Royal Tourism

The relationships between tourism and royalty have received little coverage in the tourism literature. This volume provides a critical exploration of the relationships between royalty and tourism past, present, and future from a range of disciplinary perspectives.

There are multiple and complex relationships between royalty and tourism which have received little attention in the academic literature. This book draws on historical, sociological and cultural perspectives in its collection of chapters that examine the royal tourism phenomenon in several international and theoretical contexts. Authors in this volume examine for example: the history, development and trajectories of 'royal tourism'; 'royal tourism' and national identities; the interpretation of royalty to tourists; the image(s) and representations of 'royal tourism'; tourist perceptions of royalty and royal properties and sites; royalty, tourism and national image, identity and citizenship.

"In July, 1867, the Australian colonies were electrified by the news that they were to be visited by royalty. Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, second son of Queen Victoria and commander of H.M.S. Galatea, was en route from Europe. He landed in South Australia on a blazing November day, and he was welcomed with an exuberant Colonial loyalty which, as one of his equerries sniffly remarked "seemed ignorant of protocol." During his visits to South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales, and Queensland, the Prince was swept along on a tide of frenzied enthusiasm. Each State tried to outdo the others in the splendour of its receptions and the garishness of its decorations. In Melbourne, a Free Banquet in honour of the Prince turned into a drunken fiasco. On the goldfields, he lunched down a mine and "helped himself rather liberally from a selection of nuggets. He was cheered by convicts in Tasmania, wrangled over by Queensland politicians and bombarded with bouquets, Declarations of Loyalty, and innumerable speeches. Surrounded by city fathers, Bishops, brass bands, fireworks and uproarious multitudes, he went from one triumph to another. Finally, he was shot in Sydney, and his recovery was accompanied by even more passionate demonstrations of loyalty. These were inflamed by revulsion against the would-be assassin, who was hurried to the gallows as the Prince sailed for home. His departure closed a colourful chapter in Australian history, of which the author writes with humour and gusto."--Jacket.

No monarchy has proved more captivating than that of the British Royal Family. Across the globe, an estimated 2.4 billion people watched the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on television. In contemporary global consumer culture, why is the British monarchy still so compelling? Rooted in fieldwork conducted from 2005 to 2014, this book explores how and why consumers around the world leverage a wide range of products, services, and experiences to satisfy their fascination with the British Royal Family brand. It demonstrates the monarchy’s power as a brand whose narrative has existed for more than a thousand years, one that shapes consumer behavior and that retains its economic and cultural significance in the twenty-first century. The authors explore the myriad ways consumer culture and the Royal Family intersect across collectors, commemorative objects, fashion, historic sites, media products, Royal brands, and tourist experiences.Taking a case study approach, the book examines both producer and consumer perspectives. Specific chapters illustrate how those responsible for orchestrating experiences related to the British monarchy engage the public by creating compelling consumer experiences. Others reveal how and why people devote their time, effort, and money to Royal consumption—from a woman who boasts a collection of over 10,000 pieces of British Royal Family trinkets to a retired American stockbroker who spends three months each year in England hunting for rare and expensive memorabilia. Royal Fever highlights the important role the Royal Family continues to play in many people’s lives and its ongoing contribution as a pillar of iconic British culture.

Examines the nineteenth-century royal tour from the perspectives of various historical actors - including royals, politicians and indigenous people - in order to demonstrate how a multi-valent British culture was created throughout the empire.