Heritage and Cultural Tourism Management: A Comprehensive Study

This report delves into the growth and development of the heritage and cultural tourism industry, exploring its significance in the modern travel landscape. It examines the purpose of heritage and cultural attractions in meeting the needs of diverse customers, analyzes the impact of different ownership models on management, and evaluates methods and media used for interpretation within the industry. Case studies of Barcelona and Venice highlight potential conflicts in conservation efforts, while a field trip to prominent cultural and heritage attractions in London provides valuable insights into practical applications. This comprehensive study offers a valuable resource for understanding the complexities and challenges of managing heritage and cultural tourism.

Heritage and Cultural Tourism Management
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................4
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................7
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................10
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................12
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................15
Reference List................................................................................................................................16
Appendix........................................................................................................................................18
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Introduction
Heritage and cultural tourism is a branch of tourism, which introduces the travellers with the
historic, culture and lifestyle experiences that a place has to offer. The focus of this study is
management of heritage and cultural attractions in the tourism industry. The importance of
growth and development of the heritage and cultural tourism is discussed in this study. The
research assistant of a medium-size consultant firm, which deals with the various aspects
heritage and cultural tourism, does the research work on this task. The report is produced after
observations from various field trips of heritage and cultural attractions.
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Task 1
1.1 Analyse the growth and development of the heritage and cultural industry
Heritage is the places and artefacts which represents the authentic events of past with historical
significance. Heritage plays an important role in the history and origin of culture of a certain
place. The prime objective behind the heritage tourism is to increase the awareness of
conservation of heritages and cultural attractions (Carbone, 2017).
Heritage attractions can be of both natural and manmade. UK has abundance of both natural and
fabricated heritage attractions like Stonehenge, Greenwich Park and many more. Heritage sites
like these are sensitive and the modern day transportation needs to be sustainable so that the
increasing amount of tourism will not harm these significant attractions. These places need to be
accessible but at the same time, skilled staffs are also required so that the conservation can be
overseen properly.
Natural heritages include attractions, which are not manmade, but culturally these have
significant importance. Like coasts, wildlife and other habitats are some of the examples of
these. Natural attractions are very important and these have significant impact on the
environment therefore it is important to have sustainable policies for preservation of these.
Cultural heritage is different that fabricated and natural which more of a belief or lifestyle
oriented. The traditions are part of this type of heritage. Examples of cultural heritages are
language, song; dance, traditional festivities and these are all part of the legacy of the places
therefore contains significant importance. The over exposure of tourism which is a byproduct of
globalization trends are now days affecting the cultural heritage (Salvado et al., 2015.).
Growth and development: Heritage and cultural industry is a significant aspect of tourism and
tourists are genuinely interested in these attractions. In the earlier times, these attractions were
used only as source of information and therefore it was not given that much importance. With
changing interest in the tourism-industry has made heritage and cultural industry important.
Earliest forms of heritage attractions were pilgrimages. The objective behind travelling in the
medieval time was spiritual fulfilment. Seven wonders of the ancient world were very popular
attractions. In Bible and other ancient Greek historical references, the noble class was often
visited different places like Egypt to show relics around 4th century BC. “Cult of Relics” was
4

another movement, which is mentioned in the middle age history, which explains it as a heritage
movement.
The objective of the movement was to protecting and conserving of historic art affects, which
were often duplicated and sold to noble classes that gave them social power. Renaissance was
one the very important period for the heritage architecture. Many of the modern marvels of
heritage architecture were built on this time. The renaissance that was during 14th to 17th
century was heavily impacted from Greek and Roman architecture promoted the antiques
heavily. In the 1670; Richard Lessets introduced to the term Grand Tour in his book “Voyage to
Italy”; which is one of the earliest concept of packaged tour. The Grand Tour was one of the
earliest examples of mass produced package tours. In the modern times, Thomas Cook was the
pioneer who introduced the concept of heritage tourism and he was known as the father of
modern travel agent, group tour operator. Thomas Cook has organized one of the very first
organized heritage tours in 1841 (Barthel-Bouchier, 2016).
Year Activity
4th century BC Beginning of guided tour
14th to 17th century BC Renaissance influence in heritage and culture
1670 Richard Lessets “Grand Tour” was one of the
earliest concepts of packaged tour.
1841 Thomas Cook Organized heritage excursion
1851 Thomas Cook arranges exhibition in Hyde
Park
Figure 1: Time line of major events of heritage and cultural tourism
(Source: created by the learner)
1.2 Discuss potential conflicts in the conservation of heritage and cultural resources using
the case Barcelona (Spain) and Venice (Italy).
Spain and Barcelona is one of the most
visited tourist destinations in all of Europe.
Tourism is one of the biggest industries in
these cities but it is also one of the chief
reasons of pollution as well. One of the
There is an anti cruise ship campaign in
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Venice, which has raised awareness in
recent years is due to the pollution that the
over exposure of tourism cause (Tratalos et
al., 2016).
Environmental impact: The environmental
impact of tourism is huge on the both of
these cities. There is soil erosion, which a
worrying issue, and water pollution, which
Venice is facing all due to tourism.
Presentation of heritage and culture:
Tourism is affecting the local communities
and it is interfering with the conservation of
heritage and culture of these cities. Tourism
also supports many of the communities,
which has conflicting views on the matter.
The cultural reservation is one of the
controversial matters. Many of the localities
think that the culture of Barcelona has
become more like a theme for this tourism
aspect (Pérez Guilarte and Lois González,
2018).
Planning and land use: In Barcelona has
been affected by tourism as well. More than
8 million people visits Barcelona every year.
The mayor of Barcelona has also promised
to limit the number hotel that is being built
in Barcelona. To provide for tourism other
sectors like agriculture is being pressurized
and that is affecting the many archaeological
sites.
Development vs. greenery: the ongoing
tourism trend is also affecting the
environment. Most the places that have high
demand for tourism like Barcelona and
Venice also have to provide for development
that takes up lot of the green fields. The
greenery is also some of the natural assets of
the country like national park and sanctuary.
Therefore, conservation is necessary for
both natural and manmade heritages.
Impact of technology: The impact of
technology is positive in terms of updating
the software, which the museums can use to
update their system of work and can use for
interpretation.
6

7

Task 2
2.1 Assess the purpose of heritage and cultural attractions in meeting the needs of different
customers
Introduction
I visited the prominent cultural and heritage attractions and developed an insight on the different
methods of customer satisfaction the sites offered to its customers. The main areas of my visits
were; The British Museum, the Queen’s House, Greenwich Park and the National Maritime
Museum.
The British Museum
I made a field trip to the British Museum and developed an understanding on the culture and
environment of the museum. The British museum is known as one of the oldest surviving
museum in Bloomsbury London (Butler, 2016). This heritage site provided me with an
understanding on the dynamics of the museum. According to my observation, the British
museum works at revamping its museum every year to meet with the requirements of the
customers. I was intrigued with the historical background it offered to its customers. According
to its historical background, the British museum has more than 14 million artefacts from Assyria,
Babylonia, Egypt, Greece and Europe. This heritage tourist attraction works according to the
public interest and provides exhibition programs and significant group visits. I was interested by
the number of seminars they offered in a day and garnered significant knowledge on the working
of the museum. This museum provided a plethora of knowledge to the visiting students and
customers, as it is educational in nature. Being a student, I was able to gather knowledge and use
it for understanding the purpose of my fieldwork.
The Queen’s House
The next visit that I embarked upon was the most significant and royal cultural and heritage site
known as The Queen’s House. The Queen’s House is considered a significant architecture in the
history of Britain (Percy, 2016). I gained an insight on its historical background and gathered a
plethora of relevant information about it. The construction process of the architecture began in
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the year 1616 and ended in the year 1635. The heritage site is located in Greenwich London. I
gained an insight on the significance of the place by the information passed given by my tour
guide. My fieldtrip to the Queen’s House exposed me to the beautiful paintings and architecture
designed by Inigo Jones. The main purpose of this royal heritage site is to expose to its
customers the most important historical and architectural paintings to the visiting customers. The
beauty of the royal paintings is kept alive by exposing it to the visiting tourists. I observed the
various services they catered to their customers. Their customer services were efficient and they
catered the various queries of the students and tour visitor. This heritage and cultural site was
significant to be as a tourist as I garnered relevant information on the history of the Queens’
House.
The Greenwich Park
I embarked on a visit to another famous and well-reputed heritage and cultural site known as
Greenwich Park. I stumbled upon a plethora of meaningful information on the site and was
intrigued by the efficient customer services they offered to its public. The “Greenwich Park” is
known as one of the biggest single spaces situated in the southeast part of London (Read, 2017).
It is an earlier hunting space in the Greenwich area. This place is a part of “World Heritage site”.
I was interested on the history of the place and came across the different perspectives from a
wide range of my tour-travelling friends. The main purpose of this place is the royal view of the
Queen’s House that it offers to its customers. This place entertains many visitors from across the
globe and is famous for its royal history. I came to know about a lot of information on the place
and gathered relevant information on the customer services. The customer services that it offers
are the area of parking spaces to its individuals with some strict policies in accordance with the
Park. I learned about the different regulations in association with the Park. My experience after
visiting the well-reputed tourist attraction proved educational and enriching. I was made aware of
the different Park regulations that were maintained by the Park authorities. The Park policy in
Greenwich also inculcated some strict measures to meet the requirements of the customers
(Vedung, 2017). This Park also serves as recreational purpose for the visiting customers.
The National Maritime Museum
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I embarked on my final journey to the National Maritime Museum and was intrigued by the
scenic beauty of the natural environment. According to my research, I came to know about the
historical background of the museum. The “National Maritime Museum” is one of the largest
maritime museums, which is situated in the Greenwich, United Kingdom (Betts, 2018). It was
established in the year 1937. The size of collection of the objects of the museum is more than 2
millions. According to my research, this museum had a plethora of information to offer to its
customers and students. My experience on visiting this heritage site was enriching and I gained a
lot of information on the history of the museum. The National Maritime Museum is also known
for the efficient and productive services that are offered to its visiting customers. This museum
proved to be beneficial as it provides educational and research related information for the
customers. As a student, I grasped a lot of necessary information in the process of my fieldwork.
I learnt a great deal on the historical background of the museum and was intrigued by the various
activities that this museum provided for its customers. The desire of the customers is fulfilled by
the various information it gives out to the foreigners on the beauty and culture of the place. It
also gave exclusive seminars and group works to the customers increasing the awareness of the
customers. I came to know about the various methods that were being employed for the revamp
of the museum. The main purpose of the museum is served by the seminars and display of
beautiful paintings in the museum enhancing the customer demands of the individuals.
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Task 3
3.1 Evaluate the impact of different types of ownership on the management of heritage and
cultural sites
Public organisation is government by the local authority of the country. The functioning and
preservation is the responsibility of the state itself. For the preservation, various rules and regulations
are set to conserve the heritage site. The statutory body known as World Heritage Centre is
responsible for the protection and management of sites (Throsby, 2016). The centre works in
cooperation with advisory bodies and UNESCO. When the site is under the ownership of the state,
there is generation of employment in the country. It is the responsibility of government to raise taxes
in order to fund the heritage and cultural site. With the public ownership, the implication is that the
public can use the site and the public management manages it. The government for the benefit of the
public controls the site. When the government body is involved the site is given the due consideration
and has the funding to use in the development.
National maritime museum is under the sponsorship of Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It
is under the authority of government. It is the responsibility of the state to take care of the heritage
site. The core responsibility of the state is to maintain the value of the site. When the site is under the
government, it has to ensure its protection, conservation and presentation. It only has to take legal
actions. It takes steps to conserve the site and generate policies and precautions for the same.
Commercial ownership is defined as the income is generated when the public pay an entrance fees to
visit the attraction. The commercial ownership aim is to make profit in the economy. It is there to
have the return on the capital employed in the development of the site. The commercial ownership is
only a viable option when the organisation feels that there will be definite return of investment. The
profit generated has to cover the fixed and variable cost involved in the management of the cultural
site. The aim is not to have a breakeven point (Timothy, 2017). The requirement is to earn as much
profit as it can earn. When the entrance fees is made on the entering the premises of the cultural site
the variable cost is covered. It has a positive contribution, which would help in covering the fixed
cost incurred.
Hyde parks which the commercial institutions own. The main aim is to earn profit and generate fund.
When a person visits a place, it has to pay an entry fee and generate revenue. The functioning will
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only happened when the visitors pay an amount to visit the place. The aim is to not to have a
breakeven point but to earn the maximum profit it can earn. The focus is on generation of revenue
and attracting as much tourist as possible. The theme park attracts the customer to visit it and pay a
feeds to have an experience in the park.
3.2 Analyse roles and responsibilities of organisations in the heritage and cultural industry.
Spain and Barcelona is one of the most visited tourist destinations in all of Europe. Tourism is
one of the biggest industries in these cities but it is also one of the chief reasons of pollution as
well. One of the There is an anti cruise ship campaign in Venice, which has raised awareness in
recent years is due to the pollution that the over exposure of tourism cause (Tratalos et al., 2016).
Environmental impact: The environmental impact of tourism is huge on the both of these cities.
There is soil erosion, which a worrying issue, and water pollution, which Venice is facing all due
to tourism.
Presentation of heritage and culture: Tourism is affecting the local communities and it is
interfering with the conservation of heritage and culture of these cities. Tourism also supports
many of the communities, which has conflicting views on the matter. The cultural reservation is
one of the controversial matters. Many of the localities think that the culture of Barcelona has
become more like a theme for this tourism aspect (Pérez Guilarte and Lois González, 2018).
Planning and land use: In Barcelona has been affected by tourism as well. More than 8 million
people visits Barcelona every year. The mayor of Barcelona has also promised to limit the
number hotel that is being built in Barcelona. To provide for tourism other sectors like
agriculture is being pressurized and that is affecting the many archaeological sites.
Development vs. greenery: the ongoing tourism trend is also affecting the environment. Most
the places that have high demand for tourism like Barcelona and Venice also have to provide for
development that takes up lot of the green fields. The greenery is also some of the natural assets
of the country like national park and sanctuary. Therefore, conservation is necessary for both
natural and manmade heritages.
Impact of technology: The impact of technology is positive in terms of updating the software,
which the museums can use to update their system of work and can use for interpretation.
12

Task 4
4.1 Evaluate methods and media used for interpretation within the heritage and cultural
industry for tourists
Executive Summary
This part of the assignment is for examining the scope and role of interpretation tools and
techniques within the cultural and heritage industry with its effect on the management and
participants. A report is prepared based on the observations and experiences of the field trip.
Introduction
The Interpretation process is referred to the process of communication to the visitors about the
cultural and heritage attractions. It is a kind of educational activity, which aims at educating the
visitors and makes their visit more meaningful by using the original work of arts. Different
media like signage, audio-visual and video reconstructions are used to offer appropriate
knowledge to the visitors.
Interpretation tools
The interpretation tools help the visitors in understanding the actual heritage and culture values
of the place (Harrison and Lugosi, 2013). The interpretation process assists in increasing the
profitability and share of the organization by satisfying the tourists. The diverse interpretation
media, which are used within the cultural and heritage industries for the visitors are as follows-
 Reconstruction Video- This is a form of innovative or creative interpretation media
wherein different artists dress up and act the past events to create an actual scene that
happened in the past. To remake and build an actual scene, a computer model is utilized.
The artists act according to the event, which is actually associated with site, and create an
ever-lasting impact on the minds of the visitors. With the help of these videos, the visitors
can develop complete knowledge of the place without any communication.
 Signage- The interpretation technique of signage offers very brief knowledge about the
place (Calori and Vanden-Eynden 2015). This technique can prove to be useful if the
tourists or visitors have prior knowledge of the place, which is possible to be gathered
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with the help of maps and brochures. The main issue of the signage is the language
barrier and interest level that are generated in the process. This method is out-dated in the
present scenario because of the invention of digital technologies.
 Audio Visual Media- The interpretation process by audiovisual media is one of the
contemporary techniques used by the visitors. The audiovisual media is available in many
languages that assist in developing the interests of the tourists. The visitors can go around
and comprehend the key areas that are associated with the place.
 Books and brochures- The books and brochures are the traditional form of interpretative
tools, which are commonly, used at all the tourists place. Significant information related
to the place is published on the books to give minute details of the place to the visitors.
The visitors with the help of brochures can obtain a brief knowledge of the place. The
Greenwich Park uses this efficient tool for addressing the curiousness of the visitors
relating to the place.
 Visual Exposure – The management of the tourist sites adopt various visual methods to
offer insights to the consumers. The projectors are utilized to describe the age of human
civilizations over the past years. The British Museum uses this tool for explaining the
importance of the architectural items, which are present in the museums. The history
behind the objects displayed in the museum is also described in detail. To describe the
human civilizations, projectors are utilized by the museums. With the help of visual
displays, all the items and objects present in the museum are explained along with their
significance. It also comprises of the view of films and documentaries.
 Blogs and other Medias for communication – The museums like The British Museum,
the Albert and Victoria Museum have websites of their own. The history and proper
description of the place is provided on the sites. All the information related to the past
and present events are updated on the blog to inform the subscribers. The information
with relation to the innovative findings about the civilisations is also available and
updated time to time on the blog.
 Talking objects - This is a new method of interpretation, which is majorly used by the
British museum. It was invented in the year 2007 by the British Museum. This object
helps the members and the employees in the involvement of several activities like
seminars, quizzes and debates. They are enquired several questions related to the objects
14

and artefacts of the place. This improves the knowledge of the visitors and the
employees which can be used later to steer the visitors and to aware about diverse facts.
The tour operators find superior ways of attracting the tourists and to aware them about
the importance of cultural tourism. The tourists and members along with the employees
seek to promote cultural and heritage with the help of these activities.
Conclusion
The various interpretative methods and techniques which are utilized by different cultural and
heritage sites have been analysed keeping in mind the needs and requirements of the consumers.
Various objects like signage, talking objects, visual exposure, video reconstruction and many
others have been described in detail to outline its features.
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Conclusion
Heritage and cultural tourism plays an integral role in the tours and travel industry. The travel
and tourism industries are known for its exquisite and scenic description of natural and fabricated
beauty. The natural and fabricated aspect of tourism revolves attracts a large number of visitors
who make their visits to these sites. The study provides a comprehensive and end-to-end
understanding on the dynamics of the tours and travel industries. It provides an authentic
understanding to the customers who embark on journey to these rich and cultural sites. The study
provides a reflective account on the visits made by the student to these rich and cultural heritage
sites. The study discusses about the significance of these natural and heritage sites. These natural
and heritage sites play an important role as it provides an understanding to the various
researchers and students who make a visit to these rich places. The study provides an authentic
and clear understanding on the historical background of these natural and heritage sites and the
way they cater to the foreign travellers who make a visit to it. Therefore, the study has clearly
discussed about the significance of the hospitality that is provided by the tours and travel
industries.
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Reference List
Barthel-Bouchier, D., 2016. Cultural heritage and the challenge of sustainability. Routledge.
Betts, J., 2018. Marine Chronometers at Greenwich: A Catalogue of Marine Chronometers at
the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. Oxford University Press.
Bewley, R. and Maeer, G., 2014. Heritage and economy: Perspectives from recent Heritage
Lottery Fund research. Public Archaeology, 13(1-3), pp.240-249.
Butler, B., 2016. Return to Alexandria: an ethnography of cultural heritage revivalism and
museum memory. Routledge.
Calori, C. and Vanden-Eynden, D., 2015. Signage and wayfinding design: a complete guide to
creating environmental graphic design systems. John Wiley & Sons.
Carbone, F., 2017. International tourism and cultural diplomacy: A new conceptual approach
towards global mutual understanding and peace through tourism. Turizam: međunarodni
znanstveno-stručni časopis, 65(1), pp.61-74.
Harrison, D. and Lugosi, P., 2013. Tourism culture (s): the hospitality dimension. Tourism
Recreation Research, 38(3), pp.269-279.
Harrison, R., 2015. Beyond “natural” and “cultural” heritage: toward an ontological politics of
heritage in the age of Anthropocene. Heritage & Society, 8(1), pp.24-42.
Percy, S., 2016. The Queen’s speech and the NHS: is secondary legislation the new primary
legislation?. British Politics and Policy at LSE.
Pérez Guilarte, Y. and Lois González, R.C., 2018. Sustainability and visitor management in
tourist historic cities: the case of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Journal of Heritage Tourism,
pp.1-17.
Read, L. and Read, S., 2017. The Best Of London Parks and Small Green Spaces. Hachette UK.
Salvado, J., Freitas, I.V.D. and Carbone, F., 2015. Stakeholders’ analysis for services
improvement: the case of Oporto’s Religious heritage and tourism ecosystems.
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Throsby, D., 2016. Tourism, heritage and cultural sustainability: three ‘golden rules’. In Cultural
tourism and sustainable local development (pp. 31-48). Routledge.
Timothy, D.J. ed., 2017. Managing heritage and cultural tourism resources: Critical essays,
Volume one. Routledge.
Tomlinson, I., 2016. The discovery of ash dieback in the UK: the making of a focusing
event. Environmental Politics, 25(4), pp.709-728.
Tratalos, J.A., Haines-Young, R., Potschin, M., Fish, R. and Church, A., 2016. Cultural
ecosystem services in the UK: lessons on designing indicators to inform management and
policy. Ecological indicators, 61, pp.63-73.
Vedung, E., 2017. Public policy and program evaluation. Routledge.
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Appendix
Task- 1.1
19

Growth and development of the
heritage and cultural industry
Heritage is the places and artifacts
which represents the authentic events
of past with historical significance.
Heritage plays an important role in the
history and origin of culture of a
certain place. Heritage attractions can
be of both natural and manmade. UK
has abundance of both natural and
man-made heritage attractions like
Stonehenge, Greenwich Park and
many more. Heritage sites like these
are sensitive and the modern day
transportation needs to be sustainable
so that the increasing amount of
tourism will not harm these significant
attractions.
In the earlier times, these
attractions were used only as
source of information and
therefore it was not given that
much importance. With changing
interest in the tourism-industry has
made heritage and cultural
industry important. Earliest forms
of heritage attractions were
pilgrimages. The objective behind
travelling in the medieval time was
spiritual fulfillment. Seven
wonders of the ancient world were
very popular attractions. In Bible
and other ancient Greek historical
references, the noble class was
often visited different places like
Egypt to show relics around 4th
century BC. “Cult of Relics” was
another movement, which is
mentioned in the middle age
history, which explains it as a
heritage movement.
The renaissance that was during
14th to 17th century was heavily
impacted from Greek and Roman
architecture promoted the
antiques heavily. In the 1670;
Richard Lessets introduced to the
term Grand Tour in his book
“Voyage to Italy”; which is one
of the earliest concept of
packaged tour. The Grand Tour
was one of the earliest examples
of mass produced package tours.
In the modern times, Thomas
Cook was the pioneer who
introduced the concept of
heritage tourism and he was also
known as the father of modern
travel agent, group tour operator.
20