What is heritage tourism
Heritage tourism - also known as cultural heritage tourism - is a branch of tourism that involves visiting historical or industrial sites and which is oriented towards the cultural heritage of the location where tourism is occurring.
According to National Trust for Historic Preservation's (National Trust) definition, cultural heritage tourism is traveling to experience the places, artifacts and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present. It includes cultural, historic and natural resources.
On the National Trust website the role of heritage tourism is explained further: "Historic (or heritage) tourism is a critical piece of the historic preservation puzzle. It helps protect our nation's natural and cultural treasures by building awareness, creating new jobs, providing new business opportunities, and strengthening local economies. Every time you enjoy a historic place, you are not only helping to preserve it—you are helping to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors alike."
Cultural heritage tourism is among the fastest growing segments of the tourism industry as the result of a trend toward increased specialization among tourists. Heritage tourists seek not only adventure, but also culture, history, archaeology and are interested in interacting with local people.Photo author: scott photos from flickr.com
Social and economic benefits of heritage travel
There are many benefits to heritage travel, both social and economic. It creates new jobs, new business and higher property values, improves the quality of life and builds community pride. According to the 2003 The Historic/Cultural Traveler study by the Travel Industry Association and Smithsonian Magazine, 81% (118 million) U.S. adults who traveled in 2002 were considered cultural heritage travelers. These travelers included historical or cultural activities on almost 217 million person-trips last year.Interestingly, visitors to historic sites and cultural attractions stay longer and spend more money than other kinds of tourists. Cultural and heritage visitors spend, on average, $623 per trip, which is significantly more than $457 that's being spent by average U.S. travelers excluding the cost of transportation. (Source: 2003 The Historic/Cultural Traveler, TIA).
However, perhaps the biggest benefits of cultural heritage tourism, is diversification of local economies and preservation of a community's unique character.
Because of the benefits, governments of all levels stimulate heritage tourism - by financing the conservation of cultural resources, providing financial resources for protection, marketing and promotion, improving authentic visitors experience, and helping to earn higher revenues from the cultural resources. and regions, achieving economic and social benefits, providing financial resources for protection, as well as marketing and promotion.
[Photo "Exterior of St Mary's basilica, Krakow", author: Pete Reed from flickr.com ]
World Heritage List
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted in 1972 an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, which describes the UNESCO's World Heritage mission as to:- encourage signing the World Heritage Convention and ensuring the protection of natural and cultural heritage;
- encourage state members to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List;
- encourage state members to establish management plans and reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites;
- help state members safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training;
- provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites that may get in immediate danger;
- support state members' public awareness of activities for World Heritage conservation;
- encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of cultural and natural heritage;
- encourage cooperation among the state members in the conservation of the world's cultural and natural heritage.
UNESCO has created The World Heritage List that includes 851 properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value.
These include 660 cultural, 166 natural and 25 mixed properties in 141 States Parties. As of October 2006, 184 States Parties have ratified the World Heritage Convention.
The list can be viewed in two versions: 1/ list view, 2/ table view.
You can also see The WHTour : World Heritage sites in panography - 360 degree imaging. The WHTour is a non-profit org documenting in panographies (360-degree imaging) all sites registered on the World Heritage List by UNESCO. E.g., click here to take the tour of Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley in Afghanistan or click here to take the tour of Taj Mahal in India.
[Photo "Cliffs of Bamiyan", author: Vindemiatrix from flickr.com ]
How many heritage sites from the UNESCO World Heritage List have you seen?
Let's vote for the world's most popular heritage site.
Here is the starting list - based on "The Seven Wonders of the World" by Howard Hillman, the world's leading authority on travel wonders. Don't hesitate to add a site if you consider it very important to world's cultural heritage.
Great Ocean Road Accommodation Victoria is a tourism more...3 points
Amaranth Yatra Via Baltal
Amarnath Yatra 2012 , Vaishno Devi Helicopter more...1 point
Hotels and Resorts in India - Country Inn - Book online more...0 points
Mysore Palace India's most visited Heritage place. more...0 points
jewelocean.com
wedding ring sets - Shop for the best wedding sets more...0 points
stonehenge facts
You can experience the wonders of the Stonehenge by more...0 points
maui adventures
The Big island Hawaii Activities in Hawaii is a ge more...0 points
okavango delta
the most prestigious inland water stream running f more...0 points
UNESCO World Heritage RSS Feed - List and photos
Travel to Heritige Cracow in Poland - with Orbitz!
UNESCO World Heritage RSS Feed - News
UNESCO World Heritage RSS Feed - Events
Heritage Travel - Amazon Spotlight
Culture on Tour: Ethnographies of Travel
Amazon Price: $18.34 (as of 05/27/2012)
Heritage Travel - Amazon Recommendations
If you loved National Geographic Jewish Heritage Travel: A Guide to Eastern Europe, you might also enjoy:
Reader Feedback
Are you interested in heritage tourism? Have you traveled to any place from the UNESCO World Heritage List? Did you enjoyed that? Please tell us about it. Thanks!
-
-
SheilaMilne
Apr 28, 2012 @ 8:04 am | delete
- I must have visited 60+ sites over time, mostly in Europe and Mexico. I think there is a danger in over-emphasising the WHS list because I've seen with my own eyes tourists getting off a bus, touring one site, then leaving again without so much as a glance at the surroundings. It becomes something of a "tick in the box" game.
-
-
-
drbilltellsexcitingstories
Apr 16, 2012 @ 8:39 pm | delete
- Great lens. I have an interest in heritage tourism, but I'll stick with USA sites, for the time being. Thanks for sharing! ;-)
-
-
-
goturkeytourism
Dec 30, 2010 @ 2:41 am | delete
- Turkey has nine properties inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Historic Areas of Istanbul
Rock Sites of Cappadocia
Divrigi Great Mosque and Hospital
Mount Nemrut
Hattusha
Hierapolis, Pamukkale
Xanthos- Letoon
City of Safranbolu
Archaeological Site of Troy
-
-
-
Online_Travel
Mar 25, 2010 @ 6:34 am | delete
- This is a great site! I love using Squidoo to find travel advice and ideas. I recently planned a trip to India alone and found a great number of useful travel websites on squidoo.com which has info on flights, hotels, travel blogs, travel networks and online travel guides. Keep it up!
-
-
-
GraemePark
Apr 5, 2009 @ 7:59 pm | delete
- Nice job. Very informative.
-
by calamary
Welcome to my lens! Please visit my other lenses too. I'm an avid blogger and Squidoo enthusiast. My hobbies are: music (Beatles, John Mayer, Barenaked... more »
- 45 featured lenses
- Winner of 6 trophies!
- Top lens » The Rich Who Like To Share - The World's Greatest Philanthropists
Explore related pages
- Spotlight on Florence, Italy (Firenze, Italia) Spotlight on Florence, Italy (Firenze, Italia)
- Plan Your Next Vacation to Santiago de Compostela, Spain Plan Your Next Vacation to Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Great Vacation Spots in the Philippines Great Vacation Spots in the Philippines
- GANESHA - The Most Beloved God GANESHA - The Most Beloved God
- Cinque Terre: Gem of Liguria Cinque Terre: Gem of Liguria
- Walking the Camino de Santiago Across Spain Walking the Camino de Santiago Across Spain
