Any site manager will tell you that the whole, rather than the interpretive part, creates the visitor experience, and this doesn’t start at the site’s gates either.
visitors’ experiences with and of a site do not begin and end with interpretation
Of course, if interpreters themselves seek to claim the title of ‘Visitor Experience Specialist’ then we’re basically saying that in reality, we’re not specialists at all, but generalists doing all of the above.
To be perfectly honest, the overall visitor experience has suffered for it – because we’ve not had enough time to actually fully develop the interpretation of the site.
Interpreters help convey a fuller appreciation and understanding of a place.
However, when we as interpreters propose audience development over interpretation as the term to be used, I wonder whether we’re not putting the cart before the horse.
