Getting Together: Collaborative Approaches to Cultural-Heritage Tourism
Highlights of: Collaborative Approaches to Cultural-Heritage Tourism
Prepared for the
Building Market-Readiness Capacity Working Group
Federal-Provincial-Territorial Cultural/Heritage and Tourism Initiative
By Apropos Planning
January 2006
It is commonplace to talk about the need for collaborative approaches to culture/heritage tourism. But how do the culture/heritage and tourism sectors really work together? Are there successful models for collaboration?
To answer this question, a 2005 study by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Cultural/Heritage and Tourism Initiative reviewed collaborative approaches used by a selection of small and medium size initiatives across the country. For each initiative, representatives of both the culture/heritage and tourism sectors were interviewed for their perspectives on both the process and results of collaboration.
The conclusion of the study was that there is no one formula or proven model for successful collaboration. Moreover, since most collaborative initiatives are relatively new and still evolving, it is difficult, and perhaps premature, to measure success.
Nevertheless, it is clear that in every part of the country, culture/heritage and tourism organizations are increasingly working together to advance cultural/heritage tourism. The study revealed many interesting approaches, strategies and observations that stand to inform the way we think about collaborative cultural tourism in Canada.
What do we mean by collaborative culture-heritage tourism?
A collaborative culture-heritage tourism project is defined as a multi-producer/supplier partnership representing both the culture/heritage and the tourism sectors with the demonstrated ability to attract visitors to a quality experience with mutually beneficial results.
Forms of Collaboration
Culture/heritage and tourism collaborations-how they come about, the players involved, the ways they work together, and the environment in which they succeed-are as diverse as Canada itself. Forms of collaboration range from formal partnerships with signed accords to informal grassroots networks. Some are initiated by the culture/heritage sector, some by the tourism sector, some by provincial/territorial or municipal governments or agencies, and some by individuals. There does not seem to be a standard approach to collaboration, nor does any one model appear superior to another.
Key Findings from the Study
Effective collaboration does not occur simply through goodwill and effective communications, but takes a significant effort and investment of resources. A collaborative culture/heritage tourism initiative constitutes a project above and beyond the normal operations of any single participant and tends to work best when there is staff assigned to a coordination role.
A collaborative initiative requires a commitment over an extended period of time. It usually takes a minimum of three years to get established, and often many more years before an initiative becomes sustainable. A key barrier to collaboration is the different planning and funding cycles of the tourism and culture/heritage sectors.
Collaborative projects tend to work best when the culture/heritage experiences are already successful, sustainable and at a high level of market readiness. Alternatively, time and resources for product development have to be built into the project.
The most successful culture/heritage tourism experiences are clearly defined and focused. They are based on market research, anchored by quality products and experiences, and well organized with the roles, expectations and obligations of each partner clearly defined.
Leadership by key individuals has been a factor in successful collaboration to date. Only a few of the projects studied have yet made a transition to a second generation of participants.
A major challenge for collaboration in cultural/heritage tourism is the difficulty in meshing the working styles of non-profit (mostly culture/heritage) and profit-based (mostly tourism organizations). The two have different values, different vocabularies, different business structures, different governance models, different resources and different priorities that tend to complicate relationships. Collaboration works best when all parties work on a business model.
Public funding and support has been key to the start-up phase of the majority of projects studied. The growth of culture/heritage tourism is seen to be hampered by the chronic underfunding of the culture/heritage sector and by inflexible funding systems that exclude culture/heritage tourism projects as they meet neither pure culture/heritage criteria nor pure tourism needs.
New business models and hybrid approaches to culture/heritage tourism are emerging which are worthy of future study.
Why Collaborate?
There was a high level of consensus among those interviewed that, despite the challenges, collaborative approaches to cultural/heritage tourism were beneficial.
Some of the benefits are:
- Access to new skill sets and ideas;
- Sharing of tasks and workload among multiple partners;
- Pooling of funds for shared needs such as training and marketing;
- Better communications and networking not only between the specific partners but overall;
- A critical mass of experiences packaged together brings in more visitors, for a longer time;
- Increased long-term awareness of both a destination and of its culture and heritage.
Conclusion
It is likely that the diversity of collaborative approaches across Canada reflects the relative novelty of culture/heritage tourism in this country and the lack, for the most part, of public policy frameworks. Funding is a key issue as it is clear that an investment of new resources is needed and that it may be some time before sustainable business models mature.
Successful collaborations result from dynamic leadership, a strong and clear vision, unique products, a willingness to collaborate, and an understanding that cultural/heritage tourism is a new activity that needs investment and time to take root and grow.
Collaborative cultural/heritage tourism is taking root all across Canada. There is an opportunity for increased public and private in these efforts, which could go a long way to ensure their long-term success.
Projects Studied
This study focused on small and medium sized enterprises, as they make up the majority of Canada's cultural/heritage tourism offer. There are literally thousands of such culture/heritage tourism experiences in this country including museums, historic sites, performing arts, visual arts and festivals. Projects were selected to cover a wide range of cultural/heritage disciplines, geographic regions and types of collaboration. This is not a representative sample and care must be taken not to over-generalize the results.
Barkerville, BC
Historic site and tourist attraction that has evolved from a provincial heritage facility into a non-profit organization with a board focused on both heritage and tourism.
Bienvenue Québec, QC
Tourism tradeshow and marketplace for tour bus operators that for three years focused specifically on theme of cultural tourism.
Buxton Museum and National Historic Site, ON
Historic site and museum that has been part of two themed tourism circuits of related sites.
Canadian Cultural Landscapes, QC
Receptive tour operator specializing in cultural tourism who partners with cultural institutions.
Chemainus Murals, BC
Municipal project that produced an open air art gallery of 36 heritage-themed murals to make Chemainus a tourism draw.
Confederation Centre, PEI
Performing and visual arts centre that offers a major tourism draw "Anne of Green Gables, the Musical", and cooperates with the tourism industry for mutual benefit.
Cultural Cascades, BC & USA
An American-Canadian cooperative partnership of five cities in a strategic alliance with Amtrak to highlight the array of cultural experiences and easy travel between these points.
Economuseums Network QC, NB, NS, NL
Network of over 40 crafts enterprises that preserve and interpret the heritage of their craft and enhance business through museum-related activities.
Edmonton, Festivals City, AB
A collaboration of Edmonton's culture and tourism sectors designed to tap the tourism potential of the City's festivals.
Calgary Urban Adventures, AB
A marketing initiative involving a partnership between the Glenbow Museum, Travel Alberta and the Calgary Downtown Association
"Just the Ticket", ON
A province-wide alliance of theatre and tourism featuring vacation packages combining live performances with dining and accommodations.
Mois d'archéologie, QC
A province-wide initiative to develop archeology as a novel tourism experience.
Nutcracker Neighbourhood, ON
A winter tourism package centred on the St. Lawrence Market involving walking and food tours, shopping, dining and performing arts, anchored by the National Ballet's The Nutcracker.
Okanagan Cultural Corridor, BC
An outgrowth of Kelowna's cultural planning efforts, the Okanagan cultural corridor markets over 200 galleries, wineries, museums, heritage sites and more.
Pays de la Sagouine, NB
A hybrid culturally-themed tourist attraction that brings literary characters and stories to life.
Pictou Heritage Quay, NS
Waterfront development featuring a re-created settlers ship that was developed through collaboration between municipal officials, tourism association and heritage groups.
Québec's Cultural Tourism Agreements
Formal provincial funding mechanisms that provide ways for the Quebec Ministry of Culture and Communications to fund tourism ventures, for Tourism Québec to fund cultural ventures, and for both to jointly support province-wide tourism initiatives.
Routes on the Red, MB
Non-profit organization formed to develop the Red River corridor as a tourism destination with themed cultural-heritage self-guided tours and related themed travel packages.
Trinity, NL
Small village where heritage preservation and performing arts proved a catalyst for tourism and where now tourism an economic mainstay.
Trois-Rivières, City of History and Culture, QC
Concerted effort to develop and market the city as a cultural destination through municipal level collaboration between the tourism office and the cultural development office.
Tunnels of Moose Jaw, SK
A tourism business built around an authentic heritage resource.
Viking Trail, NL
A themed highway anchored by two UNESCO world heritage sites that involves hundreds of culture/heritage tourism suppliers and is based on a formal tourism accord.
Wanuskewin, SK
A self-sustaining non-profit Aboriginal historic and tourist site with collaboration between First Nations and non-First Nations people that balances heritage values with tourism.
Federal-Provincial-Territorial Culture/Heritage and Tourism Initiative
Background
- The Federal-Provincial-Territorial Culture/Heritage and Tourism Initiative (FPTTI) was officially launched in November 2003 as a two-year pilot project that ended in October 2005.
- This partnership between all provincial and territorial ministries responsible for Culture and Heritage and the Department of Canadian Heritage is co-chaired by Manitoba and New Brunswick.
- Three working groups were created to implement this initiative:
- The Aboriginal Cultures and Tourism Working Group (led first by Alberta and then Saskatchewan);
- The Building Market-Readiness Capacity Working Group (led by Ontario); and
- The Economic Benefits Distribution Research Working Group (led by British Columbia).
Products
- The Initiative's aim is to support partnering jurisdictions in ensuring their culture/heritage stakeholders are able to become active in tourism on their own terms.
- The products to date reflect input from each jurisdiction.
- These products were created to stimulate discussion and create opportunities for dialogue between culture, heritage and tourism counterparts.
- The FPTTI partners are responsible for disseminating the products and key messages within their jurisdictions as they deem appropriate.
- The FPT Culture/Heritage and Tourism Initiative Coordination Office is prepared to respond to requests. They can be contacted at FPTTI@pch.gc.ca
Benefits of the FPTTI
- Continued collaboration with tourism counterparts on culture/heritage-driven projects creates opportunities for increased information sharing and strategic partnerships. The FPTTI will continue to develop the tools and information that will enable FPT culture/heritage ministries to:
- Provide leadership on cultural and heritage aspects of tourism-related policy;
- assist the culture/heritage sector to build capacity in tourism; and,
- create and promote understanding that the promotion, retention, and support of Canada's cultures and the sustainability of tourism are mutually reinforcing.