Introduction to Heritage Tourism

This course offers a comprehensive critical examination and systematic evaluation of the dynamics of heritage and tourism development from both social sciences and management perspectives. It integrates both global and local perspectives in theorizing and managing heritage tourism. While focusing on reviewing and analyzing key academic concepts and debates, including authenticity, commodification, globalization, and heritage interpretation, the course also discusses and evaluates topical issues, such as sustainable development and marketing strategies. It theoretically locates heritage discourses in the analysis of heritage tourism development and management drawing on various perspectives, from tourism, heritage studies, sociology, anthropology, politics and geography to management and marketing studies.

The contents of the course include:

1. Cultural Heritage and Tourism
2. Consumption of Culture: Heritage Demand and Experiences
3. The Heritage Supply: Attractions and Services
4. Spatial Perspectives and Heritage Resources
5. Looking for Something Real: Heritage, Tourism and Elusive Authenticity
6. Protecting the Past for Today: Heritage Conservation and Tourism
7. Telling the Story: Interpreting the Past for Visitors
8. Planning Principles, Sustainability and Cultural Heritage Destinations
9. Marketing the Past for Today
10. Raising Revenue and Managing Visitors

This course can complement the Introduction to Heritage Interpretation course, particularly to enrich the Telling the Story: Interpreting the Pasts for Visitors, to increase the experience of heritage tourists.