CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURISM: PRESERVING HISTORY WHILE BOOSTING THE ECONOMY

Abstract

Cultural heritage tourism has come out as a crucial aspect of tourism in the world as it has acted as a point of interconnection between the issues of historical preservation and economic development. The 21 st century countries are coming to appreciate cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, as a strategic resource that can be used to create jobs, spur local entrepreneurship, and deepen national identity. One of the sectors that bring millions of tourists each year to the country through heritage sites include monuments, museums, historic cities, traditional festivals, crafts, and indigenous practices, among others, that inject funds into the national and regional economies. Nevertheless, the high rate of tourism expansion is equally problematic, and it brings such issues as over-tourism, environmental destruction, commodification of culture, and authenticity loss.