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Home 
Research Themes
In Focus
Culture and TourismAugust 2005
Three Big Questions
Photo: Canadian Tourism Commission
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1. How do we define cultural tourism?
2. Why is it worthwhile to develop cultural tourism strategies? 3. What links culture, tourism and sustainability? 1. How do we define cultural tourism? Cultural tourism is a term developed to encapsulate the interaction of culture and tourism. It is defined in many different ways by a variety of national and international organizations. A prominent definition is that which is used by the World Tourism Organization (WTO); it approaches cultural tourism from a broad, then narrow point of view. Narrowly, it includes people travelling based on mainly cultural motivations. From a broader perspective, it is associated with any travel by individuals seeking to satisfy the human need for diversity. Such travel elevates the cultural level of individuals, allowing for new knowledge, experiences and encounters. According to both definitions, a tourist becomes familiar with the unique character and characteristics of a destination and its people through the arts, culture, history and local lifestyles or all of these elements combined. Cultural tourism, therefore, involves a contact – at varying levels of intensity – with the culture of another community, assuming the guest wants to open up to this community and the host actually wants to share his or her community. Cultural tourism can also be perceived as a way to improve and protect the cultural resources, landscape, architecture, artistic activities, and unique character of a particular place, often described by travel writers as the “sense of place.” Canada's new tourism brand, Canada: Keep Exploring, promoted by the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), is an invitation for tourists to include many cultural activities as part of their Canadian experience. This new branding is an open window on Canada’s cultural and heritage components as well as on traditional cultural products and services. It also sheds light on the contemporary lives of Canadians from the different regions of the country. Finally, cultural tourism also includes Aboriginal tourism. A perfect example of a cultural experience based on heritage and way of life, Aboriginal tourism is also an unequalled opportunity to allow Aboriginal heritage, values, and customs from different First Nations to remain in the present. The Aboriginal tourism supply-side allows non-Aboriginals to know more about this rich culture through participatory experiences – non-Aboriginals get a chance to better grasp the extent of Aboriginal heritage from the past, and today’s reality. Click here for part II of this Question: Tourism and Culture: Are They Made for Each Other? Click here for more definitions. 2. Why is it worthwhile to develop cultural tourism strategies? The added economic value of culture is a clear asset for the tourism industry. For its part, the cultural industry can greatly benefit from the promotion of its sites and activities through campaigns stemming from local, regional, and national marketing plans. These efforts foster growth, permit renewal, and above all increase attendance through carefully targeted, annual promotions. To that end, common strategies (such as those mentioned above) could certainly serve the interests of both culture and tourism when each shares its market knowledge and customer profiles. In addition, the established travel industry networks could be used to promote and distribute the products of the cultural supply side. When culture is seen as an expression of a public good, further benefits to integrating culture into tourism policies can be realized. The following examples can certainly increase the development opportunities for cultural products and other aspects of culture within a renewed tourism supply side made even more attractive for Canadian and foreign visitors: more heritage tours; development and renewal of the information found in interpretative centers; creation of partnerships between cultural venues and hotels (and other types of tourist accommodations) through travel packages; a new ownership of culture at the community level; the sense of belonging and the community pride stemming from the recognition of the past and the respect of the present; and the sharing of a language. The contribution of all levels of government, in terms of financial, human and other resources, is of paramount importance. “Thinking globally and acting locally” requires that governing boards of cultural organizations be convinced of the importance of meeting the needs of their visitors, while at the same time meeting the needs of their local communities. It is also essential to coordinate the strategies of both sectors to ensure that they are championed, not only by stakeholders, but foremost by inter-ministerial and intergovernmental organizations with a common vision of development. The following boxes provide outlines of some interesting examples taken from the culture and tourism fields: Canada: A Cultural Destination? Manitoba adopts a cultural tourism strategy. Cultural industries meet the buyers of travel products. 3. What links culture, tourism and sustainability? Sustainable tourism is an emerging international trend that integrates the full spectrum of impacts and benefits (cultural, social, environmental and economic) into tourism development. Sustainable tourism has often been associated with, which in turn is directly associated with protecting the environment for future generations (intergenerational equity). However, the notion of community in the definition of sustainable tourism calls directly for the placement of communities, and their cultures, at the heart of tourism development. For instance, the Department of Canadian Heritage is an important federal advocate for the social and cultural dimensions of tourism. Intergenerational equity can be applied to cultural tourism, with the goal of preservation of cultural elements as they are integrated into the tourism sector. Also, it is necessary to consider the Canadian context of inter-cultural understanding, specifically its linguistic duality and multiculturalism, when evaluating the benefits of showcasing these characteristics through tourism. |
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