{"id":2878,"date":"2025-05-29T19:23:01","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T12:23:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/riat.vn\/heritage-and-revenue-a-new-balance-in-21st-century-cultural-tourism\/"},"modified":"2025-05-29T19:23:01","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T12:23:01","slug":"heritage-and-revenue-a-new-balance-in-21st-century-cultural-tourism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/riat.vn\/en\/heritage-and-revenue-a-new-balance-in-21st-century-cultural-tourism\/","title":{"rendered":"Heritage and Revenue: A New Balance in 21st Century Cultural Tourism"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><strong>As global tourism enters a phase of reconstruction in the post-pandemic era, this article analyzes how cultural heritage tourism is grappling with a dual mandate: preservation and profitability. Drawing upon academic perspectives, practical case studies, and international models, the article sheds light on evolving traveler behaviors, the role of local communities, and innovative strategies aimed at sustainable and inclusive development. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"709\" data-end=\"781\"><strong data-start=\"712\" data-end=\"781\">Cultural Heritage: From Development Driver to Governance Challenge<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"783\" data-end=\"1234\">Cultural heritage has long been a cornerstone of tourism development strategies worldwide. With 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals recorded in 2019 (UNWTO), heritage sites are considered a \u201csoft power\u201d asset capable of generating substantial economic value without the need for heavy industry or large-scale infrastructure. From the pyramids of Giza to the ancient town of Hoi An, travelers are drawn to the richness of history, cultural identity, unique architecture, and folk art.  <\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1236\" data-end=\"1630\">However, the downside of this success is increasingly evident. The phenomenon of \u201covertourism\u201d has turned many heritage sites into victims of their own popularity. Infrastructure degradation, environmental degradation, and the marginalization of local communities have sparked backlash, exemplified by anti-tourist slogans like \u201cTourists go home\u201d in Barcelona\u2014no longer isolated but indicative of a systemic crisis in tourism governance.   <\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Cultural Heritage Tourism \u2013 Preservation or Profit? | A World for Travel 2021\" width=\"1020\" height=\"574\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cRTldQEwVe0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"1637\" data-end=\"1712\"><strong data-start=\"1640\" data-end=\"1712\">The Pandemic as a Strategic Pause: Rethinking Tourism Goals<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1714\" data-end=\"2074\">While COVID-19 inflicted severe losses on the tourism industry, it also prompted a fundamental rethinking of tourism\u2019s purpose. As tourists vanished, dolphins returned to Venice and the Himalayas became visible from hundreds of kilometers away. This raised a critical question: Should cultural assets continue to be exploited as an infinite revenue stream, or is there a need for a more balanced and responsible approach?  <\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2076\" data-end=\"2433\">Chris Flynn, President of WTACH, emphasized the core issue: \u201cProfit has consistently been prioritized over people and places.\u201d For decades, indigenous and local communities\u2014those who preserve, inhabit, and embody heritage\u2014have had little voice in tourism development. This has led to a breakdown in trust and a perception of being exploited rather than empowered.  <\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"2440\" data-end=\"2517\"><strong data-start=\"2443\" data-end=\"2517\">Shifting Traveler Mindsets: From \u201cCheck-In\u201d to Cultural Immersion<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"2519\" data-end=\"2605\">Carlos Sandra from Mabrion highlights four key post-pandemic shifts in tourist behavior:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2607\" data-end=\"3230\">\n<li data-start=\"2607\" data-end=\"2766\">\n<p data-start=\"2609\" data-end=\"2766\">A growing appreciation for intangible cultural values\u2014customs, languages, cuisine, and oral histories\u2014over monuments and artifacts.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2767\" data-end=\"2879\">\n<p data-start=\"2769\" data-end=\"2879\">An increasing desire for immersive experiences, with tourists seeking to \u201clive like a local\u201d rather than merely observe.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2880\" data-end=\"3015\">\n<p data-start=\"2882\" data-end=\"3015\">A preference for educational travel: tourists want to understand how ancient Rome influences modern Italy, not just visit Pompeii.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3016\" data-end=\"3230\">\n<p data-start=\"3018\" data-end=\"3230\">A rising interest in \u201csecond-tier\u201d destinations\u2014less famous sites with distinct cultural character\u2014offering a golden opportunity to redistribute visitor flows and relieve pressure on iconic destinations. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1713\" src=\"https:\/\/riat.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Di-san-va-Doanh-thu-Can-Bang-Moi-trong-Du-lich-Van-hoa-The-ky-21-2.jpg\" alt=\"Di s\u1ea3n v\u00e0 Doanh thu C\u00e2n B\u1eb1ng M\u1edbi trong Du l\u1ecbch V\u0103n h\u00f3a Th\u1ebf k\u1ef7 21 2\" width=\"1000\" height=\"497\" srcset=\"https:\/\/riat.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Di-san-va-Doanh-thu-Can-Bang-Moi-trong-Du-lich-Van-hoa-The-ky-21-2.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/riat.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Di-san-va-Doanh-thu-Can-Bang-Moi-trong-Du-lich-Van-hoa-The-ky-21-2-300x149.jpg 300w, https:\/\/riat.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Di-san-va-Doanh-thu-Can-Bang-Moi-trong-Du-lich-Van-hoa-The-ky-21-2-768x382.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"3237\" data-end=\"3322\"><strong data-start=\"3240\" data-end=\"3322\">From Tradition to Green and Equitable Transformation<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"3324\" data-end=\"3551\">James Thornton, CEO of Intrepid Travel, asserts that tourism cannot thrive without protecting the very places that sustain it. With 72% of Intrepid\u2019s customers prioritizing heritage conservation, the company has: <\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"3553\" data-end=\"4017\">\n<li data-start=\"3553\" data-end=\"3609\">\n<p data-start=\"3555\" data-end=\"3609\">Designed itineraries that avoid over-touristed destinations.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3610\" data-end=\"3716\">\n<p data-start=\"3612\" data-end=\"3716\">Integrated local cultural activities such as traditional cooking, crafts, and storytelling.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3717\" data-end=\"3824\">\n<p data-start=\"3719\" data-end=\"3824\">Partnered with communities to ensure shared economic benefits and dual value creation\u2014tourism and preservation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3825\" data-end=\"3900\">\n<p data-start=\"3827\" data-end=\"3900\">Replaced domestic flights with lower-carbon alternatives like rail travel.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"3901\" data-end=\"4017\">\n<p data-start=\"3903\" data-end=\"4017\">Introduced a 10-step decarbonization guide for travel businesses\u2014moving from slogans to actionable commitments.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"4019\" data-end=\"4190\">Similarly, Not In The Guidebooks adopts a revenue-sharing model that enables local residents to co-own the value generated by tourism activities.<\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"4197\" data-end=\"4289\"><strong data-start=\"4200\" data-end=\"4289\">Strategic Roles in Redesigning Tourism Ecosystems<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"4291\" data-end=\"4449\">Tourism authorities and destination management organizations (DMOs) must evolve from simply managing tourist flows to strategically co-designing heritage-conservation-development frameworks. Key measures include: <\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"4451\" data-end=\"4812\">\n<li data-start=\"4451\" data-end=\"4499\">\n<p data-start=\"4453\" data-end=\"4499\">Educating visitors on responsible tourism practices.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"4500\" data-end=\"4611\">\n<p data-start=\"4502\" data-end=\"4611\">Establishing visitor quotas at vulnerable heritage sites (e.g., Machu Picchu, Bhutan).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"4612\" data-end=\"4689\">\n<p data-start=\"4614\" data-end=\"4689\">Supporting small tourism enterprises to adopt sustainable models.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"4690\" data-end=\"4812\">\n<p data-start=\"4692\" data-end=\"4812\">Co-financing initiatives to revitalize intangible heritage such as folk music, festival cuisine, and artisanal crafts.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 data-start=\"4819\" data-end=\"4906\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-1714\" src=\"https:\/\/riat.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Di-san-va-Doanh-thu-Can-Bang-Moi-trong-Du-lich-Van-hoa-The-ky-21-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Di s\u1ea3n v\u00e0 Doanh thu C\u00e2n B\u1eb1ng M\u1edbi trong Du l\u1ecbch V\u0103n h\u00f3a Th\u1ebf k\u1ef7 21 2\" width=\"1020\" height=\"680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/riat.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Di-san-va-Doanh-thu-Can-Bang-Moi-trong-Du-lich-Van-hoa-The-ky-21-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/riat.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Di-san-va-Doanh-thu-Can-Bang-Moi-trong-Du-lich-Van-hoa-The-ky-21-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/riat.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Di-san-va-Doanh-thu-Can-Bang-Moi-trong-Du-lich-Van-hoa-The-ky-21-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/riat.vn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Di-san-va-Doanh-thu-Can-Bang-Moi-trong-Du-lich-Van-hoa-The-ky-21.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\" \/><\/h2>\n<h2 data-start=\"4819\" data-end=\"4906\"><strong data-start=\"4822\" data-end=\"4906\">Culture \u2013 Wellness \u2013 Integrated Product Design<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"4908\" data-end=\"4979\">Professor Shigeru Sakaski (Toho University, Tokyo) proposes three innovative models:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"4981\" data-end=\"5636\">\n<li data-start=\"4981\" data-end=\"5205\">\n<p data-start=\"4983\" data-end=\"5205\"><strong data-start=\"4983\" data-end=\"5006\">Geisha Ecosystem<\/strong>: Reviving traditional arts through a boutique hotel + artisan residency + cultural mentorship model, targeting culturally informed Western tourists. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"5206\" data-end=\"5424\">\n<p data-start=\"5208\" data-end=\"5424\"><strong data-start=\"5208\" data-end=\"5233\">Pottery Studio Reinvention<\/strong>: Partnering with Singaporean designers to rejuvenate traditional ceramics via photographic printing techniques, thus creating new export markets and safeguarding heritage through design innovation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"5425\" data-end=\"5636\">\n<p data-start=\"5427\" data-end=\"5636\"><strong data-start=\"5427\" data-end=\"5456\">Senior Wellness Tourism<\/strong>: Combining onsen bathing, forest walking, meditation, and local macrobiotic diets to offer \u201crestorative tourism\u201d tailored to aging societies.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 data-start=\"5643\" data-end=\"5704\"><strong data-start=\"5646\" data-end=\"5704\">Sustainability Metrics as Management Tools<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"5706\" data-end=\"6111\">Carlos Sandra underscores the principle that effective management requires measurable indicators. The development of Sustainable Tourism Indicators (STIs)\u2014covering waste generation, community satisfaction, and heritage conservation contributions\u2014must be standardized and transparent. Technologies like big data, GPS, and IoT can support real-time visitor monitoring, resource consumption tracking, and early-warning systems for environmental stress.  <\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"6118\" data-end=\"6190\"><strong data-start=\"6121\" data-end=\"6190\">Small Steps, Big Shifts: Towards a Sustainable Cultural Tourism Future<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"6192\" data-end=\"6423\">Carol Savage likens the sustainability journey to climbing a ladder from Bronze to Platinum certification. Immediate perfection is not required\u2014what matters is starting and staying committed. Every business and destination can begin by:  <\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"6425\" data-end=\"6627\">\n<li data-start=\"6425\" data-end=\"6454\">\n<p data-start=\"6427\" data-end=\"6454\">Phasing out single-use plastics.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"6455\" data-end=\"6501\">\n<p data-start=\"6457\" data-end=\"6501\">Training guides in local heritage interpretation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"6502\" data-end=\"6570\">\n<p data-start=\"6504\" data-end=\"6570\">Reducing tour group sizes and enriching experiences.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"6571\" data-end=\"6627\">\n<p data-start=\"6573\" data-end=\"6627\">Increasing community revenue-sharing ratios.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"6719\" data-end=\"7076\">The 21st century marks a pivotal transition in cultural tourism. No longer about \u201cleveraging heritage for profit,\u201d the new paradigm frames tourism as a tool for preservation, not just consumption. When communities are empowered, tourists are educated, and businesses prioritize sustainable development, heritage becomes not only vibrant and enduring\u2014but also a shared legacy.  <\/p>\n<p data-start=\"7078\" data-end=\"7208\">We do not need to choose between conservation and development. With the right strategies, both can co-exist\u2014and indeed, reinforce each other. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As global tourism enters a phase of reconstruction in the post-pandemic era, this article analyzes how cultural heritage tourism is grappling with a dual mandate: preservation and profitability. Drawing upon academic perspectives, practical case studies, and international models, the article sheds light on evolving traveler behaviors, the role of local communities, and innovative strategies aimed&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2422,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[344,402,401],"tags":[416],"class_list":["post-2878","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cultural-and-natural-heritage-tourism-en","category-tourism-news","category-webinar-en","tag-di-san-du-lich-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/riat.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2878","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/riat.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/riat.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riat.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riat.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2878"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/riat.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2878\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riat.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/riat.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2878"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riat.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2878"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/riat.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2878"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}