Tourism, Cultures and Tourism, Cultures and HeritagesHeritages

Professor Alan ClarkeProfessor Alan Clarke

The Tourism SystemThe Tourism System

Tourism is not a simple industryTourism is not a simple industry Tourism as multi-core systemTourism as multi-core system Tangible and intangible Tangible and intangible Imagined, real and re-imaginedImagined, real and re-imagined

Cultures and HeritagesCultures and Heritages

Tourism offers cultures and Tourism offers cultures and heritages as part of the offerheritages as part of the offer

Tourism is a culture in its own Tourism is a culture in its own right with its own heritagesright with its own heritages

Offers need to recognise this Offers need to recognise this dynamic relationshipdynamic relationship

Heritages and CulturesHeritages and Cultures

Cultures and biographies add Cultures and biographies add meaning and depth to the sense meaning and depth to the sense of heritageof heritage

Understanding is shaped by Understanding is shaped by knowledge, experience and knowledge, experience and expectationexpectation

Cultures and TourismCultures and Tourism

Heritage cultures

Touristic culturesLocal cultures

Meaning(s) in tourismMeaning(s) in tourism

Tourism experiences are shaped by Tourism experiences are shaped by the touristic expectationsthe touristic expectations

All tourists are different!All tourists are different! Meaning is generated by interaction Meaning is generated by interaction

with the sense of heritagewith the sense of heritage This is a complex interplay This is a complex interplay

generating different levels of generating different levels of understandingunderstanding

Cultures for Cultures for consumptionconsumption Cultures and re-presentations for Cultures and re-presentations for

touristic consumptiontouristic consumption What are you willing to sell?What are you willing to sell? What are local people willing to What are local people willing to

sell?sell? What are tourists interested in What are tourists interested in

buying?buying? Limits of Acceptable ChangeLimits of Acceptable Change

Contested HeritageContested Heritage

Robin HoodRobin Hood 1687 wood cut1687 wood cut Legend and Legend and

contested realitycontested reality Touristic politics Touristic politics

– Nottingham, – Nottingham, Derbyshire and Derbyshire and Yorkshire claimsYorkshire claims

The Major OakThe Major Oak

The Tales of Robin The Tales of Robin Hood Hood

Little John’s GraveLittle John’s Grave

Robin Hood’s GraveRobin Hood’s Grave

Robin Hood AirportRobin Hood Airport

Biographies of Robin Biographies of Robin nessness

Defining RobinDefining Robin

PreservingPreserving PositioningPositioning PrescribingPrescribing PuzzlingPuzzling

Thank you Mr. DisneyThank you Mr. Disney

Heritages and MeaningHeritages and Meaning

Heritages are preciousHeritages are precious Heritages are publicHeritages are public Heritages are privateHeritages are private Heritages have value for many Heritages have value for many

audiences – tourism provides audiences – tourism provides many of thosemany of those

PartnershipsPartnerships

Complexity of tourism systemComplexity of tourism system Recognition of the role of cultures and Recognition of the role of cultures and

heritages in tourismheritages in tourism Recognition of the role of tourism in Recognition of the role of tourism in

cultures and heritagescultures and heritages From Competition through From Competition through

InterdependenceInterdependence CooperationCooperation Inclusive of all stakeholdersInclusive of all stakeholders

Celebrating Heritage Celebrating Heritage in the North Westin the North West Partnership developmentPartnership development Tourist boardsTourist boards English HeritageEnglish Heritage North West Development AgencyNorth West Development Agency Culture North West Culture North West

Partnerships and Partnerships and meaningsmeanings Culture North West as leaders Culture North West as leaders

with no specific vested interestwith no specific vested interest Expertise portfoliosExpertise portfolios Broadening accessibility to a Broadening accessibility to a

range of heritagesrange of heritages

Key success factorsKey success factors

Mission focusMission focus TrustTrust ChampionChampion AchievementAchievement

Mission focusMission focus

Destination wide Destination wide Not specific accomplishmentNot specific accomplishment All stakeholders commit because All stakeholders commit because

of the destination not only for of the destination not only for their own vested interesttheir own vested interest

TrustTrust

Stakeholders need to recognise Stakeholders need to recognise and respect each otherand respect each other

Multiple and diverse contributionsMultiple and diverse contributions Sources of trustSources of trust

ChampionChampion

Someone or group who will take Someone or group who will take on the challenge of fronting the on the challenge of fronting the partnership publiclypartnership publicly

The voice of the partnershipThe voice of the partnership Not necessarily the organiser or Not necessarily the organiser or

the leaderthe leader

AchievementAchievement

Something(s) to declareSomething(s) to declare More than a ‘talking shop’More than a ‘talking shop’ ‘‘We are better off now than we We are better off now than we

were a year ago’were a year ago’ Not the whole thing – task versus Not the whole thing – task versus

processprocess

Sustainable futuresSustainable futures

Formal and informal organisationFormal and informal organisation Shared sense of responsibility Shared sense of responsibility

(ownership)(ownership) Shared benefits from the Shared benefits from the

promotion of cultures and promotion of cultures and heritages within the tourism offer heritages within the tourism offer