HERITAGE TOURISM & MUSEUM MANAGEMENT LESSON 6: HERITAGE TOURISM IMPACTS

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1 HERITAGE TOURISM & MUSEUM MANAGEMENT LESSON 6: HERITAGE TOURISM IMPACTS Dr Christina Bonarou Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, Greece Department of Tourism Management General tourism impacts 2 All tourism and recreation activities lead to environmental, economic and social changes. Tourism is not the only factor that affects an area. Constructions, commercial activity, transport, local population etc. The knowledge of the causes of tourism impacts: helps in decision-making leads to more effective planning & management actions. 1

2 Tourism impacts caused by development 3 Development impacts, usually related to infrastructure. Can be widely felt and can be severe. E.g. during the construction phase, and through pollution generated by hotels. Tourism impacts caused by visitors 4 Impacts caused by tourists within sites are often (but not always) quite sensitive. Can usually be avoided. For example, visitors can be asked not to feed wildlife or taking photographs. 2

3 Impacts of heritage tourism 5 Impacts (positive or negative) attributed specifically to the development of heritage tourism. Impacts located most significantly in heritage tourism locations. Physical (ecological) impacts Social & cultural impacts Economic impacts Negative physical impacts of heritage tourism 6 Damage to historic site environments as a result of excessive visitor pressures. The behavior of heritage visitors and their numbers (particularly at peak times) are slowly destroying the very things that attracted them in the first place. 3

4 Negative physical impacts of heritage tourism 7 Inevitable physical decline of the condition of a monument from time and usage Moisture created by breathing, sweating & touching Litter/pollution Vandalism & souvenir hunting Graffiti on the walls of the Golconda Fort, India 8 Photo: Mohamed Yousuf 4

5 Stonehenge stones worn smooth by thousands of hands 9 -More than 2000 tourists/hour during the summer -1978, the British Department of Environment erected a perimeter fence to protect the site Positive physical impacts of heritage tourism 10 Maintenance and protections of areas, monuments, buildings & artifacts: in order to be offered as heritage attractions to visitors. Creating conservation awareness in visitors: through education, entertainment and the proper use of heritage attractions. 5

6 Niagra National historic site has undergone environmental changes to become more green 11 Negative sociocultural impacts of heritage tourism 12 Tourism development disturbs the lives of local people who have their homes/communities within or near the historic site (e.g. Indonesia). Removal of traditional people & original owners form their own land. Conflicts between government, development agencies residents. Tourists & cameras disturb believers & worshippers in sacred sites & temples still in use from local people. Commercialization of heritage (e.g. traditions, arts) 6

7 Positive sociocultural impacts of heritage tourism 13 Attracting visitors interested in history and preservation of the area Preservation of local traditions and culture Building community pride in heritage Increased awareness of the site or area's significance Psychological satisfaction because of the interaction with other cultures Negative economic impacts of heritage tourism 14 The country or region might become dependent on the (heritage) tourism industry. Inflation: a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time Leakage: the way in which revenue (money) generated by tourism is lost to other countries economies 7

8 An example of the leakage effect 15 Many countries must purchase goods and services to satisfy their visitors. This includes the cost of raw materials used to make tourism-related goods, such as souvenirs. Some countries must import as much as 50% of tourismrelated products. Positive economic impacts of heritage tourism 16 Heritage tourists tend to spend more money Opportunity for new/more jobs & businesses Diversification of the local economy More opportunities for partnerships Increasing historic attraction revenues Generating local investment in historic & traditional resources 8

9 Conclusions 17 Tourism is not the only factor that affects a heritage site/area. Impacts (psychical, socio-cultural, economic) can be both positive & negative. Contradiction between the development of tourism and the protection of the heritage value: the biggest challenge in the management of all heritage sites. What do we need to manage the impacts effectively? Integrated use of the legal, administrative and technological means and cooperation between the stakeholders. Questions? 18 9

10 References 19 Hall, C. M. and McArthur, S. (1998). Integrated Heritage Management. London: Stationery Office. Leask, A. and Yeoman, I. (1999) Heritage visitor attractions: An operations management perspective. Casell, London. Munsters, W. and Freund de Klumbis, D. (2005). Culture as a Component of the Hospitality Product. In Sigala, M. and Leslie, D. (ed.) International Cultural Tourism: Management, Implications and Cases, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford. Pedersen, Arthur Managing tourism at world heritage sites: a practical manual for World Heritage site managers. Paris: UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Prentice, R. (1993). Tourism and heritage places. Routledge, London. Timothy. D. & Boyd, S. (2003). Heritage tourism, Harlow: Prentice Hall. 20 Dr Christina Bonarou bonarou@gmail.com Office 2, Tel Office hours: Wednesday,