Al Leftridge, Ph.D, is hosting an interpretive writing workshop in Minnesota this weekend. In the tourism field the word “interpretation” goes beyond conventional languages. It is the concept of conveying something to an audience through words, sounds, images, etc. Mr. Leftridge and myself are members of the National Association for Interpretation (NAI). This organization is the offspring of the Association of Interpretive Naturalists (founded in 1954) and the Western Interpreters Association (founded in 1965). NAI views interpretation as a mission-based communication process that forges emotional and intellectual connections between the interests of the audience and the meanings inherent in the resource. Individual members (5,00o+) include those who work at parks, museums, nature centers, zoos, botanical gardens, aquariums, historical and cultural sites, commercial tour companies, and theme parks. Commercial and institutional members include those who provide services to the heritage interpretation industry. Additional information about NAI can be found on their website. I encourage you to think about the role it plays in the tourism industry and ways it might connect to your travels.
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