Decolonization of Tourism and Recreation Research

This talk examines how colonial legacies continue to shape tourism and recreation research through persistent assumptions about knowledge authority. Dominant frameworks often privilege Western epistemologies and marginalize non-Western voices. As an example, , classic recreation research dictates the correct way of interpreting visitor experience and human-nature relationships, and defines the “ideal” visitor experiences—such as solitude in nature—as universal. Concepts like crowding and carrying capacity, rooted in elitist and exclusionary ideals, reinforce a deficit view of shared spaces. We propose reframing parks as sites of collective experience, where cultural diversity and social interactions enrich rather than diminish meaning. By challenging inherited paradigms, we move toward more inclusive, equitable, and context-sensitive approaches to understanding tourism and recreation.