The Role and Power of Tour Guides as Storytellers in Cultural Heritage Tourism

Abstract

Storytelling began with the existence of humanity. Today, stories used in different fields play an important role in the formation of destination image, marketing and attractiveness in terms of tourism. In this context, tourist guides, one of the most promi nent and key actors of the tourism industry, are the ones who build a bridge between destinations and guests and provide unforgettable tourism experiences to tourists through stories. It can be said that tourist guides use their storytelling role mostly in cultural heritage tours. Therefore, this study aims to contribute to the understanding of the impact and importance of the storytelling role of tourist guides on destinations and tourists within the scope of cultural heritage tourism. In this direction, a comprehensive literature review and evaluation has been conducted. Finally, some suggestions are presented for both tourist guides and destination managers, tourism marketers and managers to maximize tourists' story experiences related to cultural heritage.