Edinburgh Napier University

  According to Visit Scotland (2023) and Historic Environment
Scotland (2023), over 18 million visitors (48% of total visitors)
with an average spend of £3.2 billion are drawn to Scotland for
its history and culture. Yet, Scotland’s African Caribbean
cultural heritage tourism products are still relatively
underdeveloped despite the tangible and intangible cultural
assets of African Caribbean past and contemporary histories
etched geographically, economically and socio-culturally
nationwide. These memories and histories tend to be under or
misrepresented despite the significance to African Caribbean
descendants, and diaspora communities. This proposed research
explores the transformative possibilities of African Caribbean
heritage tourism products, places, and spaces to foster shared
Scottish heritage, restoration and reconciliation, and empower
inclusive communities. Amplifying stories and lived experiences
of African Caribbean peoples and their cultural heritage can
influence an inclusive tourism landscape away from existing
dominant tourism offerings that perpetuate colonial narratives
while silencing or omitting the marginalised.

More specifically, this research aims to:
1. Conceptualise a framework for transformative and inclusive
tourism that centres hidden and under-represented cultural
heritage.
2. Explore existing and potential tourism experiences, products,
places, and spaces that connect Scotland, West Africa, and
Caribbean cultural heritage.
3. To investigate the transformative and inclusive tourism
potential of the shared cultural heritage.
4. To identify key tourism stakeholders and changemakers that
play a role in developing and promoting
African-Caribbean-Scottish heritage tourism