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Ferries as travelling landscapes: tourism and watery mobilities

Eva McGrath (School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK)
Nichola Harmer (School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK)
Richard Yarwood (School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK)

International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research

ISSN: 1750-6182

Article publication date: 4 June 2020

Issue publication date: 4 June 2020

261

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the use of small river ferries as an under-researched but novel mode of travel which enhances and brings new dimensions to tourist experiences of travelling landscapes.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a mixed methods approach including participant observation, a survey and interviews with ferry users and staff at one river crossing in South West England.

Findings

The ferry attracts tourists as a different and practical mode of transport. The river crossing provides an experience of being on water, and the material structure of the ferry significantly shapes on-board interactions whilst providing new perspectives of place.

Research limitations/implications

This article draws on data collected for a study of ferry crossings conducted at three sites in Devon and Cornwall, England, using multiple methods. The material presented in this article focuses on one site and draws on four interviews, twelve reflection cards and observations.

Social implications

The research highlighted the extent to which the ferry is dependent on tourist use. At the same time, it reveals the extent to which the crossing enriches the tourist experience and celebrates a ferry’s contribution to local place-making.

Originality/value

The majority of research on ferry crossings focuses on commuter experiences, marine crossings and larger passenger vessels. This article makes an original contribution to literature on ferries, as it offers a perspective on tourist experiences of river ferry crossings, reveals how the ferry structure influences interrelations on-board and provides distinctive insights into place through a focus on movement across water.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This work was made possible by a University of Plymouth PhD Studentship (2017–2020). A special thanks to the Appledore – Instow ferry volunteers and personnel who welcomed Eva on-board and so generously shared their ferry crossing experiences and passengers. Thanks to Carlotta Molfese for providing comments on a draft and Tim Absalom (GeoMapping Unit) for drawing the map (Figure 1). Disclosure statement: No conflict of interest declared.

Citation

McGrath, E., Harmer, N. and Yarwood, R. (2020), "Ferries as travelling landscapes: tourism and watery mobilities", International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 321-334. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCTHR-10-2019-0184

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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