The document discusses cultural heritage tourism. It begins with introducing the topic and defining cultural heritage tourism as traveling to experience authentic places and activities that represent the stories and people of the past and present. This includes historic, cultural, and natural resources. The document then covers benefits of cultural heritage tourism, trends in the industry, five principles of cultural heritage tourism, and a four step process to develop cultural heritage tourism.

1. Cultural Heritage Tourism
Fall 2010

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. AGENDA pm
THIS 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

6. GROUP NORMS
Be open: mind, ears & heart
Be comfortable
Be respectful:
Mix it up!
Be prepared
Sessions and breaks will start and end on time
Have fun!!! (most importantly)

7. 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.

8. CULTURAL TOURISM
Historical & Archaeological Resources Cultural Resources
Museums traditions, indigenous and artistic
• Historic properties products presented by:
• Historic neighborhoods, districts, or • Artists
even entire towns or villages • Craftspeople
• Depots, county courthouses, or other • Folklorists
buildings that have historic significance • Other entertainers, like singers and
because of their architecture or storytellers
engineering features, the people • Museums
associated with them, their
contribution to historic events. • Galleries
• Bridges, barns, battlefields and parks • Theaters
• Fountains, sculptures and monuments • Special events—like reenactments,
festivals, and craft fairs
• Archaeological sites
• Farming, commercial fishing and other
traditional lifestyles

9. WHO ARE THESE TRAVELERS?
78% of leisure travelers!
– 118.3 million adults
– $994 per trip

10. CULTURAL TOURISTS
•
40.3%

11. 29.1%

12. 24.1%

13. 21.8%

14. 21.2%

15. 20.4%

16. 9.8%

20. 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?

21. FIVE PRINCIPLES
1. Collaborate with Partners
2. Find the Right Fit
3. Make Tourism Sites Come Alive
4. Focus on Authenticity and Quality
5. Preserve and Protect Your
Resources

22. COLLABORATE WITH PARTNERS

23. COLLABORATE WITH PARTNERS

24. FIND THE RIGHT FIT

25. FIND THE RIGHT FIT

26. 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.

27. MAKE TOURISM SITES COME ALIVE

28. MAKE TOURISM SITES COME ALIVE

29. MAKE TOURISM SITES COME ALIVE

30. MAKE TOURISM SITES COME ALIVE

31. FOCUS ON AUTHENTICITY AND
QUALITY

32. FOCUS ON AUTHENTICITY AND
QUALITY

33. FOCUS ON AUTHENTICITY AND
QUALITY

34. PRESERVE AND PROTECT YOUR
RESOURCES

35. PRESERVE AND PROTECT YOUR
RESOURCES

36. PRESERVE AND PROTECT YOUR
RESOURCES

37. PRESERVE AND PROTECT YOUR
RESOURCES

38. PRESERVE AND PROTECT YOUR
RESOURCES

39. Four Steps
1. Assess the potential
2. Plan and organize
3. Prepare, Protect and
Manage
4. Market for success

40. 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?

41. 1. ASSESS THE POTENTIAL
Historical & Archaeological Resources Cultural Resources
Museums traditions, indigenous and artistic
• Historic properties products presented by:
• Historic neighborhoods, districts, or • Artists
even entire towns or villages • Craftspeople
• Depots, county courthouses, or other • Folklorists
buildings that have historic significance • Other entertainers, like singers and
because of their architecture or storytellers
engineering features, the people • Museums
associated with them, their
contribution to historic events. • Galleries
• Bridges, barns, battlefields and parks • Theaters
• Fountains, sculptures and monuments • Special events—like reenactments,
festivals, and craft fairs
• Farming, commercial fishing and other
traditional lifestyles

42. 1. ASSESS THE POTENTIAL
GREEN: Site or experience is ready (TODAY OR
for visitors TOMORROW)
YELLOW: Site or experience needs (1‐12 months)
slight tweaks to be ready
for visitors
RED: Site or Experience needs (1+ year)
lots of investment to be
ready for visitors

43. WHAT MAKES A SITE COME ALIVE?
Storytelling!
Visitors remember:
10% of what they HEAR
30% of what they READ
50% of what they SEE
90% of what they DO

44. INTERPRETATION
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.”

45. INTERPRETATION
Enhances visitor experience
by:
• Being relevant and
interactive
• Fulfilling curiosity
• Creating meaning
• Entertaining
• Thought provoking

46. INTERPRETATION
Benefits to operators:
• Promotion through word
of mouth
• Creates repeat business
• Purchase something as a
memory
• Stay longer

47. EFFECTIVE INTERPRETATION
Pleasurable

48. EFFECTIVE INTERPRETATION
Relevant

49. EFFECTIVE INTERPRETATION
Organized

50. EFFECTIVE INTERPRETATION
Thematic

51. DIFFERENT TYPES OF
INTERPRETATION
• Guided Tour • Exhibit
• Roving Interpretation • Visitor Center
• Presentations • Plaque
• Demonstrations • Video
• Living History • Digital Video
• Interactive • Information Pole
• Lecture • Recordings
• Play, Drama
• Self Guided Tour

52. INTERPRETATION
Through interpretation, understanding;
through understanding, appreciation;
through appreciation, protection.
-Tilden (1977, Interpreting our Heritage)

53. 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 .

54. PLANNING
• Worksheet 2
• Worksheet 3

55. Prepare, Protect, Manage
Lots of material in your
handout!

56. RTS WRAP UP & CLOSING
Thank you and Good Luck!
Laurel MacMillan
Economic Vitality Program Manager
Rural Development Initiatives
503-803-8260
www.rdiinc.org
...builds leadership networks and rural
communities

57. 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

58. 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