarga Mosi represent tourism destinations and activities in explicit, semi-explicit, and symbolic forms. Furthermore, the texts play a strategic role in tourism promotion by (1) emphasizing the uniqueness of destinations, (2) constructing family-oriented attractions, and (3) embedding the values of conservation, education, collaboration, and digitalization. In conclusion, literary tourism, positioned within the scope of digital literacy, not only promotes tourism through narrative representations of cultural distinctiveness and added value, but also enhances its relevance and fosters stronger emotional engagement among childrens audiences.

Purpose This research aims to study how dark literary heritage influences the city’s identity and image by examining the role of Géza Gárdonyi’s novel, the Eclipse of the Crescent Moon, in shaping the city branding of Eger. Design/methodology/approach The research is based on both secondary and primary research, utilizing quantitative and qualitative approaches. Qualitative insight was gathered through interviews with professionals involved in Eger’s tourism and promotion, while quantitative data were obtained through a survey. A total of 296 responses were collected in November 2024. Findings The study reveals the role of the Eclipse of the Crescent Moon in shaping Eger’s identity and tourism appeal. Although the novel attracts domestic tourists, its impact on branding strategies is weakening as tourism professionals try to emphasize other attractions, breaking with the dark literary association. The research highlights a tension between preserving Eger’s historical-literary heritage and modernizing its city brand and tourism offer. To remain competitive, the city could enhance its appeal by adopting interactive storytelling and digitalization while building upon its existing heritage. Originality/value The findings provide an insight into the use of dark literary tourism in city branding and how tourism professionals and visitors view the topic. The research can help with the tourism development in Eger by highlighting the visitors’ opinions. While the novel is less popular nowadays, it still shapes the image of the city; thus, tourism professionals should continue building on this heritage, instead of abandoning it completely.

Storyscapes of Kozhikode: Creating Immersive Literary Tourism Experiences

This study examines the tourist motivations and marketing strategies of dark literary tourism based on five historical locations. Combining digital marketing analysis with qualitative interviews, the interest in these sites and the effectiveness of the used digital marketing strategies is examined. The findings reveal that personal narratives and storytelling often play an important role in tourist engagement, with visitors often driven by educational motivations, literary familiarity, and personal connections. Social media and digital marketing tools enhance site visibility and facilitate visitor interaction. This study highlights the importance of balancing historical authenticity with innovative engagement strategies to meet the expectations of tourists, offering insights into dark heritage tourism management.

Analyzing the Transition from Literary Landscape to Literary Tourism through the Lens of Sense of Place : The Case of Yangzhou, China

This article focuses on the importance of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and its “Literature” direction in the development of literary tourism. Necessary and clear thoughts are given about what work was done to include the city of Kokand in this organization, what the results would be if it became a member of the network.

This study examines how the city of Naples has been both a literary site and a cultural symbol through different narratives from the Middle Ages to the 21st century. It focuses on the cultural representation of the city through literature, detective narrative, theatre and film. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of the Neapolitan dialect as a vector of collective memory, but also on the polysemousness of the image of the city as the 'unconventional capital' of Italian cultural identity. Through the study of works by writers such as Giovanni Boccaccio, Anna Maria Ortese, Eduardo De Filippo and Elena Ferrante, the project attempts to highlight Naples as a cultural microcosm that reflects on the relationship between history, language and collective identity, while examining the possibilities of cultural entrepreneurship and literary tourism.

Camilleri, internationally recognized as the creator of police Inspector Salvo Montalbano, is a multi-dimensional figure in 20th and 21st century Italian literature. This study explores the evolution of his literary identity, the intertextual and cultural influences that shaped his idiosyncratic style, and the cultural, social and geographical significance of his work, both in Italy and internationally. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of the Inspector Montalbano series in the emergence of Sicily as a setting for contemporary detective fiction and as a literary tourism destination. Camilleri's global perspective offers a multicultural narrative rooted in Sicilian everyday life, creating a synthesis of identities that maintains its authenticity while dialoguing with the world; Montalbano himself is presented as a bearer of Sicilian culture and a symbol of moral resistance. Through his language, humor, irony and inner struggle, Camilleri's hero redefines the boundaries of European noir and Italian “giallo”, offering a narrative that is at once popular, philosophical and culturally prophetic.

This article provides information about the house-museums of writers who worked in the literary environment of Kokand. In particular, the current state of the Muhammad Aminkhodja Muqimiy Hujra-House Museum and Hamza Hakimzoda Niyoziy House Museum is described. Some comments and suggestions on the development of literary tourism are put forward.

This study zeros in on the research subject of seasonality that is exacerbated by literary tourism at cultural heritage destinations, a nascent yet pivotal niche yet largely under-researched by far. Informed by the Difference-in-Differences (DID) algorithm, a comprehensive econometric model is proposed and utilized to explore and assess the seasonality of concentrated visitations in March and April bound for the Chinese heritage destination of Yangzhou, all mobilized by a pithy yet riveting classical line from China’s most prestigious romantic poet in the Tang Dynasty. Modeling results coupled with cross-examinations with a placebo sample reveal the exceedingly pronounced literary tourism-exacerbated seasonality at the destination as well as its reverberations. Besides, it is highlighted by the research findings that the excessive growths wielded by the evoked seasonality have tempered with and eclipsed the natural uptick of local tourism development in an over drafting fashion, posing salient challenges to realization of sustainable objectives of the destination. This study embarks on some of the first steps toward understanding the mechanism and repercussions of seasonality at cultural destinations, and offers corresponding marketing and managerial implications.

The aim of this study is to examine how the literary heritage of the city of Beza in Portugal can be utilized for the development of literary tourism, in the context of the country's wider tourism dynamics. Through primary research, an analysis of existing perceptions and knowledge about the literary identity of Beza is carried out, exploring the relationship between cultural heritage and tourism development. At the same time, potential barriers and difficulties are identified, and existing facilities such as museums and festivals are examined. Finally, strategies are proposed to promote literary tourism in the city, enhancing the position of Beja as a potential tourist destination of literary interest.

This article argues that two texts by Rowan Coleman, The Girl at the Window (2019) and The Diabolical Bones (2020), adapt and transform Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (1847) and contribute to the ‘afterlives’ of the Brontës lives and work, which centralises Brontë Country—an area spanning the West Yorkshire and East Lancashire Pennines—and its material objects. Textual afterlives, the article proposes, reinforce an existing and largely negative tradition of Gothic ‘literary tourism’ because of their (re)proliferation of gender stereotypes regarding marginalisation and domesticity. By writing about actual locations associated with the Brontës and their heritage and, specifically, featuring ‘the ‘box bed’ from Wuthering Heights, Coleman appropriates the settings and objects in Brontë’s novel but attempts to present them as reality. This encourages readers to visit geographic locations and see the objects, thus affirming their place in, and stereotypes of, Brontë Country. This article explores how these afterlives simultaneously (re)proliferate gender stereotypes and reframe perceptions.

Tang-Song poetry, a distinguished element of China's traditional cultural heritage, is intricately linked with the historical and cultural development of Chinese cities. This paper uses Nanjing as a case study and applies digital humanities techniques to analyze and compare the spatiotemporal distribution of place names found in Tang-Song poetry with those in online travel narratives. The aim is to uncover key factors that have influenced the cultural continuity of these historical cities and their relevance today. Findings indicate that: (1) Locations mentioned in Tang and Song poetry show significant spatial differentiation, with urban areas displaying a clustered distribution and suburbs showing scattered hotspots. (2) The number of locations referenced in Song poetry increased significantly compared to Tang poetry, suggesting that Nanjing's economic growth heightened the city's appeal and inspired more literary output. (3) Song Dynasty poetry reflects a shift toward more neutral and negative emotions, with a marked decrease in positive expressions. This rise in negative sentiment can be traced to the decline in national strength from the Tang to the Song Dynasty, amplifying Nanjing's role as a place of reflection and mourning. (4) Nanjing's cultural hotspots, such as Xuanwu Lake and the Zhongshan Scenic Area, feature prominently in both Tang-Song poetry and modern travelogues. This study contributes to research in literary geography and literary tourism at the urban spatial level, offering fresh insights into the cultural legacy of historical cities.

This article explores the niche sector of literary tourism with a focus on the works of Italian writer Beppe Fenoglio in the Langhe-Roero and Monferrato area of Piedmont, Italy. It questions whether literary tourism can contribute to the cultural sustainability of a landscape. Nowadays, this area is already a well-established tourist destination known for its food and wine; however, Fenoglio’s work offers a different perspective, highlighting a specific heritage comprising the area’s rural life, local culture, and history of the Resistance movement. The research used a mixed method approach with documentary analysis, questionnaires, and in-depth interviews. “Fenoglians” (tourists motivated by Fenoglio’s life and works) were identified, and their characteristics were explored. The results cannot be generalized, as the chosen sampling method does not provide sufficient materials for broad application. While being a small group, these special interest tourists represent an opportunity for tourism diversification. This article concludes that Fenoglio’s literary tourism offers a distinctive experience, fosters new interpretations of the landscape, and strengthens collective memory of the Resistance. It highlights the importance of local communities in understanding how fictional narratives shape tourist perceptions of a destination as well as their role in preserving the community’s collective memory and landscape.

Dark literary tourism is a lesser-known subcategory of both dark tourism and literary tourism, incorporating elements from both in terms of attractiveness and tourist motivations. This study explores the impact of literary works and their film adaptations on the attractiveness of dark tourism destinations, particularly those related to the First and Second World Wars, and the Cold War, such as the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach – combining analysis of the chosen sites’ websites and in-depth interviews with their visitors – the research examines how marketing strategies align with tourist motivations. Key findings show that curiosity and a desire for learning are primary motivations for visitors, with literature serving as a catalyst for a more emotional engagement. The relationship between consuming literary works, watching their film adaptations, and visiting related sites shows the storytelling’s role in shaping tourist behavior. This study provides insights for service providers and Destination Marketing Organizations on optimizing marketing strategies that incorporate literary elements. Recommendations are proposed to enhance historical remembrance through collaborations between book publishers, filmmakers, and tourist attractions, potentially including book tours to ensure the remembrance of the darkest side of history.

Although literary tourism is well established in many countries in the world, in Vietnam it has not received due attention. With a rich, diverse, and valuable literary heritage system, Vietnam has significant potential to plan, develop, and prmote this unique form of tourism for domestic and foreign tourists. As a form of cultural tourism, literary tourism involves visiting and attending places and events associated with literary resources. It should be envisioned as a tourism product, aiming to exploit literary values to introduce and explain destinations. Furthermore, there is a pressing need to plan and restore literary tourism models and institutions to support its development. A systematic study and analysis of Vietnamese literary heritage are essential to propose viable models, institutions, and effective exploitation strategies of literary tourism in the context of global integration and internationalization. This journey, at the present stage is a necessary task, with scientific and practical significance, contributing to promoting the development of literary tourism cultural and historical tourism in particular. It also serves as a means to promote Vietnam's national image and identity while strengthening the Vietnamese tourism brand on the world tourism map.

The research examines the game of megoak-goakan in Panji Village (Sukasada District, Buleleng Regency, Bali Province) using literary tourism theory. Social memory of the people of Panji Village, community opinions, experiences of perpetrators, destinations and cultural infrastructure, texts (Babad Buleleng) and documents (videos, photos); collected using download, listen and quote techniques. Cycle/time, context, location, properties, rules, players, function and meaning are analyzed descriptively and qualitatively, through several activity steps. The research findings are: Babad Buleleng contributes to tourism because it is a source of megoak-goakan; The people of Panji Village are aware of the importance of this cultural heritage; Megoak-goakan is being developed into a tourist attraction. This game has an attraction for tourists. The packaging of the game turns into a tourist attraction based on the principles of: (1) learning (tourism that has elements of learning); (2) rewarding (tourists give appreciation to a destination), (3) enriching (tourists get enriched knowledge) and (4) adventuring (tourists get an adventure experience).

This paper explores the specifics of literary tourism as a form of thematic tourism, as well as the importance of literary guidebooks as a tool to study works of art and their cultural and historical context. A concept for a guidebook based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel "The Idiot" has been created, covering the routes of the novel's characters, key locations associated with the author's life, and the historical realities of the era. A detailed graphic design for the future guidebook's layout has been developed. The relevance of the project is substantiated, given the growing interest in literary tourism and the need to popularize Dostoevsky's legacy.

Tourism literature establishes a reciprocal relationship between literature and tourism, with the digitization of literary works offering significant potential for tourism development. This research explores the use of digitalized literary works as a medium for promoting tourism in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Employing a qualitative descriptive method and a tourism literature approach, the study incorporates a literature review to analyze works related to West Sumatra. These are categorized into various forms of digitalized literature, including electronic books, audiovisual media, and films. The findings demonstrate that technological advancements expand the accessibility of literary works, reaching broader audiences and enhancing the potential for tourism promotion. Digital formats, such as videos shared on social media and films, provide imaginative portrayals of West Sumatra, transforming literary narratives into compelling visual experiences that highlight local tourist destinations. The study concludes that digitalization not only preserves the essence of literary tourism but also amplifies its impact by strengthening promotional strategies. By leveraging digitalized literary works, this approach is anticipated to attract more tourists and elevate the profile of West Sumatra as a vibrant cultural and tourism destination.

The article will introduce the first American tour, with a focus on the visit to Lowell, Massachusetts, of the famous Victorian writer Charles Dickens (1812-1870). When he arrived in Boston in January 1842 with his wife, he was welcomed like “a rock star”. He then embarked on a tour of the American prisons, hospitals, mental institutions and in February he reached the industrial town of Lowell, where he was mostly interested in the recently opened textile mills, the “mill girls” and immigration. Upon his return from the US, Dickens published American Notes, portraying America in both negative and positive notes. All in all, it appears that America had a significant role in Dickens’s career as it made him use his growing influence as a public figure. The UMass Lowell organized in 2012 a Dickens in Lowell celebration of the tour, continued by an extended Dickens in Lowell Project, meant to promote the town as a cultural and literary tourist destination by focusing on a writer deeply concerned with the welfare of the society. Virtual tourists are also encouraged to learn more about Dickens’s stay in Lowell by accessing an online guide of the writer’s stops in the town (https://dickens.archives-uml.com/VWT/WalkingTour/INDEX.html).