Model for the development of daŋi traditional pottery art into a Cultural Tourism Destination

Abstract

Cultural tourism has become an important avenue for socioeconomic development, significantly boosting the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of many nations, creating millions of jobs, alleviating poverty, and empowering livelihoods. Notably, a significant proportion of cultural tourism revenue is derived from ethnic cultural arts, such as traditional pottery. Consequently, various studies have shed light on ways of transforming traditional arts (pottery) into cultural tourism destinations to harness these benefits. However, despite Daŋi being the hub of traditional pottery in the Sissala East Municipal Assembly (SEMA) in Ghana, a scholarly dearth exists on how to transform it into a cultural tourism destination. This qualitative case study addresses this gap, using triangulated instruments to elicit data from twenty-eight (28) participants, selected through purposive (homogeneous, and expert) and convenience sampling techniques. Thematic analysis of the findings reveals that Daŋi pottery, whilst deeply embedded within the community's sociocultural fabric and possessing significant potential for cultural tourism, faces an existential threat. This threat is characterised by a gerontocratic practitioner base and a decline in demand driven by cheap, modern alternatives. The study concludes that Daŋi traditional pottery, while a vital cultural heritage with cultural tourism potential, is in a declining state. Its successful transformation into a sustainable tourism destination necessitates a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach. In response, the study proposes the Sustainable Pottery Tourism Development Model. The Sissala East Municipal Assembly is called upon to spearhead the model's implementation to harness the diverse tourism opportunities of Daŋi pottery art while preserving its heritage for posterity.