Disaster recovery as disorientation and reorientation

Abstract

As research on disasters in the tourism context matures, a more holistic understanding of how businesses and communities can recover is needed. Using the disorientation and reorientation framework, this study explores recovery as a place-based process. The perceptions and memories of key stakeholders of Binna Burra Lodge, which was affected by the 2019–2020 bushfires in Australia, are investigated and the analysis reveals two themes of disorientation and four of reorientation. It is proposed that various reorientation mechanisms can be deliberately activated to foster a smoother recovery process. Furthermore, this study shows that tourism-enabled social capital can assist disaster recovery in communities and that, through embracing traditional heritage, communities can not only deal with the loss but also prepare for future disasters.