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Cultural heritage tourism (or
just heritage tourism) is a branch of tourism oriented towards
the cultural heritage of the location where tourism is
occurring. Culture has always been a major object of travel, as
the development of the Grand Tour from the 16th century onwards
attests. In the 20th century, some people have claimed, culture
ceased to be the objective of tourism: tourism is now culture.
Cultural attractions play an important role in tourism at all
levels, from the global highlights of world culture to
attractions that underpin local identities. (Richards,
1996)Heritage tourism involves visiting historical or industrial
sites that may include old canals, railways, battlegrounds, etc.
The overall purpose is to gain an appreciation of the past. It
also refers to the marketing of a location to members of a
diaspora who have distant family roots there. |
