Towards meaningful co-creation: a study of creative heritage tourism in Alentejo, Portugal

This paper discusses the impact of co-creation in the context of heritage tourism. By examining co-creative strategies that promote participative interpretation of archaeological heritage, the emphasis is on understanding how tour guides balance tourists' individual interpretations and the scientific narrative. The study conducts a qualitative analysis of the tour guiding activity of cultural tourism companies in Alentejo, Southern Portugal. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with local tour guides and from online reviews of archaeological tours in Alentejo. Findings evidence that despite widely employing co-creative strategies for heritage interpretation that tap into tourists' operant resources and encourage creative discussion, tour guides often dismiss individual interpretations in favour of the established authorized heritage discourse. It is argued that, in doing so, the potential of co-creation for delivering a meaningful experience is hindered. The study contributes towards a critical conceptualization of the use of co-creation strategies in heritage tourism, with particular focus on the implications at deeper meaning-making levels. In practice, the findings can lead cultural tourism providers to reassess their approach to personalization in order to increase their appeal to potential clients holding alternative sets of beliefs and motivations.