Cultural Tourism

Cultural tourism is a growing area of special interest in the field of tourism, and South Africa is a key participant in this area. Increasingly, its cultural heritage sites, museums and galleries, cultural villages and other sites of cultural interest form heavily visited stops on the tourism routes.

To ensure that cultural heritage is accessible and an authentic source of information and experiences for the tourist, it is critical that the people involved in the tourism industry have a thorough understanding of the interconnectedness of tourism and culture. They must also be well trained and knowledgeable.

Cultural Tourism equips the student of cultural tourism to carry out, successfully and responsibly, all the tasks relating to the development of cultural tourism. Each chapter concludes with a comprehensive series of self-assessment questions and sets a hands-on task to enrich the student’s learning experience.

Contents:

SECTION I: AN INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

• The dimensions of culture
• The ‘old’ and ‘new’ phenomena of culture
• Globalisation and tourism
• Cultural tourism defined
• Conceptualising cultural tourism

SECTION II: RESOURCE-BASED DEVELOPMENT IN CULTURAL TOURISM

• Cultural resources, attractions and destinations
• The selection process for determining cultural attractions
• The interpretation and presentation of cultural heritage
• The cultural tourism product
• The popularity of cultural heritage attractions
• Cultural tourism demand
• The cultural tourist and the consumption of tourist experiences
• References and recommended reading
• Index