Commercialization Of Heritage Research Articles

Commodifying ancient cultural heritage: the market evolution of the Parthenon temple

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to show and critically discuss the motivations, conflicting narratives, practices and effects around the marketisation of cultural heritage. The work focusses on the exemplar case study of the ancient temple of the Athenian Parthenon, as a proto-brand, to explore ancient, medieval and modern marketing forces and practices through which various stakeholders have promoted, gifted, commercially traded, exchanged, acquired and illegally removed national cultural artefacts and historical monuments.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on a structured historical periodisation that covers three main eras – classical age, late antiquity and modern period – that triggered the marketisation of the ancient temple in diverse ways. First, historical research was conducted through the use of a range of secondary sources and archives. Second, observation techniques were used to study heritage marketisation practices at the New Acropolis Museum and the Parthenon in Athens and the British Museum in London. Third, visual material further facilitated the analysis.FindingsThis paper identifies multifarious institutional forces, political interests, technologies and sociocultural events that shape the commodification of history and marketisation of heritage offering a broader discussion on the evolution of early marketing practices and brands used to promote particular values, cultures and places, as well as the emergence and growth of illicit arts and antiquities markets.Originality/valueConsidering the lack of marketing research on the commercialisation of heritage, the work discloses novel insights around the use of cultural proto-brands and the formation of illegal markets and questionable arts trade practices. It, therefore, questions the ethical, socio-political, economic and aesthetic implications of the extensive marketisation of history and raises issues around the legitimate ownership, promotion and consumption of heritage.

Reimagining the place and placelessness: heritage symbolism and hospitality architectural designs

Architectural vernacularism, place and placelessness are concepts that have major influences on hospitality architecture design in Asia. The growth of the global travel economy has brought attention to issues of heritage authenticity of hospitality architecture, which relates to the branding of hotels and resorts through tourism marketing and promotion. Place and placelessness continue to challenge architects as the commercialisation of heritage and culture through hospitality design affects attitudinal response and the experiences they shape, mediate and construct. Two contrasting models are presented in this paper, to discuss placelessness in the context of how tropical hospitality architecture negotiates heritage and cultural symbols. The aim is to review and analyse the contrasting applications of principles of place and placelessness in the architectural approaches of Twitee Teparkum (Thailand) and Geoffrey Bawa (Sri Lanka). Findings distinguish between the two contrasting architectural responses, and how assimilation of tropical natural elements and climatic conditions evokes the notion of place. While similarities exist between Thai and Sinhalese hospitality design concepts in terms of symbolic inspirations from geographical and environmental conditions, fundamental differences are seen in cultural adaptation. This suggests the aesthetics of tropical hospitality architecture lean towards blended response, heritage elements are assimilated into modern spatial designs of hotels and resorts for pragmatic functionality, which subverts the unique sense of place. In conclusion, this paper advances the notion that the reduction of cultural heritage expressions in modern hospitality designs has resulted in designs of placelessness. Architects are urged to recognise heritage symbolism and vernacular traditions, by conscientiously and respectfully acknowledging place meanings before constructing or incorporating them into place branding of hospitality architecture designs.

Planning for Urban Heritage Places: Reconciling Conservation, Tourism, and Sustainable Development

A conflict between the preservation of the character of existing historic towns and “change” has formed the central argument for conservation. More recently, heritage has superseded conservation, where marketing of heritage as a product according to the demands of the consumer, mainly tourists, has resulted in the commercialisation of heritage over conservation values. Today, the symbiosis of both tourism and heritage places has become a major objective in the management and planning of historic areas. This article examines the current conflicts among the ideas of conservation, heritage, and tourism and argues for a sustainable approach to the management and planning of heritage places based on a community and culture-led agenda.