Tourism Valorisation of Cultural Heritage

Abstract

Until recently, cultural heritage was treated as something of high value, primarily to be protected. Recently, however, this conservational approach has lessened and cultural heritage has been treated as a valuable resource that can be managed in a sustainable manner and as a function of economy, mostly via tourism. By incorporating cultural heritage into the tourism supply, the economic significance of cultural heritage becomes equally important to its social, scientific, and political significance. Economic significance is not solely limited to financial profit, developing tourism destination supply, and economic development of the community in question, but also for securing funds for financing of cultural heritage, which are necessary for its maintenance, revitalisation, and enhancement. Tourism valorisation of cultural heritage includes several steps: identification of cultural heritage suitable for conversion into tourism attractions; evaluation of the tourism attractiveness thereof; determination of its spatial distribution and; finally, application of an appropriate model for tourism valorisation. In evaluating tourism attractiveness of cultural heritage, it is necessary to define clear criteria and indicators, as well as an assessment scale. Four spatial models of tourism valorisation of cultural heritage are proposed based on identification of cultural heritage suitable for conversion into tourism attractions, the evaluation of its tourism attractiveness and determination of its spatial distribution: concentrated or point model; dispersed urban model; linear thematic model; and regional networked model. Each mentioned model is based on a specific principle and is suitable for attracting certain groups of cultural heritage tourists, depending on their motivation.