23 OCT 2025 (THU) 15:35 - 15:55

Using storytelling-based co-creation to reimagine the roles of tourism stakeholders: A case study of Community-based Tourism (CBT) in Kowloon City, Hong Kong

Mr HO Ho Cheung 

( Supervisor: Prof Benjamin L. Iaquinto )

Abstract:

In post-COVID era, the Hong Kong government aims to develop signature tourism products to boost tourism development. A renewed focus on Hong Kong’s cultural and heritage attractions have been suggested, yet such a strategy remains threatened by massive urban redevelopment plans. This study focuses on Community-based Tourism (CBT) in Kowloon City (KC), one of the oldest districts in Hong Kong. KC has a range of heritage and cultural attractions that could be the focus of a CBT strategy. CBT is a kind of alternative tourism that emphasizes the involvement and control of residents in tourism, equal distribution of tourism benefits, and promotion of cultural sustainability. I examine the relationship between storytelling and ‘co-creation’ of CBT in KC in the maintenance of heritage and cultural attractions.

Previous literature focused on the contributions of storytelling to tourism marketing and promotion, and the role of storytelling in tourists’ consumption experiences. With CBT, tourists are not passively gazing upon destinations but are increasingly seeking active participation and co-creation of their touristic experiences with a network of stakeholders. The literature on storytelling-based co-creation in tourism has focused on both external and internal aspects of the interactions between guides and tourists.

However, they only showed limited and fragmented observation as they ignored the after-tour changes in tourists’ and guides’ understandings of the destinations’ stories, assumed the tourists were listeners only and neglected other stakeholders. This study also applies story-based co-creation to a new context – CBT in Hong Kong.

Based on a consumer-oriented ethnography including 11-months of participant observation and 51 in-depth interviews, I observe the storytelling process, outcomes and impacts of storytelling-based co-creation between tourists, guides and merchants in CBT in KC. Results showed tourists’ and guides’ understanding of KC has been deepened by a ‘give and take’ sharing of stories that happened between them, while merchants had no significant changes as they mainly shared instead of listening to the stories. Besides, various external co-creation opportunities and internal cognitive transformations between the three stakeholders were derived. Surprisingly, I found tourists also ‘took over the mic’ to tell their stories. The guides listened, digested and initiated a ‘positive feedback loop’ in their following tours. Guides and tourists interacted through 5 types of question-and-answer exchanges plus numerous other ways, while both guides and tourists also actively interacted with merchants. All three stakeholders embedded their values in storytelling, and tourists even became ‘advocators’ to provide suggestions in creating a better society.

For academic implication, this paper provided a comprehensive overview on the tourists’, guides’ and merchants’ understandings of destinations and their possible changes after tours. We also learnt numerous dynamic and interchangeable storytellingbased co-creation practices 5 between the three stakeholders from Hong Kong’s CBT. For social implication, this case study showcased that digging into the characteristics of different communities and incorporating more locals in tour designing and storytelling may also be possible to develop new signature tourism products in Hong Kong. Tourism operators can also utilize the co-creation model to develop new products or conduct staff training.