Visualizing vulnerability: integrating drones and photovoice to enhance the resilience of rural tourism in Indonesia

This study employed an enhanced Photovoice method with data collection via ESRI Survey123 by integrating drone imagery and smartphone-produced photos, both taken by resident participants, to capture local perspectives to address tourism vulnerability and resilience in rural Indonesia. Two questions framed the study: How do communities perceive the vulnerabilities of tourism in their villages, and how do communities perceive their capacities? Participants from three tourism villages participated in the project by engaging in critical reflexive dialogues to reveal the meanings behind the photos, tourism vulnerabilities, and opportunities for enacting change. The findings revealed vulnerabilities and capacities leverageable to enhance tourism resilience in the villages. This novel methodology is highly effective for tourism disaster research in uncovering place-based insights, including vulnerabilities and opportunities, and building adaptive capacity and tourism resilience in less developed countries.