Telling Our Story, Holding Our Ground: Heritage Interpretation as a Tool for Resilience and Inclusive Tourism in a South African National Park

Heritage interpretation in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park can foster resilience and inclusive tourism by integrating local voices, lived experiences, and Indigenous knowledge. While park management relies on structured programs, community guides emphasize emotional connection, presence, and respect for culture and ecology, offering a more authentic visitor experience. Despite shared conservation goals, Indigenous perspectives remain underutilized in formal systems, highlighting the need for deeper community involvement—beyond economic benefits—to ensure self-representation and control over storytelling. A place-based, human-centred approach was found to be more impactful than digital tools, providing a low-cost strategy for sustainable tourism that strengthens cultural identity and visitor engagement.

ABRAHAMS, E., TICHAAWA, T. M.,. (2025). TELLING OUR STORY, HOLDING OUR GROUND: HERITAGE INTERPRETATION AS A TOOL FOR RESILIENCE AND INCLUSIVE TOURISM IN A SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL PARK. Geojournal of Tourism and Geosites, 62(4), 2478–2485. https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.62442-1608