ABSTRACT
Interpretation can be defined as the process of communicating or explaining to people the significance of the place they have come to see, so that they enjoy their visit more, understand their heritage and environment better, and develop a more caring attitude towards conservation. This definition is derived from that set out by the Society for the Interpretation of Britain’s Heritage (1996). Interpretation shares some of the features of environmental education with the important exception that it is primarily focused on people at leisure rather than in formal educational settings. This exception results in a stronger emphasis being given to the importance of enhancing visitor experiences in descriptions of interpretation (Knudson et al., 1995). These key characteristics of communication, enhancing experience and creating conservation support amongst visitors suggest that interpretation could be an important strategy in the management of tourism.
