Introduction
This report is intended to analyse the importance of the cultural heritage of a country and its impact of business environment on the tourism industry. The purpose of this report is to assess the influence of culture on the tourism industry of the UK.
The cultural heritage of a country attracts travellers, who travel to get glimpses of places, relics and actions which connect to tales and individuals from the past. The main factors that are included in the cultural heritage are the
- Cultural resources
- Historic resources
- Natural resources
United Kingdom has an extensive history which has led to the production of world renowned art, historic monuments and top ranking museums in the world and thus has consistently attracted travellers from the world over. Through this report an analysis will be presented that how the country is conserving its cultural heritage. Also analysis will be done on how different organisations are helping in preserving the cultural heritage of the country.
Methodology
For completing this report first we need to comprehend the enhancement of heritage and cultural industry within travel and tourism, its impact and drivers. Further we shall analyse the potential disputes with regard to the preservation of heritage and cultural resources by using case studies in the same field of study. Further we shall try to explain the objective of heritage and culture as an aspect of the travel and tourism sector. Then we shall try to understand the functions, responsibilities and proprietorship of enterprises within the heritage and culture industry. Lastly we shall analyse the means and ways by which used by the industry to represent culture of the country to Tourists.
Task 1: The Growth And Development Of The Heritage And Cultural Industry Within Travel and Tourism
Over the history of travel and tourism culture has played a major role in its development throughout the world. However, this relationship has been said to have changed in the twentieth century by some, where they say that tourism is now culture. Cultural factors comprise an essential aspect of tourism at all strata, ranging from the global presence of cultures to the various differences that exist between different part of every nation or even region. For understanding the evolution of the heritage and cultural industry within regard to tourism, we shall assess its impact with a specific focus on the United Kingdom.
1.1 Growth and development of the heritage and cultural industry (UK)
The UK has a long and illustrious historical cultural significance in the world. It has been ranked the 7th from 50 nations in terms of its culture and with its renown most well known in the United States, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Poland, Argentina, and Russia.
Creation of English Heritage- The contribution of Government in the direction of the heritage had first emerged in the year 1882 (Timothy, 2011). Following steps were taken by the government to save the heritage and cultures of the country are hereunder-
- The cultural properties were kept safe after the war of 1960.
- The Secretary of the State for the environment decided to form a split union to handle the matters regarding heritage in the year 1880. Hence, the ‘English Heritage’ was formed.
- The latest technologies were brought and developed to protect the heritage (Timothy, 2011).
Broadening hold up for Heritage- the 1990s
1. A survey was conducted on all the cathedrals of the country and £52.3 million amounted to repair them under the Cathedral Grants Scheme in the year 1991.
2. The existing heritages were renovated in the year 1993.
3. In the year 1996, the Joint Places of Worship Scheme had also repaired the devotional places (Timothy, 2011).
Various ad-hoc legislations governed museums and libraries in the 19th century but comprehensive legislation with respect to cultural heritage only came into existence in the 1940s. Also, the first national body for supporting arts, The Council for the Encouragement of Music and Arts (CEMA), was established in the year 1940. Following this development a number of other developments to place which are represented as follows:
2003 saw CEMA change its name to Arts Council England.
In the first half of the 2000s saw a considerable rise in the assistance from the central government, for compensating the underfunding prevalent before. However, days of austerity lay ahead since the year 2010 saw a reduction in the allotment of funds for the fields of arts and culture (FISHER, rod and Ormston, Andrew, 2011)
1.2 Potential conflicts in the conservation of heritage and cultural resources
Heritage is commonly considered a non-renewable and often non replicable resource. This opinion is most easily seen when commercial development poses a danger to sites and objects of cultural and historical significance. Such an idea has a significant contribution towards another major heritage tourism conflict – Stewardship.
Given that these things are unique to heritage and culture and have their own value then who reserves the right to make use of them?
The above question posed is the major contributor towards the conflict arising in the conservation of the heritage and cultural resources.
The conservation of the culture can help in developing the tourism of the country. The conservation of existing heritage can be of long term benefit to country. The cultural heritage influences and gets influenced by the different factors stated above differently and requires special attention to each one of them. The heritage conservation has led to few conflicts, which will be analysed based on the following cases:
Case Study 1: Central Jordan
Generally, there always arises a difference in opinion in all kinds of business and most of the time, these differences lead to conflict. In order to run the business activities smoothly, it is very essential to resolve these conflicts.
In the present case study of Central Jordan, all of its buildings and monuments that were constructed prior to 1700BC is a well known history. Heritage and history are used in same manner, but in the present case, the construction done before the 1700BC is a heritage. When the items of the cultural and heritage are displayed to be viewed by the customers, then a huge revenue in incurred by the state especially when the customers are from foreign countries. The government encourages this due to increase in the revenue of the state.
The difference in the present case aroused when there was a requirement to save the heritage and also to make revenue out of the heritage. If any development is made in the heritage for the purpose of increasing the revenue then the heritage will destructed. In various places the development has been proved to be destructive in preserving the heritage and sometimes is also constructive such as in Roman Theatres from Amman, Jerash and Uman Quasi. The local people are aware of the destruction and hence they are not in support of its development (Casey, 1996).
The conflicts between the local and national are also if the local centre of public rejects the official narratives if the tourist road and the rail network is not constructed. At Dhiban, there is an issue of preservation and development. The Town meetings are a useful way to overcome these conflicts and also through the proposals such as PIA frame that leaded to explore turath and tarikh for the particular site in Central Jordan.
Case Study 2: Giant’s Causeway
The Giant’s Causeway is situated in Northern Ireland. It is the most beautiful site which is popular for culture and heritage in England. Issues are always generated with the places which are popular. In order to generate revenue from this site, the local public attempted to exploit this place by developing zones, accommodation, and more resting places for the tourists. Though this one was a good idea to generate revenue, but at the same time the tourist crowd at this site will also create destruction. The government opposed these developments as it caused destruction to the site. This resulted into a major issue between the local people and the government (SMITH, 2005).
Apart from this issue, there was another issue about the Giant’s Causeway. There was a controversy about the construction of the site. The local people say that the site was constructed by Finn Mac Cool. But, scientists accused the locals saying it was a strategy to attract the tourists and have confirmed that Giant’s Causeway was constructed naturally by the cooling lava from the lakes. This issue was resolved and the contentions of the scientists were confirmed. To reach to an amicable solution, the government has set up the Special Economic Zone so as to satisfy the locals and also to generate revenue from that place (Strinati, 1995).
The differences among the biodiversity and the Geo diversity in the European Union failing to operate in according to the UNESCO on the subject of the particular supervision of the Giant Causeway may result to an appalled site. In addition, the Northern Ireland disposed economically in few regions. This lead the administration to develop the economy through the tourism since it would be a replacement for the security of the environment (SMITH, 2005).
About 50 million years ago this Giant Causeway was made through lakes of molten lava that cools slowly and evenly. Around 300 years back, the scientist claims that whether it was a man-made or whether it was natural. It was only during the 18th century that the myth was made about Giant’s Causeway that it was created by Finn MacCool in order to attract the local visitors. But now it is one of the most significant attractions as it is now an UNSECO World Heritage site and this popularity that endures the visitors has put huge pressure on the site of the causeway. Northern Ireland has struggled in order to find a way for maximising the potential tourists without making any destruction in the causeways magnificent settings.
Task 2: The Purpose of Heritage and Cultural Attractions Within the Travel and Tourism Sector
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