Cultural Heritage Tourism Fall 2010

INTRODUCTIONS

•Name•Organization•Why you are here today• What is your Favorite Cultural Heritage Tourism Experience? Why?

RDI builds leadership networks and rural communities by working in 5 Areas of Services

•Economic Vitality•Community Building•Organizational Development•Leadership Development•Networking & Policy

Special Emphasis on Youth, Tribal and Latino Services

AGENDA am

• Define Cultural Heritage Tourism• Benefits and Trends• Review the Five Principles of Cultural Heritage

Tourism• Introduce the Four Steps of Cultural Heritage

Tourism• Work in depth on Step 1: Assessing the Potential

AGENDA pmTHIS AFTERNOON: from 1:00 to 4:00 pm• Select a few Cultural Heritage Tourism projects

to develop further• Discus Interpretation • Group work on Step 2: Planning and

Organization• Next Steps and Wrap Up

Be open: mind, ears & heartBe comfortableBe respectful:Mix it up! Be preparedSessions and breaks will start and end on timeHave fun!!! (most importantly)

GROUP NORMS

CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURISM

The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s definition of cultural heritage tourism is:

Traveling to experience the places and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present. It includes historic, cultural and natural resources.

CULTURAL TOURISM

Historical & Archaeological ResourcesMuseums

• Historic properties• Historic neighborhoods, districts, or

even entire towns or villages• Depots, county courthouses, or other

buildings that have historic significance because of their architecture or engineering features, the people associated with them, their contribution to historic events.

• Bridges, barns, battlefields and parks• Fountains, sculptures and monuments• Archaeological sites

Cultural Resourcestraditions, indigenous and artistic products presented by:

• Artists• Craftspeople• Folklorists• Other entertainers, like singers and

storytellers• Museums• Galleries• Theaters• Special events—like reenactments,

festivals, and craft fairs• Farming, commercial fishing and other

traditional lifestyles

WHO ARE THESE TRAVELERS?

78% of leisure travelers! – 118.3 million adults– $994 per trip

CULTURAL TOURISTS

•

40.3%

29.1%

24.1%

21.8%

21.2%

20.4%

9.8%

DISCUSSION

1. What are some of the benefits of including cultural and heritage sites?

2. Why do you think travel to experience Cultural Heritage Tourism sites and events is on the rise?

FIVE PRINCIPLES

1. Collaborate with Partners2. Find the Right Fit3. Make Tourism Sites Come Alive4. Focus on Authenticity and Quality5. Preserve and Protect Your

Resources

COLLABORATE WITH PARTNERS

COLLABORATE WITH PARTNERS

FIND THE RIGHT FIT

FIND THE RIGHT FIT

Hood River County Fruit Loop Heirloom Apple Celebration

Tasty classic apple varieties­many now quite rare­are at the center of this festival, along with delicious fresh cider, gourmet food, country fun, and lots more. "Heirloom" or "classic" apples can trace their heritage back 100 years or more and their individual flavors and aromas have been compared to different vintages of wine. This is the perfect weekend to discover and taste some of the old apple varieties that have all but disappeared from commercial American orchards.

MAKE TOURISM SITES COME ALIVE

MAKE TOURISM SITES COME ALIVE

MAKE TOURISM SITES COME ALIVE

MAKE TOURISM SITES COME ALIVE

FOCUS ON AUTHENTICITY AND QUALITY

FOCUS ON AUTHENTICITY AND QUALITY

FOCUS ON AUTHENTICITY AND QUALITY

PRESERVE AND PROTECT YOUR RESOURCES

PRESERVE AND PROTECT YOUR RESOURCES

PRESERVE AND PROTECT YOUR RESOURCES

PRESERVE AND PROTECT YOUR RESOURCES

PRESERVE AND PROTECT YOUR RESOURCES

Four Steps

1. Assess the potential 2. Plan and organize 3. Prepare, Protect and

Manage4. Market for success

1. ASSESS THE POTENTIAL

• What are the sites, experiences and attractions?

• What condition are they in?

• Are there themes that connect these experiences…how do we make them come to life?

1. ASSESS THE POTENTIAL

Historical & Archaeological ResourcesMuseums

• Historic properties• Historic neighborhoods, districts, or

even entire towns or villages• Depots, county courthouses, or other

buildings that have historic significance because of their architecture or engineering features, the people associated with them, their contribution to historic events.

• Bridges, barns, battlefields and parks• Fountains, sculptures and monuments

Cultural Resourcestraditions, indigenous and artistic products presented by:

• Artists• Craftspeople• Folklorists• Other entertainers, like singers and

storytellers• Museums• Galleries• Theaters• Special events—like reenactments,

festivals, and craft fairs• Farming, commercial fishing and other

traditional lifestyles

1. ASSESS THE POTENTIAL

GREEN: Site or experience is ready for visitors

(TODAY OR TOMORROW) 

YELLOW: Site or experience needs slight tweaks to be ready 

for visitors

(1‐12 months)

RED: Site or Experience needs lots of investment to be 

ready for visitors

(1+ year)

WHAT MAKES A SITE COME ALIVE?

Storytelling!Visitors remember:10% of what they HEAR30% of what they READ50% of what they SEE90% of what they DO

National Association for Interpretation says interpretation is:

“A communication process that forges emotional and intellectual connections between the interests of the audience and the meanings in the resource.”

INTERPRETATION

INTERPRETATION

Enhances visitor experience by:

• Being relevant and interactive

• Fulfilling curiosity• Creating meaning• Entertaining• Thought provoking

Benefits to operators:• Promotion through word

of mouth• Creates repeat business• Purchase something as a

memory • Stay longer

INTERPRETATION

EFFECTIVE INTERPRETATION

Pleasurable

EFFECTIVE INTERPRETATION

Relevant

EFFECTIVE INTERPRETATION

Organized

EFFECTIVE INTERPRETATION

Thematic

DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTERPRETATION

• Guided Tour• Roving Interpretation • Presentations • Demonstrations • Living History • Interactive• Lecture • Play, Drama• Self Guided Tour

• Exhibit • Visitor Center• Plaque • Video • Digital Video• Information Pole• Recordings

Through interpretation, understanding; through understanding, appreciation;through appreciation, protection.

-Tilden (1977, Interpreting our Heritage)

INTERPRETATION

PLANNING

1. Choose a topic that you would like to work on this afternoon and develop in the future.

2. Would like about 5 people per group, so if your group is large and you are on the fence, switch groups.

3. Complete Worksheet 1 defining the theme (15 minutes).

4. Report out .

PLANNING

• Worksheet 2 • Worksheet 3

Prepare, Protect, Manage

Lots of material in your handout!

RTS WRAP UP & CLOSING

Laurel MacMillanEconomic Vitality Program ManagerRural Development Initiatives503-803-8260www.rdiinc.org

...builds leadership networks and rural communities

Thank you and Good Luck!

TOURISM IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• Tourism Development is a form of Economic Development

•Economic developers often refer to themselves as product developers

• Tourism development and tourism promotion are the same things for promotion is an element of marketing.

• Tourism developers are marketers

TOURIST PRODUCTS

1. Events: current, historic or cultural

2. Locations: man-made and natural environments

3. Properties: sites and facilities

4. Materials: guides, books, maps (fulfillment pieces and promotional give-away)

5. Operations: controlled functions and activities that attract and/or accommodate people