World Heritage and Tourism Innovation Proceedings of the 7th UNESCU UNITWIN Conference Portorož, 15–20 May 2022 Edited by Tadeja Jere Jakulin Aleksandra Brezovec World Heritage and Tourism Innovation Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Portorož, 15–20 May 2022 Edited by Tadeja Jere Jakulin Aleksandra Brezovec World Heritage and Tourism Innovation: Proceedings of the 7th unesco unitwin Conference, Portorož, 15–20 May 2022 Edited by Tadeja Jere Jakulin and Aleksandra Brezovec Published by University of Primorska Press Titov trg 4, 6000 Koper · hippocampus.si Koper · 2024 © 2024 Authors Electronic Edition https://www.hippocampus.si/ISBN/978-961-293-417-0.pdf https://www.hippocampus.si/ISBN/978-961-293-418-7/index.html https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-417-0 Acknowledgements The chairs of the 7th Unesco Unitwin Conference and the editors of the Proceedings wish to express their profound gratitude to their esteemed colleagues for their invaluable contributions to the review process of abstracts and/or full papers: Silvia Aulet, Universidad de Girona, Spain Lia Bassa, Budapest Metropolitan University, Hungary Žana Čivre, University of Primorska, Slovenia Silvia De Ascaniis, Universita della Svizzera italiana, Switzerland Laura Fuentes-Morelada, Universidad Ray Juan Carlos, Spain Katja Hrobat Virloget, University of Primorska, Slovenia Igor Jurinčič, University of Primorska, Slovenia Emil Juvan, University of Primorska, Slovenia Dejan Križaj, University of Primorska, Slovenia Yoel Mansfeld, Haifa University, Israel Jocelyne Napoli, Université de Toulouse, France Carmen Maria Ramos, University Nacional Tres de Febrero, Argentina Gorazd Sedmak, University of Primorska, Slovenia Ksenija Vodeb, University of Primorska, Slovenia Florian Zach, Washington State University, usa Special thanks go to the members of the Unesco Unitwin Network ‘Culture, Tourism, Development’ who elected University of Primorska eligible for organizing the 7th Unesco Unitwin Conference and its president, Prof. Maria Gravari-Barbas, for her full support. We would also like to thank Mrs Mariana Rodela and Mr Miha Bratec from the University of Primorska for their assistance in managing the abstracts and full papers of the conference. Cover photo Cobbler’s Bridge by Jože Plečnik (photo by Alen Ježovnik). Kataložni zapis o publikaciji (cip) pripravili v Narodni in univerzitetni knjižnici v Ljubljani cobiss.si-id 232090371 isbn 978-961-293-417-0 (pdf) isbn 978-961-293-418-7 (html) Contents 3 Introduction Tadeja Jere Jakulin 5 Exploring the Sustainability in a Rural Area of the World Heritage City of Yazd During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Example of a Survived Eco-lodge’s Innovations Mohammadhossein Dehghan Pour Farashah, Ehsan Aslani, and Alimohammad Ansarisadrabadi, 17 Critics on Heritage Laws and Tourism Politics in Ethiopia: Multi-layered Delphi Approach Hiyab Gebretsadik Weldearegay 33 Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage on the UNESCO Lists: The Example of the Sinjska Alka Vuk Tvrtko Opačić 49 An Intangible Cultural Heritage Asset as a Driver for the Development of Tourism: Violin Making in Cremona, Italy Raffaela Gabriella Rizzo 65 Smart City Branding: Kota Manado Carly Stiana Scheffer-Sumampouw, Magdalena Lestari Ginting, and Ilynka Maria Aprilia Singal 77 Accessibility in Vernacular Settlements: A Holistic Experience and Sustainability Key Maria Griva, Constantinos Caradimas, and Charikleia Kanari 89 Education and Heritage: Teaching the Tourism Curriculum from a Community Sustainability Perspective in South Africa’s Rural and Township Schools Sibiya Thandeka 101 Layers of Tourism in Protected Ecosystems of Slovenia: Trends and Challenges Anton Gosar 115 Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage: Reflection on Slovenian Story of Success Urška Starc Peceny, Tomi Ilijaš, and Matevž Straus Introduction Tadeja Jere Jakulin University of Primorska, Slovenia tadeja.jerejakulin@fts.upr.si Preserving and promoting our shared cultural and pressures and developmental needs. The fourth con- natural heritage has become a complex and pressing clusion delves into community issues, probing the challenge in a rapidly changing world. The delicate concept of ‘community’ itself and emphasising the balance between safeguarding the past and stimulat- need to measure host communities’ Local Area Car- ing economic growth through tourism has spurred rying Capacity (LAC). This section raises the critical intense discussions, exchanges of ideas, and reflec- concern of how to offset the damage to the quality of tions. In response to these evolving dynamics, the life in local communities due to tourism, seeking to UNESCO UNITWIN conference served as a crucible strike a balance between progress and preservation. of thought, bringing together experts, scholars, and The global pandemic, COVID-19, forms the centre practitioners from around the globe to deliberate on of attention in the fifth conclusion, underscoring the the nexus of World Heritage and Tourism Innovation. importance of resilience, preparedness, and risk per- This book, titled “World Heritage and Tourism In- ception in the tourism sector. This section explores a novation,” is a compendium of 9 insightful papers that pandemic’s global versus global handling and encour- emerged from the conference, shedding light on the ages us to draw lessons from past experiences. The multifaceted and intricate issues at the intersection of sixth conclusion delves into the role of creativity and heritage and tourism. The general conclusions drawn innovation in addressing the challenges of heritage from the conference discussions offer a framework and tourism. It poses a fundamental question – are for exploring these complexities. The first conclusion creativity and innovation the real solutions, or have underscores that sustainability is not an absolute term they become mere buzzwords? The section empha- but rather a relative one, always leaving us with the sises the need to raise awareness, particularly among pressing question of attainability. Moving from the stakeholders and the youth, fostering a sense of stabil- noble ideology of sustainability to its practical imple- ity in the face of constant change. Lastly, the seventh mentation remains a formidable challenge. This issue conclusion dives into digitalisation and the complex raises questions about the feasibility of our aspirations dynamics of “smart destinations.” It highlights the and the real-world hurdles we must surmount. The ambiguity surrounding technology gaps, issues of dig- interrelationship between heritage and tourism forms ital literacy, and the cost and availability of technology the focal point of the second conclusion. It delves into in heritage and tourism. This section advocates for a the transformative processes where heritage becomes delicate balance between digital and physical services, a commodity for tourists and, conversely, where tour- encouraging the fusion of digital tools and “soft tour- ism begins to shape and influence the very essence of ism” experiences. heritage. This mutual influence raises questions about As you embark on this journey through the papers whose heritage it truly is, often turning heritage sites in this volume, you will gain a deeper understanding into contested spaces and emphasising the dependen- of the intricate relationship between world heritage cy on tourism income. The third conclusion empha- and tourism innovation, exploring the challenges and sises the management and planning issues surround- opportunities of an ever-evolving world. These con- ing World Heritage Sites and Properties. It calls for clusions represent a compass guiding our efforts to a vigilant approach to monitoring changes and safe- navigate the dynamic landscape of heritage preserva- guarding authenticity in the face of evolving tourist tion and sustainable tourism in the 21st century. Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 3 Exploring the Sustainability in a Rural Area of the World Heritage City of Yazd During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Example of a Survived Eco-lodge’s Innovations Mohammadhossein Dehghan Pour Farashah, University of Lodz, Poland, mohammadhossein.dehghan.pour.farashah@edu.uni.lodz.pl Ehsan Aslani Islamic Azad University, Iran, ehsan_aslani88@yahoo.com Alimohammad Ansarisadrabadi, Islamic Azad University, Iran alimohamad_ansari@yahoo.com This paper aimed to assess a surviving eco-lodge with private ownership in Yazd Province, Iran, from a sustainability perspective. After unexpected circumstanc-es caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the eco-lodge has adopted innovations that could apply to similar cases. For data collection, the eco-lodge owner contributed to researchers by providing necessary information regarding his activities. Moreover, a semi-structured interview with the owner was conducted. The studied eco-lodge is an old mansion on the outskirts of the Historic City of Yazd, the first inscribed city of Iran on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. At first, this old mansion was adaptively reused for accommodation purposes to familiarise tourists with the local lifestyle in 2016. Traditional architecture techniques, materials, and minimum intervention on the layout have been implemented in the adaption process. This eco-lodge has pre-pared financial support for locals by hiring women and youth. On the other hand, it has introduced rural areas as a prominent destination. According to the findings, a set of innovations in line with sustainability principles, such as collaborating with local entrepreneurship, advertising the sale of local handicraft products on its social media, holding creative events for children, and cooperating with universities and NGOs, helped the eco-lodge to survive during the COVID-19 pandemic. Keywords: sustainability, eco-lodge, COVID-19, innovation, Historic City of Yazd, Iran https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-417-0.5-15 Introduction tourism industry was especially affected as one of the With the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the first sectors with travel restrictions in almost all coun- world faced an unexpected and unprecedented global tries worldwide (World Tourism Organization, 2020). health, social and economic emergency. The travel and However, eco-tourism had a small share of the global Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 5 Mohammadhossein Dehghan Pour Farashah et al. Exploring the sustainability in a Rural Area tourism sector, worth around USD 100 billion annu- ment support (Mehr News Agency, 2021). This study ally before the COVID-19 pandemic, but was experi- aims to introduce sustainable-oriented innovations encing fast growth (World Tourism Organization & applied by an eco-lodge in a World Heritage area in United Nations Development Programme, 2017). Due Iran and to evaluate their effects on its survival amid to the fall of occupancy rates in 2020 and 2021 (World the pandemic. Although the introduced innovations Tourism Organization, n.d.), eco-lodge facilities suf- in the study may not be novel and leading approaches fered financial losses like other parts of the tourist ac- in the tourism industry, reviewing them will provide commodation industry. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 empirical insight for eco-lodges, especially in less de- crisis paved the way for innovation and had a positive veloped destinations, to survive a health crisis. impact through various unexploited opportunities (Choudhary, 2020). Innovation is the main engine for Literature Review economic growth (Schumpeter, 1934). The interna- Sustainable Tourism tional tourism industry also benefits from innovation, The concept of sustainability has been increasingly which helps to make it more competitive and advance highlighted in international tourism literature since its quality and reputation (Attia et al., 2019; Bardolet the mid-1980s (Butowski, 2012). 1995, tourism became & Sheldon, 2008). Innovations, even on a small scale, decisively linked with sustainability at the World can make a substantial difference in tourism devel- Conference on ‘Sustainable Tourism: Towards a New opment in developing countries (Batala et al., 2019). Tourism Culture’ in Lanzarote, Spain (Azcárate et Aside from financial support, innovation is crucial to al., 2019). Despite various definitions for sustainable tive tourism, such as eco-tourism, is one of the main and World Tourism Organization (2005) defined contributions of Innovation (Carlisle et al., 2013). The business survival (Cefis et al., 2020). Offering alterna- tourism, United Nations Environment Programme to the philosophy and principles of eco-tourism (Rus- pacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, sell et al., 1995). According to Mehta et al. (2002), ‘an the environment, and host communities.” According eco-lodge is a 5 to 75-room low-impact, nature-based, to this definition, sustainability principles in tour- eco-lodge is a nature-dependent tourist that adheres and future economic, social and environmental im- it as “tourism that takes full account of its current is planned, designed, constructed and operates in an resources efficiently, maintaining essential ecological processes, and preserving natural heritage and bi- environmentally and socially sensitive manner.’ These odiversity. The economic perspective encompasses features are consistent with sustainable tourism’s en- ensuring robust, long-term economic operations, de- vironmental, economic, and socio-cultural aspects livering socio-economic benefits to all equally distrib- (Hagberg, 2011). uted stakeholders, including options for income gen- Since 2015, with the planning process for inscrib- eration and social services for host communities, and ing the historic city of Yazd to UNESCO’s World Herit- contributing to poverty alleviation. The socio-cultural age List, the government has facilitated private-sector dimension involves respecting the socio-cultural au- investment for establishing tourism businesses. After and helps benefit local communities; offers tourists an and socio-cultural aspects through achieving a state of balance between them (Butowski, 2012). The envi- interpretative and participatory experience; provides ronmental standpoint suggests using environmental a spiritual communion with nature and culture; and helps protect sensitive neighbouring areas; involves ism refer to consisting of environmental, economic, financially sustainable accommodation facility that the inscription of the Historic City of Yazd in 2017, a thenticity of host communities, conserving their built wave of the establishment of tourist resorts, especially and living cultural heritage and traditions, and con- eco-lodges, began. About three years later, facing the tributing to intercultural understanding and tolerance restrictions caused by COVID-19, most tourism facili- (United Nations Environment Programme & World ties were bankrupt due to the lack of efficient govern- Tourism Organization, 2005). 6 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Mohammadhossein Dehghan Pour Farashah et al. Exploring the sustainability in a Rural Area Innovation in Tourism Businesses tion. Vuong and Tran (2021) explored the contribu- Generally, innovation means ‘(the use of) a new idea tion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in bringing new or method’ (Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.). Howev- and other values to the tourism industry during the er, innovation is a multi-dimensional concept, and COVID-19 pandemic. They expressed that AI could various ways exist to define it (Korres, 2007). In the drive new and safe customer experiences during the business context, Rogers (1998) described innovation pandemic and beyond by pushing companies to re- as a series of significant changes in routine business design their products and services. Significantly, only activities that will result in improved performance for two significant studies have been devoted to stud- the firm. Schumpeter (1939) determined five different ying tourism innovations amid the COVID-19 era types of innovation: the formation of new products from the sustainability viewpoint. Buluk Eşitti (2022) or services, new processes, raw materials, new mar- learned how innovation could help the sustainabili- kets, and new organisations. In the tourism industry, ty of post-COVID tourism. She believes that swinging different innovative solutions can be applied, such to more sustainable forms based on broadened clean as preparing new hotel services or adding new at- energy use, a fair and egalitarian approach, and the tractions at a destination; looking for new customer application of e-transformation and digitalisation will segments or improving tour guiding to enhance the gain more traction regarding the sustainability of the efficiency and quality of the tourist experience; vary- tourism industry. Li et al. (2021) introduced techno- ing to new niche tour operators; reorienting existing logical innovation as a solution to a sustainable recov- destination brands to appeal to new markets; and fa- ery of the tourism sector in response to the crisis of cilitating business in a new way (Carlisle et al., 2013). COVID-19. They argued that adopting technological Genç and Genç (2017) argue that implementing in- advances, tools, and social media can produce benefi- novation impacts tourism by increasing the existing cial results. The studies above further emphasised the capacity of the tourism market, taking part in the sur- role of new technologies, such as digital tools. How- vival of tourism, overcoming the possible adverse ef- ever, this research introduces an empirical example of fects, and opening up saturated markets. Additionally, an eco-lodge as a sustainable pattern of tourism and tourism innovation contributes to the local economy, its simple and applicable innovations in response to promotes local enterprise development, and provides the COVID-19 pandemic in a developing destination. employment opportunities (Carlisle et al., 2013). It is crucial because access to digital technologies is Much research addressing innovation’s implica- challenging for many less developed destinations due tions in the tourism industry is in pre-pandemic stud- to poor infrastructures, high costs, etc. ies (e.g. Carvalho & Costa, 2011; Tolstad, 2014; Stano- vcic et al., 2015; Genç & Genç, 2017; Attia et al., 2019). Case Study Little research has highlighted the role of innovation The studied eco-lodge is located 34 km from the His- in tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic. Hernández toric City of Yazd (see Figure 2). The Historic City of et al. (2021) analysed the strategies and actions imple- Yazd is the first city in Iran to be inscribed on UNES- mented by tourism small and medium-sized enter- CO’s World Heritage list in 2017. prises (SMEs), including souvenir shops, accommo- The eco-lodge is originally an old adobe mansion dation, restaurants, art galleries, etc., on the coastline with a unique architectural layout that dates back of the Metropolitan Area of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, about 100 years. The eco-lodge has an area of 2000 after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to them, the m2 and currently has nine rooms. Six people were studied tourism SMEs followed four types of innova- employed with the launch of this eco-lodge in 2016 tion in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including (Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tour- digitalisation of processes, contact with customers in ism, 2016). the virtual environment, product and service design In Figure 2, an aerial photo of the ecolodge was in digital environments, and business model adapta- illustrated. Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 7 Mohammadhossein Dehghan Pour Farashah et al. Exploring the sustainability in a Rural Area Figure 1 Location of the Ecolodge to the Yazd City Method lem and objectives, five questions were developed The present study had two phases: (a) documentary for the interview based on literature suggestions. The research and (b) Semi-structured interview. In the content of the questions consisted of: first phase, documentary research was carried out so 1. Aims and motivations for setting up this eco- that the eco-lodge owner provided information, in- lodge. cluding photos and some descriptions of his activities, 2. The owner’s attitude toward sustainability. which he has been collecting on social media since the beginning days of the revitalisation operation. Then, 3. Purposes for engaging in various activities before researchers categorised them based on sustainability the pandemic. principles and in the periods before and during the pandemic. In the next phase, given the research prob- 8 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Mohammadhossein Dehghan Pour Farashah et al. Exploring the sustainability in a Rural Area Figure 2 Aerial Photo of the Ecolodge 4. Reasons for shifting from tourist accommodation principles, including environmental, economic, and to implementing alternative activities after the socio-cultural aspects in the periods before and dur- outbreak. ing the pandemic, is shown in Tables 1 and 2. 5. Benefits of the innovations. Semi-structured Interview The interview was conducted with the owner of Respondent Profile the eco-lodge in the Persian language. With the per- The owner is a 34-year-old male, married, with a mission of the interview participant, the session was master’s in conservation and restoration of historical recorded. Then, it was transcribed verbatim and trans- buildings. He manages the eco-lodge but also teaches lated into English. The collected data were analysed as an adjunct lecturer at universities. using thematic analysis techniques. Thematic analysis is an appropriate method to better understand expe- Analysis and Interpretation of the Semi-Structured riences, thoughts, or behaviours across a qualitative Interview data set (Braun & Clarke, 2012). Following the proce- In analysing the interview materials, themes from the dure, we identified codes and themes, as Braun and owner’s responses were extracted. Clarke (2006) suggested. In the analysis process, two of the authors participated in decreasing bias. Q1 Why did you decide to rehabilitate this historic building as an eco-lodge? Documentary Research He responded: ‘Well, this building is my ancestral According to the collected data, the categorization mansion, which was being demolished. We rehabili- of the eco-lodge activities based on the sustainability tated it as an eco-lodge to ensure this house does not Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 9 Mohammadhossein Dehghan Pour Farashah et al. Exploring the sustainability in a Rural Area Table 1 The Activities Before the Pandemic Activities en Using indigenous fruits to cater to seeds for birds in ta Preparing nests and l tourists. onm winter; vir En mic Preparing financial support for locals Participating in the no through hiring women and youth; exhibition on sustain- Eco able development. tura Using traditional ar- Operating free daily tours for the elder- ul l chitecture techniques ly and orphans; cio-c and materials as well as implementing So minimum interven- tion on the layout; Using local hand- Helping to the edu- made furniture and cation of residents' pottery; children by selling products and allocat- ing its profit to buy educational supplies Introducing local Holding the extracurricular courses for traditions, artists, the residents’ children. and handmade on the eco-lodge’s social media; Holding educational Holding a campaign to promote the courses to familiarize conservation of local architectural university students heritage; with traditional architectural tech- niques. Hosting traditional Hosting environmentally friendly tours ceremonies and like the bicycle riding tours. festivals; 10 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Mohammadhossein Dehghan Pour Farashah et al. Exploring the sustainability in a Rural Area Table 2 The Activities During the Pandemic Activities mic Collaborating with a local equestrian Selling handicraft no club to entertain children during the products by advertis- Eco workshops; ing the local artists on the eco-lodge's social media.nt. tura Holding creative Cooperating with ul l events for children universities and such as robotic and NGOs to host entre- So UAV workshops; preneurship work- cio-c shops.and orphans; deteriorate. I also learned about the nomination of the lifestyle was very attractive to them. We also have a historic city of Yazd as a World Heritage Site (WHS). wonderful garden for tourists, and we even took them On the one hand, it was located near Yazd; many trav- to the farmland of fruits when the travellers came, and ellers could attract it. sometimes they helped us. And they would like to be According to him, inheriting a deteriorated histor- in such an environment. We also hold some tradition- ic property in a WHS suburb has motivated him to es- al ceremonies and festivals where they are welcomed tablish the eco-lodge. Some scholars (e.g., Attia et al., by tourists, especially during the Nowruz holidays. 2019; Jones et al., 2022) have remarked that the WHS Our workshops about the students differed; they listing triggers the revitalisation of historic buildings did not think such things could be done in Iran. The for tourism purposes. After a site is inscribed on UNE- difference between our eco-lodge and other eco-lodg- SCO’s World Heritage List, the number of tourists who es is that the topic of education and culture is being visit it will increase (United Nations Educational, Sci- done, and it is delightful for people. If our services in entific and Cultural Organization, 2008). the field of tourism are weak and incomplete, it would not be evident to tourists because the learning issue is Q2 How did you try to follow sustainability in your so interesting for them, and when we put effort into eco-lodge? them, it sits in their hearts much more. He responded: ‘Considering my field was architecture, We also tried to help the local community by pro- I paid attention to sustainability since the restoration, viding job opportunities or charitable assistance. I be- the minor work done in the building, such as materi- lieve that when we allow the villagers, they will help als and energy, had the most negligible negative im- us. pact on the environment. We had an ecological design Many traditional ceremonies and festivals were if we wanted to add spaces. We also tried not to add hosted in the eco-lodge, where tourists welcomed anything to the building and adhered to its originality. them, especially during the Nowruz holidays. The eco-lodge is different from hotels, motels, and Regarding the environment, we made a series of resorts. Eco-tourism is mainly in rural areas, although nests for the birds because we are in a desert area, and it is also seen in cities. Our guests usually have visit- the birds were very hot. Because of the strong winds ed other cities in Iran, but what is important to them in the spring, we made a series of bird nests, which is the simplicity of eco-lodges, like the ambience and was a tourist attraction for tourists, and it was diffi- furniture. Familiarising themselves with the villagers’ cult for the birds to find food because the weather was Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 11 Mohammadhossein Dehghan Pour Farashah et al. Exploring the sustainability in a Rural Area hot. We put wheat in the nests, and the birds stayed promoted alternative forms of tourism, including cul- in the nests, and it was more attractive to tourists.’ tural and educational tourism and tourist accommo- They always came to drink water at the pond’s edge dation. In this regard, he has strived to preserve local and nest in the trees. He has tried to follow sustaina- tangible and intangible heritage as potential tourism ble tourism in terms of environmental, economic, and resources. On the other hand, by holding architectur- socio-cultural by respecting the environment, sharing al workshops for the students, he tried to provide a economic benefits with locals, and providing a first- unique experience and earn the guests’ loyalty. hand experience for the guests. These activities align with the sustainable tourism principles described by Q4 Why did you change your approach from just United Nations Environment Programme and World tourist accommodation to alternative activities Tourism Organization (2005). after the outbreak? He responded: ‘When Corona came, there were a lot Q3 What was your purpose in engaging in various of restrictions and rules that had to be followed, and activities along with tourist accommodation eco-lodge had to follow these rules. On the one hand, before the pandemic? we could not use government aid because its amount He responded: ‘Before the pandemic, we focused on was low, and the conditions for receiving it were dif- cultural and educational tourism. His purpose in pro- ficult. Tourists who wanted to go and visit the monu- moting cultural tourism was to raise public awareness ments were rare, and the number of tourists decreased. regarding preserving monuments in the village or at Since public awareness had dropped, especially among least preventing them from being demolished. And children, the decision was made to hold courses in ar- for this, we held a campaign that started in a neigh- chitecture (tiling, mirror working, and mosaics), elec- bouring village and spread to other villages. Because tronics, and robotics. Students could attend classes when a monument is ruined or dirty, tourists do not with their families during the Corona. This new ap- desire to visit. When tourists visit monuments, it proach was welcomed by many institutions, especially causes the region to be introduced on social media. music and painting institutions. Artists and students Regarding educational tourism, we talked to archi- from different universities came and held art work- tecture professors nationally and internationally, and shops.’ this change in approach made us realise that some came to visit, even those who were not in archi- educational tourism has good potential, which we tecture but were interested in monuments. Many stu- were weak in this regard, and we learned and experi- dents also came here to stay and practice architectural enced a lot. Due to the lack of tourist bookings, he fo- techniques. The monuments of the surrounding vil- cused on the local community and pursued education- lages were surveyed by the students, which led to the al tourism as an alternative form of tourism to survive; registration of these monuments on the Iran National this is consistent with the results of Soliku et al. (2021) Heritage List. On the other hand, the students were that the promotion of domestic tourism can enhance unfamiliar with the practical topics of architecture and the resilience of the eco-tourism sector and Wang et al. were practically unaware of traditional Iranian archi- (2021) and Abbas et al. (2021) that alternative tourism tecture. Practical classes and acquaintance with tradi- such as special programs for children and adolescents tional architecture were held here, which attracted stu- can accelerate the post-COVID-19 tourism recovery. dents. It was an excuse for them to come back again. According to Georgakopoulou and Delitheou Q5 How do you evaluate the benefits of implementing (2020), sustainable tourism development can be activities such as holding creative events for achieved by developing alternative forms of tourism. children, advertising the sale of local handicraft As Vărzaru et al. (2021) stated, sustainable tourism re- products on social media, and so on? quires a long-term vision. He had a long-term idea for He responded: “Financially, if I want to check, it had his business before the pandemic. Therefore, he has the minimum for us to be able to pay the employees, 12 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Mohammadhossein Dehghan Pour Farashah et al. Exploring the sustainability in a Rural Area water, electricity, and gas bills, and that eco-lodge relatives. Furthermore, although online selling on so- should not be closed and depreciated due to the lack cial media did not provide direct financial benefits, of people because when the furniture is not used, it it led to more familiarisation among people with the has deteriorated. And termites and pests damage the eco-lodge and its activities. In terms of monetary ben- building. The profitability of the eco-lodge itself was efits, these activities resulted in minimum profitabili- lower than before the Corona- not zero, but it was not ty in a short time. Still, it brought more benefits later very high. Parents used to come with their children and helped the eco-lodge continue operation without initially because they were stressed. It made it diffi- closure. cult for us because there was a limit. We had to say for wearing the mask, and we had to accommodate any Conclusion family in one room. And we did the disinfection steps This research consists of two parts. In the first phase, before them so they would be relieved that everything the sustainable-oriented innovations of an eco-lodge was safe here. After the disinfection process, we pre- located in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site were ex- ferred that if the weather was cold, we would work in plored. These innovations were introduced based on the hall, the heating and air conditioning system was sustainable tourism’s environmental, economic, and available, and the windows were open. And if it were socio-cultural principles during the two periods be- sunny, we would work outdoors and in the yard. Re- fore and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the sec- cently, when people were less sensitive, the number of ond phase, the authors conducted a semi-structured our groups, initially 6 or 7 people, had reached 30 by interview with the eco-lodge owner to deeply under- the end. The families safely sent their children, and stand his experiences, thoughts, or behaviours in fac- they attended the courses much more willingly. Early ing the pandemic. According to the findings, the own- in Corona, we made very little profit, but late in Coro- er’s primary motivation to revitalise the eco-lodge was na and in the last few months, it was more and more to count on an increase in the number of tourists due because those who had seen the environment of the to the listing of Yazd on WHS. From the beginning, he eco-lodge early had told their friends and relatives, has followed the principles of sustainable tourism by and their number increased. The cost was unimpor- respecting the environment, sharing economic ben- tant to the families because they had a challenging efits with locals, and offering a first-hand experience time and wanted to attend the courses. People were for guests. Having a long-term vision based on the al- already accustomed to the condition of Corona and ternative forms of tourism –educational tourism– in- accepted that it had become a part of their lives. stead of relying solely on the income of tourist accom- Selling online was not very profitable for us. We modation and focusing on the local community as his even had some difficulties because we were not famil- main customers helped him adapt his business to the iar with it. But it made us visible in cyberspace and difficult conditions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. was a kind of advertisement for us. Because recently In this regard, he supported his activities by following we had guests to stay in the eco-lodge who mentioned hygiene, social distancing, and advertising on social this themselves.” media. The findings indicated an eco-lodge in a devel- Långstedt et al. (2022) argue that countermeasures oping destination could survive amid the COVID-19 such as hygiene and social distancing are deemed a pandemic without using financial support from the significant source of safety for most customers in the government and only by applying simple and appli- hospitality industry. His words indicate that he has cable sustainable innovations. It is important because tried to create a sense of security for participants by previous literature proposed applying new technolo- following health protocols. Consequently, their satis- gies as a mainstream solution. At the same time, most faction has acted as a marketing tool in such a way that tourism businesses in less developed destinations have it encouraged them to retake the courses and caused challenges accessing digital technologies due to poor them to introduce the eco-lodge to their friends and infrastructures, high costs, etc. Although the public’s Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 13 Mohammadhossein Dehghan Pour Farashah et al. Exploring the sustainability in a Rural Area concern about COVID-19 is declining and the tourism Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). Innova-industry is returning to a normal situation, future tion. Cambridge University Press & As- tourism businesses or assess them in the context of ing innovation for tourism development through mul- different crises. 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Innovative -recovery-tracker approaches in tourism business development. In Pro- ceedings of the ENTRENOVA: ENTerprise REsearch InNO- VAtion Conference (pp. 512–516). Society for Advancing Innovation and Research in Economy. Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 15 Critics on Heritage Laws and Tourism Politics in Ethiopia: Multi-layered Delphi Approach Hiyab Gebretsadik Weldearegay Aksum University, Tigray hiyabgebretsadik.gg@gmail.com This research has analysed the substantive essence of the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) on mandated jurisdiction about heritage matters between federal and state governments. It has also scrutinised the FDRE Proclamation No. 209/2000 on its constitutional permissibility, and its validity against international declarations. A Multi-layered Delphi Method was used with interdisciplinary sub-panels. Accordingly, the constitution substantively and ma-jorly puts heritage matters as state jurisdiction rather than federal power. However, it also has polyphony-monograph dilemma as it puts multi-layered sovereignty on heritages, makes hybridization of responsibility, and has constitutional silence on the schemata of exercises of its stipulations. In this regard, its essence of federalism has dialectical problems of being rhetorical and lacking transcendence. Politically, it suffers from imperialist syndrome on heritage ownership which is a legacy of Unitarianism that dominated the political scene of Ethiopia. On the other hand, the essence of proclamation No. 209/2000 is found to be against international declara-tions on the rights of indigenous peoples regarding heritage self-determination that put heritage sites as first and forever local places. Majority of the contents of this federal proclamation fall under jurisdictions of regional state powers which make it unconstitutionally. It also establishes a neo-imperialist structure. As an impact, and politically, this opens doors to (deliberate) delay of conservation of treasure, productivity of meanings that construct counter-history where the politicized ‘por-tion of truth’ is produced, and biasedly publicizing certain heritages as “national” prestige. It also opens doors to lootings, and smuggling. At last, it is found that this hyper-centralization again harms indigenous people on heritage economics and fair remunerations from tourism as it can storylin and mold public opinions on which tourist destination is ought to be popular. Keywords: Heritage Laws, Tourism Politics, Ethiopian Tourism, Delphi Approach, Heritage Economics https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-417-0.17-31 Introduction which establishes the Federal Authority for Research The specific questions of interest of this research are and Conservation of Cultural Heritages (hereafter the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic ARCCH). of Ethiopia (hereafter FDRE), and the FDRE procla- The Proclamation is the highest Ethiopian herit- mation decreed under Proclamation No 209/2000, age-related legal framework next to the Constitution, Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 17 Hiyab Gebretsadik Weldearegay Critics on Heritage Laws and Tourism Politics in Ethiopia and it can govern heritage-related matters in Ethiopia. (Davis & Starn, 1989). They may reflect tyrannical his- The Proclamation’s entire essence, from its Preamble tories of domination and demand for autonomy and to its last section, is checked for its constitutionality, sovereignty. Therefore, given the fact that heritage oc- permissibility in answering the national question, and cupies a discursive political space with vast sphere of acceptability in light of international declarations on influence, so much is not in doubt that institutional the rights of indigenous peoples regarding heritage racism characterised by wrongly structured heritage self-determination. governance mechanisms may lead up to; identity The dialect of this research epistemologically in- cleansing, in any appropriate sense of the term, (Hall spired the works of Lenin (1914) and the idioms of and Jenkins, 1995; Mill and Morrison, 1985): opening Walleligne (1969) on the issue of the national question doors to deliberate delay of conservation of treasure, and class struggle. The second epistemic inspiration undermine or silence contestant’s treasures (Wallel-is Jones’s (1984) propositions on policy development, igne, 1969); deconstruct, deny, or omit elements con-which are the proponents of the pioneering ground- sidered unfit for specific purpose); memories of all work of the current field of inquiry. So, we adopted nations may not be equally and sufficiently presented Heritage and Tourism Politics dialects in this concep- to the deserved scope and scale of the reality as some tual category. may be under-presented and others over emphasised (Merryman, 1986; Walleligne, 1969; Wight & Lennon, Statement of the Problem 2007; Biehl et al., 2015) which means the productivity Merryman (1986) articulates two competing dimen- of meanings that construct counter-history where the sions of the ownership ladder of cultural property: politicised ‘portion of truth’ is produced; Smuggling one as the common culture of all humanity, impart- of heritage treasures (Casana & Panahipour, 2014; ed in the 1954 Hague Convention, and the other as Al-Ansi et al., 2021); Biasedly selecting heritage as belonging to specific nations, imparted in the 1970 national prestige (Walleligne, 1969; Wight & Lennon, UNESCO Convention. However, there is a third way 2007); Selectively researching and publicising heritag- to it (Lixinski, 2019), where the host community is es (Walleligne, 1969); and, Selectively proposing trea-brought upfront from the back seat, and multi-lay- sures to be world heritages (Wight & Lennon, 2007; ered sovereignty over heritages is shifted to the local Lixinski, 2011). Authority with community control over the heritag- Another remote consequence of the politicisation es (Al-Ansi et al., 2021; Lixinski, 2019). As heritage is of heritage governance is on the economics of heritage the contemporary use of the past (Wight & Lennon, (Lixinski, 2019), which collided with the long-run in-2007), there may be conflicting interests among own- terests of the economic remunerations in the tourism ers (McCamley & Gilmore, 2017) and perhaps sev- industry (Richter, 1983; Jordan et al., 2007). Heritage eral politically motivated layers of owners with their has four main significances (Lixinski, 2019): econom-claim of sovereignty (Lixinski, 2011) and are prone to ic, social, political, and scientific. Out of these four, be managed for a range of purposes defined by the the social and scientific significance-related discus- needs and demands of the present societies (Wight & sions are beyond the scope of this study. At the same Lennon, 2007) which ultimately make it cumbersome time, heritage politics and means of translating the obstacle to protect cultural heritages (Lixinski, 2011). economics of heritage into benefits, such as the re- Simone (2019) stated that the values of heritages are muneration from tourism, are the subjects of interest not measured by what they overtly say or how they in this study. However, the above theses have many are exposed to tourists now but by the meaning that academic limitations. First, all postulates remain par- explains how the past happened and has the power tial regarding Dialectical mutual exclusiveness and to influence generations on how they will memorise epistemic indicator measurability. It means the prop- and analyse their history. They can act as sites of both ositions do not have an exhaustive set of robust indi- memory (Al-Ansi et al., 2021) and counter-memory cators, and there are problems with the limited scope 18 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Hiyab Gebretsadik Weldearegay Critics on Heritage Laws and Tourism Politics in Ethiopia of knowledge in the area; this requires a knowledge Ethiopian heritages and articulate them because of extension type of discourse that fills the rift of exhaus- the Ethiopian tourism remuneration landscape. tiveness and the ideological vacuum. Second, they do not show how they are reflected by what applies in Specific Objectives what context, especially in multi-national federations To analyse the substantive spirit and essence of the like Ethiopia, historically polarised states, develop- FDRE constitution on mandate jurisdiction about her- mental states, liberal economies, and different types itage matters between Federal and State Governments of markets and levels of economies. Third, there are To evaluate the Constitutional Permissibility of no such grounded empirical pieces of evidence else- FDRE Proclamation No. 209/2000 where; to the researcher’s knowledge, they are not To evaluate the validity of FDRE Heritage Proc- vindicated and verified empirically, especially in Ethi- lamation No. 209/2000 against international decla- opia; this again demands corroboration and substan- rations on the right of indigenous peoples regarding tiation type of research in Ethiopia. Five, there are no heritage self-determination agreed and exhaustive pieces of literature in this re- To articulate the potential adverse effects of FDRE gard, and no antitheses sufficiently provided. This pa- Heritage Proclamation No. 209/2000 in the Ethiopian per sees these problems as an apparent scientific rift. Tourism remuneration landscape A semi-exploratory type of discourse should warrant initial investigation to fill the need to establish a new Literature Review theory adequately. Literature-Map on the Discourse of Enquiry Probing along these lines of dialects at the phe- Literature mapping discourse of this study has re- nomenal levels, apart from the above academic aspects vealed that there are many areas of research in Her- of the necessities, and with regards to Ethiopian con- itage and Tourism related politics: one aspect of lit- text leads that the issue requires clear articulation of erature is heritage laws, governance, and tourism the Constitution of the FDRE on account of its essence (Wight & Lennon, 2007; Darian-Smith, 2013; Anker, and substantive spirit on mandate jurisdiction about 2014; Soderland & Lilley, 2015; McCamley & Gilmore, heritage governance and ownership matters between 2017; Berman, 2012; Carpenter & Riley, 2014; Klabbers Federal and State Governments. Second, it requires & Piiparinen, 2013; Al-Ansi et al., 2021). The second evaluating the FDRE Proclamation No. 209/2000 on significant stream is public policy and tourism politics account of Constitutional permissibility. Third, there (Kerr et al., 2001; Hall & Rusher, 2004; Krutwaysho is a need to validate the FDRE Heritage Proclama- & Bramwell, 2010). Another stream of study is the tion No. 209/2000 against international declarations heritage economics and political economy of tour- on the right of indigenous peoples regarding herit- ism (Bramwell, 2011; Nelson, 2012; Nunkoo & Smith, age self-determination; fourth, it requires analytical 2013). articulation on the potential adverse effects of FDRE Heritage Proclamation No. 209/2000 in Ethiopian Literature Review on Heritage Laws, Governance Tourism on account of its remuneration landscape and Politics and overall industrial vigorousness. These all together Merryman (1986) articulates two competing dimen- necessitated the applied aspect of the current research sions of the ownership ladder of cultural property: discourse. Hence, the discourse features at both the one as the common culture of all humanity embod- conceptual and the unprecedented levels, as indicated ied in the 1954 Hague Convention and the other as in the above two paragraphs. belonging to certain nations represented in the 1970 UNESCO Convention. However, there is a third way Objectives of the Study to it (Lixinski, 2019), where the host community is This research aims to analyse the permissibility of brought upfront or at least to the centre from the back the federal legal frameworks established generally on seat (Lixinski, 2019; Al-Ansi et al., 2021) in the dichot- Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 19 Hiyab Gebretsadik Weldearegay Critics on Heritage Laws and Tourism Politics in Ethiopia omy of Merryman (1986) that excludes communities. so much is not in doubt that institutional racism char- Communities must be more centrally involved in cul- acterised by wrongly structured heritage governance tural property governance and benefit-sharing. They mechanisms may lead up to; identity cleansing, in shall shape that involvement by changing existing any appropriate sense of the term, (Mill & Morrison, rules of multi-layered sovereignty over heritages to 1985; Hall & Jenkins, 1995): open doors to deliberate local independence, which presents novel possibilities delay of conservation and neglecting the restoration for community control over heritages; this supports of treasures; undermine or silence contestant’s treas- the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights ures (Walleligne, 1969); deconstruct, deny, or omit of Indigenous Peoples, which provided a platform for elements considered unfit for specific purpose. Mem- Indigenous peoples to unsettle the autonomy of the ories of all nations may not be equally and sufficiently nation-states in which they live and provided the in- presented to the deserved scope and scale of the reality stitutional presence required to exert influence on na- as some may be under-presented and others over em- tional governments to respect their collective rights as phasised (Merryman, 1986, Wallelign, 1969; Wight & peoples and their struggles to maintain their unique Lennon, 2007; Biehl et al., 2015) which means the pro- cultural identities, traditions, and institutions in the ductivity of meanings that construct counter-history face of discrimination (Soderland & Lilley, 2015). where the politicised ‘portion of truth’ is produced; From the philosophical and political categorical im- Deconstructionist systematic suppression or deletion peratives of national treasures, it is recognised as a of heritage related evidence; Smuggling of heritage priori, a knowledge that needs no proof, to be herit- treasures (Casana & Panahipour, 2014; Al-Ansi et al., age only in their textual address by this UN proclama- 2021); Biasedly selecting heritage as national prestige tion. As heritage is the contemporary use of the past (Walleligne, 1969; Wight & Lennon, 2007); Selective-(Wight & Lennon, 2007), there may be conflicting in- ly researching and publicising heritages (Walleligne, terests among owners (McCamley & Gilmore, 2017) 1969); and, Selectively proposing treasures to be world and perhaps several politically motivated layers of heritages (Wight & Lennon, 2007; Lixinski, 2011). This owners with their claim of sovereignty (Lixinski, 2011) over/under/misrepresentation of the past could serve and are prone to be managed for a range of purposes as a tool of social, political and economic hegemony defined by the needs and demands of the present soci- and a place for objectifying political aspirations. eties (Wight & Lennon, 2007) which ultimately make it cumbersome obstacle to protect cultural heritages Literature Review on Heritage Economics and Tourism (Lixinski, 2011). Heritages can shape how future gen- Politics erations remember and analyse their ancestors. They Heritage has a value that transcends numbers and fig- can act as sites of both memory (Al-Ansi et al., 2021) ures. The remote consequence of the politicisation of and counter-memory (Davis & Starn, 1989); they may heritage governance is on the economics of heritage reflect tyrannical histories of domination and mis- (Lixinski, 2019), which in turn unnecessarily collided recognition and hold great spaces for politics and po- with the long-run interests of the economic remuner- litical struggle as there is a split between the national ations in the tourism industry (Richter, 1983; Jordan culturalist demand for autonomy and sovereignty, et al., 2007). The Tourism Business sub-sector can and the negation of the certainty in the articulation be an instrument and victim of this politics (Richter, of imperialist demands as a practice of domination. 1985; Matthews & Richter, 1991; Hall, 1994; Dredge & Simone (2019) has also stated that the powers of her- Jenkins, 2003; Douglas, 2014; Hollinshead & Suleman, itages are not measured by what they overtly say or 2017). So, the above postulates indicate that the func- how they are exposed to tourists now but by the fab- tioning of the Tourism sector is against the ontolog- ricated meaning that explains how the past happened. ical Dialectical Materialism because it adheres to a Therefore, given the fact that heritage occupies a dis- pure materialist worldview about tourism instead of cursive political space with vast sphere of influence, an integrated totality of the political domain. 20 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Hiyab Gebretsadik Weldearegay Critics on Heritage Laws and Tourism Politics in Ethiopia Material and Methods the last round of the Delphi. Accordingly, the selected Research Methodology appropriate specialised sub-panels were the sub-pan- The multi-layered Delphi method is the principal el of tourism management, archaeology, heritage analysis methodology employed in this paper. In this management, political science, ethnography, history, method, panels of specialists who know related areas and the sub-panel of law. This professional diversity anonymously give an opinion on complex phenome- enabled us to see the issue from seven academic di- na. If they do not reach a consensus, the process re- mensions. Participants were confined to the various peats the thesis and antithesis to work towards syn- regional states of Ethiopia only, favouring the estab- thesis until a consensus plateau emerges. The process lishment of a conclusion that suits the nuances of the can stop after a predefined stop criterion, consensus Ethiopian scenario and the potential adoption of the achievement, or results stability. The technique could study’s results predominantly to this very context. be used in areas where actual scientific dialectics does not appear, to capture multi-disciplinary or inter-sec- Panel Inclusion Criteria toral perspectives on a topic that requires various ar- Accordingly, the following inclusion criteria were ap- eas of knowledge, to assess the desirability of a direc- plied: Professional expertise in one of the above-stat- tion, or to capture the temperature of opinions on a ed fields. Consistent with the principle that panellists controversial topic; This is because a knowledgeable should have special qualifications (Hasson et al., participant pool generates survey instruments and 2000): More than ten years of work experience in ideas (Hasson et al., 2000). Ethiopia; Proven track records in publication; Rank Although there is considerable variation in how of assistant professor or above; More than 30 years of the method is applied, the Delphi method has its dis- age; and individuals with a minority perspective. Ac- tinct characteristics: it uses expert panellists; It has a cordingly, we sent e-mails to 131 experts who met this series of sequential ‘rounds’; employs an ‘idea gener- study’s inclusion criteria through snowball sampling. ation and evaluation phase; and is interested either in One hundred three professionals showed interest, but the formation of consensus or exploration (measure- an agreement finished with only 91 of them. ment) of agreement. Research Paradigm, Positionality, and Place of the Panel Size Researcher Although 10 to 50 experts are considered adequate for The research acknowledges that the researcher’s biog- content validation (Turoff, 2002), and Delphi surveys raphy, i.e. personal and professional experiences, his- have had as few as seven and as many as 2000 panel- torical-political location, and pre-study beliefs, may lists, this study’s panel consists of 91 thematic acade- directly or indirectly influence the design, execution, micians. The size of the panel was determined by the and interpretation of the research. The recognition topic area and the time and resources available to the is that the researcher is part of the social world he is researcher. researching, making it challenging to attain a com- The type of Delphi used is the Multi-layered Del- pletely ‘objective’ reality. However, this difficulty does phi Approach; this means there were sub-panels with- not mean that, ontologically, there is no objective ex- in the panel to capture the interdisciplinary dimen- ternal reality independent of human thinking and out sion of the discourse. Based on this, seven sub-panels of personal value systems. Siding a positivistic world of appropriate specialisations that have 13 experts but reflexively acknowledging the influence of biog- each were formed within the overall panels of the dis- raphy, the research has aspired to achieve ‘empathetic course to give a total of 91 experts at the beginning. neutrality, eliminate the relationship between the re- The number of 13 experts does not affect the attrition searcher & the researched, and strive towards dualism rate throughout the rounds and retain at least seven or knower and known independence and separabili- experts (as prescribed in FGD) in each sub-panel in ty. Axiologically, they tried to find findings that were Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 21 Hiyab Gebretsadik Weldearegay Critics on Heritage Laws and Tourism Politics in Ethiopia Figure 1 The Five-Phased Delphi Flow Chart Source Adapted from Fish and Busby (2005) not mediated by values and strived to avoid at least Role of the Facilitator is ‘difficult’ to attain with completely ‘objective’ reality. designing overall Delphi methodology including se- lecting panel’s fields and inclusion criteria, determin- Though all the above efforts were put in place to attain conscious bias while recognising that this aspiration The role of the facilitator included but not limited to; ing panel composition (size/expert breadth), deter- an acceptable level of objectivity, by appreciating the mining Delphi period and number of rounds; sending influence of the value system, the researcher would invitation to participate in Delphi study and all nit- like to reflect that by religion; he is a sceptic ethically; ty-gritty listed in the forming Phase of the Delphi; Defuzzification (where imprecise data are converted by political belief, he is Leninist, and, he has both ac- into something that has precision; reducing fuzzy ademic and professional experience in the field if this sets of ideas into coherent ones; numbers and figures biography would periphrastically influence the study are transformed into linguistic expressions or terms; process. Readers are, therefore, advised to vigilantly and, excessively jargon terms or proverbs, idiomatic take this into account as it is pretty tricky (though expressions are converted into conventional expres- sions; filtering out “irrelevant (to the topic) or dupli- attainable) to ‘absolutely’ control how, where, when, cated” content); providing an anonymised summary and in what way this biography might periphrastically opinions; circulating outlier answers to be iteratively influence the research process. ventilated; measuring and reporting consensus levels 22 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Hiyab Gebretsadik Weldearegay Critics on Heritage Laws and Tourism Politics in Ethiopia and monitoring attrition rate in each round; and, de- ence was on how diffused the opinions were among claring whether or not a particular round is closed, panellists or how fast the panellists reached the pla- based on stop criteria, and, saying that consensus pla- teau. The study timeframe was determined to be five teau is reached. and a half months, which is consistent with the rec- ommendation of Fish and Busby (2005), which states Reliability and Validity that four months suffice for three rounds of Delphi. Fish & Busby (2005) indicate that we can estimate The continued tasks of this forming Phase were dis- the reliability between the first and second rounds by patching a general introduction of the problem state- exploring the consensus rates of the respondents. In ment, an invitation to participate in the Delphi study, other words, if a reasonable level of consensus is on developing consent acquisition forms, and completing many items on the second questionnaire, it is likely ethical clearance from the responsible body. Forming reliable. The issue of validity is directly related to the a Delphi Panel with an anonymous respondent code selection of the panel of experts. Against the field’s throughout the inquiry was part of this task. The last appropriation, reviewed expert selection criteria is an part was general (brainstorming about ways forward. insurance of the validity. In addition, the experts have expertise in the study area. Accordingly, reliability First Delphi Phase; Identifying Salient Issues Phase and validity concerns have been addressed by strictly This Phase included brainstorming about the first task following Fish and Busby’s (2005) recommendations: of identifying salient issues, identifying salient issues in each research objective, composing content, and The Five-Phased Delphi Flow Chart producing a Delphi 1 summary. First-round questions Although the classic Delphi technique recommends with epistemic assumptions were circulated to 91 ex- at least four rounds, this study used a five-round Del- perts enquiring about identifying salient issues under phi, except for the forming Phase, as seen in the dia- each research objective. We subjected the responses gram below. to defuzzification and produced an intermediate sum- mary of this round. We monitored the attrition rate, Pre-Delphi Phase: Forming resulting in 82 panellists at the end of the first round The forming Phase included preparation, introduc- of Delphi with a 90% response rate. We did not close the process of identifying salient issues under each tion, and general (brain) storming. The practice in- objective at this Phase and did not reach the conclu- cluded: sion plateau. We structured the next rounds based on • Designing the overall Delphi methodology, in- the responses to the previous stages. cluding selecting relevant fields of panellists. • Designing panel selection criteria. Second Delphi Phase; Consensus Measuring Phase • Determining panel composition (size/expert on Lists breadth). In the second Delphi Phase, we sent a 5-Point Lik- • Choosing the Delphi period. ert-based questionnaire back for validation to rate the identified salient issues under each specific objective; The following action was to decide the number of this aimed to investigate the level of consensus on the rounds and iterations. Delphi rounds were predeter- consolidated summary of lists of salient problems mined to be five according to the typology of informa- presented by the panel members in the first round of tion required from the experts and to be careful not Delphi. We indirectly and methodologically cultivat- to compromise panellists’ response rates and enthu- ed divergence. We developed striking epistemic theses siasm. However, we did not have predetermined iter- and called for antitheses through iterations until we ations; instead, we were supposed to undertake them reached the consensus plateau. The iteration process until we reached a consensus plateau. So, the depend- allowed participants to comment on the responses of Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 23 Hiyab Gebretsadik Weldearegay Critics on Heritage Laws and Tourism Politics in Ethiopia others and revise their own opinions in real-time. Ar- to comment on the ideas they significantly agree or ticles deemed outliers and not accepted by a majority disagree. Multiple iterations penalised outlier re- but had subjectively substantive reasoning on why and sponses by ventilating them until the establishment of how they disagreed or significantly disagreed again a consensus plateau. The consensus level was exposed circulated for discussion. We reiterated this process against 20% as the cut-off point to reach a satisfactory to penalise outliers until we established a declarable consensus plateau, and the agreement was that there consensus plateau. We measured the Consensus Level should be a maximum coefficient of variation of 12% for all identified salient issues of specific objectives, in all specific objectives. So, we sent back justifications ensuring agreement with a maximum 8% coefficient that passed this cut-off to panellists, declaring that the of variation. Delphi’s method requires a penalised at- panellists reached the Consensus Plateau and closed trition coefficient of variation of up to 20% as the cut- this justifying Phase. The Attrition Rate stood at 4%, off point to reach a satisfactory consensus plateau. So, with a 96% response rate. issues that passed this cut-off point were consolidated and sent back to panellists, declaring that Consensus Last Phase: Termination Plateau was born and the identification phase was In the Termination Delphi Phase, we brought togeth- closed. Abstention was monitored and was at 5%. er the first consensus Plateau result document and the second consensus Plateau result document to be Third Delphi Phase: Justification adjourned by the panel. We measured the response The third Delphi Phase was the Justification Phase. In rate at this particular Phase, which was 100%, with the Delphi method, analysis and synthesis coincide 63 panel members remaining until the end of the with data collection and panellists, given the academ- Delphi process. The process occurred through a lais- ic and professional Authority they should have on the sez-faire communication structure, allowing the ex- topic of inquiry, which are partly analysers and syn- perts to provide any late feedback about the consensus thesisers. The justification phase does play this role. Plateaus reached earlier and to revise their opinions So, this third Delphi started through specific (Brain) through subjectively good rounds of iterations. Final- storming in justifying the lists of salient issues. The ly, we endorsed the two Consensus Plateaus with a typical (Brain) storming followed by a collection of 5% coefficient of variation. The final summary report justifications for why the problems under each spe- of the adjourned Delphi result was produced and re- cific objective were salient. Panellists have received turned to all the participants who had handed in the reasons, and responses converted into defuzzification. questionnaire from the first round. Finally, we produced an intermediate summary of this round and monitored the attrition rate, resulting in 67 Results and Discussions panellists. We did not close this justifying process at Result and Discussion on Specific Objective 1 this Phase or reach the conclusion plateau. We struc- As mentioned elsewhere, the first specific objective tured the next rounds based on the responses to the of this research was to analyse the substantive spirit previous stages. and essence of the FDRE constitution on mandate ju- risdiction about heritage matters between the Federal Fourth Delphi Phase: Consensus Measuring Phase on and State. The panels of experts in the Delphi process Justification have found that governments predominantly respond In this Phase, the intermediate summaries of justifi- to the national question by giving powers to States in cations collected during the third Delphi for all spe- six critical articles. However, one article has elements cific objectives were sent back to each panel member of Unitarianism bias. The panels of experts of the Del- and subjected to the consensus test; this was an in- phi concluded this by providing the following justifi- quiry to put their agreement or disagreement levels cations: one, the fact that all sovereignty resides in the in a 5-Point Likert Scale with space allowing experts nations, nationalities, and peoples of Ethiopia (Article 24 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Hiyab Gebretsadik Weldearegay Critics on Heritage Laws and Tourism Politics in Ethiopia 8 (1) of the FDRE Constitution) indicates the fact that in this document), the general substantive spirit and the federal government cannot be sovereign to state essence of the Constitution of the FDRE has been seen government in any matters, which of course heritage by the panels of experts of the Delphi to be predomi- cannot be exceptional. Another article mentioned by nantly responding to the national question by giving the experts of Delphi panels is Article 39(2), which powers to States in four critical articles. However, as stipulates that every Nation, Nationality, and People in stated in four critical articles, one article has elements Ethiopia has the right to promote and develop its cul- of Unitarianism bias. However, one article has ele- ture and preserve its history. This article explicitly un- ments of Unitarianism bias. covers the implicit essence of Article 8 (1) on matters of sovereignty is said by the panels of experts of the Result and Discussion on Specific Objective 2 Delphi that this article is augmented by Article 39(3), The second specific objective of this research was to which stipulates that States have the right to a full critically evaluate the Constitutional Permissibili- measure of self-government which includes the right ty of FDRE Heritage Proclamation No. 209/2000. In to establish its institutions of government in the terri- this regard, the panels of experts have made striking tory that inhabits, that shall consist of institutions that epistemic theses and antitheses argued with iterations govern matters of heritage treasures. One exception in until they reached the censuses plateau. Accordingly, the Constitution about heritage is Article 51(3), which the following articles were listed to be impermissible; stipulates that the federal government shall establish Article 23 (2) on “Transfer of Ownership of Cul- and implement national standards and essential poli- tural Heritage” Article 23(2) of the FDRE Proclama- cy criteria for protecting and preserving cultural and tion No 209/2000 states, “The Authority shall enjoy historical legacies. These expressions, though they are a right of preemption over the sale of cultural herit- post-structuralist ideas, are contrary to other articles age”. A right of “preemption” means, in law, the judi- mentioned above and are opposed to the national cial principle asserting the supremacy of Federal over question, as they somehow put multi-layered sover- State legislation on the same subject. Hence, it means eignty on heritages or at least are characterised by the the Authority, a federal institution, has sovereignty hybridisation of responsibility; this makes the Con- over the sale of cultural heritage. The panel conclud- stitution somehow suffer the polyphony-monograph ed that this article is not constitutionally permissible, dilemma. Besides this, there is constitutional silence saying the national Authority cannot get such su- or at least vague expressions that amount to silence, premacy over nations and nationalities on the sales of on the schemata of exercises of the above stipulations their treasured heritage. Here are the following justifi- in the Constitution, which produced the epistemo- cations: The federal House of Peoples’ Representatives logical and dialectical problems of being significantly (HPR) does not have the power to proclaim legisla- rhetorical, lacking transcendence or going beyond its tion that declares a right of preemption (supremacy of philosophical concept, into actualisation in answering the Federal Government) on the sales of heritages of the national questions. Though the panel did not deny these nations and nationalities. Article 8, Sub-Article that the structure of this article somehow suffers from 1 of the Constitution states that all sovereign power re- Unitarianism bias, they saw it as an indication that the sides in Ethiopia’s countries, ethnicities, and peoples. federal government has to establish just essential poli- So, according to Article 8, Sub-Article 1 of the Consti- cy criteria. This comparison was made concerning the tution, the federal government cannot, in any case, be Constitution’s general essence and substantive theme, supreme to Nations and Nationalities. According to as put in other articles listed above, and not as an in- Article 55(1) of the federation’s Constitution, the fed- dication of sovereignty over state matters of heritage. eral HPR cannot proclaim legislation in matters other Generally, starting from Article 8 (1), Article 39(2), than those expressly assigned by the Constitution to Article 39(3) and probing through Article 52(1) of the federal jurisdiction. Article 52(1) states that any power Constitution (its stipulation will be found elsewhere not explicitly given by the Constitution to federal ju- Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 25 Hiyab Gebretsadik Weldearegay Critics on Heritage Laws and Tourism Politics in Ethiopia risdiction is the power of the States. The Proclamation political implications: it opens doors to delay conser- does not expressly grant federal control over the right vation and restoration; it is fertile for individuals that of preemption regarding the sale of cultural heritage, have a bias in giving attention to weathering of her- as stated in this article. Therefore, the power to exer- itages; it gives a chance to erase nations’ memories; cise this right belongs to the States. and provides loopholes for historical cleansing by sys- Article 39(2) of the Constitution stipulates that tematic suppression of evidence of a people that do every Nation, Nationality, and People in Ethiopia has not conform to the destroyer’s politically motivated the right to promote and develop its culture and histo- perception of what is appropriate. Disremembering ry. So, the federal government cannot deny this right. the unconstitutionality of the Proclamation and just Fourth, according to Article 39(3) of the Constitution, focusing on pure logic, the panel interrogated, “Can every nation, nationality, and people in Ethiopia has the federal Authority be fair enough to be concerned the right to a full measure of self-government, includ- on the conservation, restoration and protection of the ing the right to establish its government institutions heritage of all nations and nationalities given the com- in the territory it inhabits. This argument supports peting and counterproductive historical narrations of that the federal government cannot, in any case, be the country? Who is emotionally better connected to supreme to Nations and Nationalities in all matters. the treasures of the nations: the nations themselves or As such, heritage matters cannot be exceptional. An- the federal government? The panel has finally reached other justification provided by the panel is that the a plateau conclusion that in a country where compet- article’s overall substantive spirit and essence suffer ing historical narratives are rampant, it is natural and from Unitarianism and Imperialism biases with the experienced that a battle is raging between those who interest of political hegemony in the politics of her- want to destroy and those who try to restore national itage and centralising power at the federal level. The treasures. This Proclamation, which gives loopholes panel of Delphi provided the last justification, stating to the former, can be conclusively regarded as lacking that the Proclamation of selling heritage is incor- logical and legal rationalities. rect. The panel argues that this case involves heritage and political and economic problems. Firstly, it goes Article 30 (1) on Permit Requirement of Exploration against international declarations that we will discuss Article 30 (1) says, “No person may conduct explora- in subsequent sections of this paper. Second, “Whose tion, discovery, and study of cultural heritage without heritage is to be sold, by whom and to whom?” The obtaining a prior written permission from the federal panel supports its claim that the article can also be the Authority.” loophole for the illegal trafficking of many states’ his- The panel stated that the FDRE Constitution does torical property. not expressly grant federal power the right to explore, Article 19 (1) on Conservation and Restoration of discover, and study cultural heritage. Any power not Cultural Heritages: Article 19(1) says, “Any conserva- explicitly assigned by the Constitution to federal ju- tion and restoration work on Cultural Heritage must risdiction is the power of the States, Article 52(1). So, have prior approval of the federal Authority”. This ar- the panel concluded that it is the state government’s ticle was considered constitutionally impermissible by power, not the federal government’s. The Delphi the panel because it is inconsistent with Article 39(2) discussants again emerged from the legal issue and of the Constitution, which stipulates that every Na- concentrated on logical matters. According to the tion, Nationality, and People in Ethiopia has the right summarised result, given the historical competition to promote and develop its culture and to preserve its and cultural polarisation in the country, the federal history. The panel says that the power is expressly giv- Authority has illogical empowerment to decide which en to the country’s nations, nationalities, and peoples heritage shall be a matter of exploration, studying, and not to the federal government. Again, the panel and discovery (striking the question of whose legacy has reached a consensus plateau that it has dangerous will get the permission for exploration and study and 26 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Hiyab Gebretsadik Weldearegay Critics on Heritage Laws and Tourism Politics in Ethiopia whose’ to be prohibited). Again, it exposes selectively someone cannot be as such for another). All in all, ar- discovering heritages that it believed would be helpful ticle 36 of Proclamation No 209/2000 was found by for historical hegemony and technically suppressed panel members of Delphi to be both illegal and irra- treasures of others in the federation from being stud- tional. ied. Article 43(1) on Heritage Inspection Article 36 on Publicizing Discoveries of Heritages Article 43(1) says, “An inspector from the Authority Article 36 says the federal Authority shall be the first may enter, at reasonable hours, any place where there to publish any field discovery in National Media. The is any heritage and conduct an inspection to ensure Delphi discussants understood that for the member that the heritage is properly maintained and pro- states to conduct exploration of heritages, the Federal tected”. The demerits of the article, as to the panel of Authority should give blessing and again, the Author- experts, are that one, it doesn’t have a constitutional ity should be convinced of the value of the discovery base as according to reports, Article 39(2), 52(1) and and first publicise it through its national media; this 41(9) heritage conservation, restoration, protection was inconsistent with Article 39(2) of the Constitu- and promotion are explicitly state powers, and not tion, stipulating that every Nation, Nationality, and federal forces; two; it generally assumes that an expert People in Ethiopia has the right to promote and de- from a national authority is above suspicion (lacking velop its culture; and preserve its history. Besides this, intent or capacity to injure local treasures in any form Article 29 (1 & 2) of the Constitution states that every- of damage); three, it doesn’t require the permission of one has the right to seek, receive and publicise infor- the owner states (nations and nationalities); four, it mation and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, doesn’t put any bureaucratic conditions that must be either orally, in writing or print, in the form of art, satisfied for an expert of a federal Authority to enter or through any media of his choice. Therefore, for the into any place of the states where there is any Herit- panel, this sub-article of the Constitution concretises age; five, its substantive spirit and essence suffer from four essential points: Unitarianism and Imperialism biases by giving ex- 1. Everyone has the right to seek information. treme trust on federal individuals; six, opposite to the 2. Anyone can publish (citizens, nations and nation- radical faith in federal individuals, it doesn’t have any 3. Any media can promote the choice of the publish- nationalities) on properly maintaining and protection of heritages. These all open doors for heritage smug- er. alities, states or the federal government). level of trust or confidence in the States (nations and glers from the federal Authority to loot and traffic 4. Article 29(2 &1) of the Constitution prohibits any treasures, their authentic environment, and sell them form of censorship. out. The panels of experts of the Delphi study, listing However, opposite to these four concrete consti- the above justifications, have concluded that article tutional stipulations, the HPR has proclaimed an un- 43(1) of the Proclamation on heritage inspection is le- constitutional article (striking the question of whose gally and logically impermissible. heritage is desired to be publicised). Apart from rais- ing legal issues, the panel of the Delphi has agreed that In the Preamble (“WHEREAS”) part of the Proclamation this article exposes selectively publicising heritages The fifth “WHEREAS” or rationalisation part of Proc- believed would be helpful for cultural hegemony and lamation No 209/2000 states that protecting and pre- technically suppressing rival treasures. Besides, the serving cultural heritage is the “responsibility of each panel said it is difficult to settle when the Authority citizen”. The panel conceived that this rationalisation’s faces differences on whether certain heritage discov- substantive spirit and essence suffer from Unitarian- eries must be publicised (as the treasured heritage for ism and Imperialism Biases. The justification provid- ed is that it destroys the power of states on the matter Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 27 Hiyab Gebretsadik Weldearegay Critics on Heritage Laws and Tourism Politics in Ethiopia of their heritages through indirect diffusion of own- conservation, the development and the diffusion of ership to any citizen at any corner of the federation, culture(Article 15). The same article is not consistent diffusing collective power of ownership from nations with the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguard- and nationalities, thereby destroying their collective ing of intangible cultural heritage, which stipulates bargaining capacity and group rights. Besides, it is un- that communities (UNESCO 2003: passim) are the constitutional because the rights to protect and pre- principal actors in decisions about what is essential, serve cultural and historical legacies are the mandates endangered, and worth safeguarding in the area of and responsibilities of the Nation and Nationalities of ICH through “bottom-up” approach and, again, not the country, Article 39(2) of the Constitution. consistent with the 2003 Operational Directives for the Implementation of the Convention for the Safe- Result and Discussion on Specific Objective 3 guarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ODs) The third objective was to evaluate the validity of which gives the indigenous people the right to iden- FDRE Heritage Proclamation No. 209/2000 against tify, define, and draw up inventories of ICH (Article international declarations on the rights of indigenous 80). It is also essentially at odds with the 1972 UNESCO peoples regarding heritage self-determination. The World Heritage Convention, which emphasises that panel found eight international declarations on mat- the aim should be to give heritage a function in the ters related to heritage self-determination. Accord- life of the community (Article 5.1) and with the 2007 ingly, eight international declarations have stipulated United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indige- the rights of indigenous peoples regarding heritage nous Peoples (UNDRIP) which stipulates that Indig- self-determination. These rights have been explicitly enous Peoples have the right to self-determination; stated or interpreted from these declarations’ general the right to cultural integrity; the right to self-govern- substantive spirit and essence. The following are arti- ment and autonomy; the right to heritage self-deter- cles of the Proclamation that contravene these declara- mination and to freely pursue their economic, social tions: Article 23 (2) declares that transfer of ownership and cultural development (Article 3). of cultural heritage is possible and gives the federal Authority the right of preemption over the sale of Result and Discussion on Specific Objective 4 cultural heritage. This is not consistent with the 1970 The fourth specific objective of the research was to ar- UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and ticulate the potential adverse effects of FDRE Heritage Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Proclamation No. 209/2000 in the Ethiopian heritage Ownership of Cultural Property (Articles 3& 6) that economics and Tourism remuneration landscape. The outlaw import, export or transfer of ownership of panel found out, with a majority, that the law impacts cultural property; two, Article 30 (1) which says “No storylining worldviews about the existence of heritage person may conduct exploration, discovery and study and tactically loads this one-sided worldview over the of cultural heritage without obtaining a prior written preferences of tourists that come to the federal coun- permit from the federal Authority” is not consistent try. Such laws can potentially constrain access to pro- with the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and moting the historical heritages of competitors within Political Rights (ICCPR) which stipulates that indige- the country. It can be a storyline in which the destina- nous peoples have the right to self-determination and tion should be famous, a script for the country’s tour- to freely pursue their cultural development (article 1); ism product presentation, and affect promotion and three, Article 19(1) which says “Any conservation and mould public opinion on how much tourists should restoration work on Cultural Heritage shall be carried stay and where; this is because such legal-structural out with the prior approval of the federal Authority” problems can get the institutional and industrial shape is not consistent with 1966 International Covenant as institutions can act as fertile farms for certain polit- on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) ical ideologies by giving or denying institutional and which declares the right of indigenous people for the administrative support to certain political discourses 28 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Hiyab Gebretsadik Weldearegay Critics on Heritage Laws and Tourism Politics in Ethiopia or even reflecting what is known as institutional rac- nities is possible, and the community can legitimately ism. Therefore, the structure of governance of herit- wish to draw benefits from their heritage treasures ac- ages can actively or inactively sabotage the free flow cording to their criteria and priorities; three, almost of tourists. The tourism business sub-sector can be an all of these declarations assume there are no heritages instrument and victim of these politics. This way, this without the heir or heritage bearers as there are no may defy the national prestige (identity and political) folklores without the folks. tourism could mean to nations and nationalities of The fourth conclusion made by the Delphi study the federation, and a substantial scale of quarrel may panel of experts concerns the harmful effects of Ethi- occur over how a specific heritage/attraction in the opian heritage laws on tourism economics. The panel, Ethiopian multi-national coalition should be valued by a majority, concluded that the law harms heritage (preserved, conserved, developed and promoted) for economics and fair remunerations from tourism. all to get justifiable economic and non-economic re- muneration from tourism. Recommendations This study has critically examined how politics re- Conclusions and Recommendation flects in heritage governance in Ethiopia and, as a re- One conclusion reached by the Delphi study panel of sult, impacts the landscape of tourism remuneration experts is that the overall substantive spirit and es- in the country through heritage laws. sence of the Constitution of the FDRE indicates that The fact that the research design inhabits some the power to preserve, protect, investigate, and pro- characters of exploratory nature, meaning such kinds mote cultural heritages lies under the jurisdiction of of studies were not conducted in Ethiopia before the state government rather than the federal govern- and rarely have been done elsewhere in the world, ment. at least to the knowledge of the researcher, it would The second conclusion is that the contents of FDRE not capture academic appropriateness to give fast and Proclamation No 209/2000 fall under the jurisdiction challenging prescription to the public before further of state powers. Therefore, the Proclamation is uncon- extended (with a longer spanning time) and exten- stitutional and impermissible, intended to establish a sive (with a broader scope of the study) confirmatory neo-imperialist structure at the federal level, and it is research (to confirm or dismiss) is conducted on the illegal, void, and null. issue using explanatory design with the rule of ‘re- The third conclusion reached by the panel is peatable materiality’. about the validity of FDRE Heritage Proclamation So, before the prescription is implemented, the sci- No. 209/2000 against international declarations on entific community is requested to augment this study the rights of indigenous peoples regarding herit- through comprehensive, exhaustive, extensive, and age self-determination. The panel of experts of this extended works of inquiry. Specifically, the recom- Delphi study reached a plateau consensus that the mendation is that other countries corroborate current Proclamation is not acceptable against international findings in their context; different types of research declarations on the right of indigenous peoples re- with scopes covering the intuitional and industrial en- garding heritage self-determination; this is because, vironments of the tourism sector are requested, and the communities, along with their “free, prior and in- lishing or clarifying the theories by giving depth and formed consent”, at the centre of its scheme for the one, almost all of the international declarations, place academicians should contribute to adequately estab- scale in their epistemic form. Safeguarding of cultural heritage worldwide, oppos- ing international or domestic heritage colonisation; References: and, two, almost all of these declarations stress that Al-Ansi, A., Han, H., & Loureiro, S. M. (2021). 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Communications of the ACM, 45(4), and eclectic human heritage in Lithuania. Tourism 29–32. Management, 28(2), 519–529. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). (2003). Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage. https:// unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000132540 UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). (1972). Convention concerning Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 31 Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage on the UNESCO Lists: The Example of the Sinjska Alka Vuk Tvrtko Opačić University of Zagreb, Croatia vtopacic@geog.pmf.hr Until fifteen years ago, intangible cultural heritage was considered a less recognised value requiring preservation for future generations. To ensure better protection and raise awareness of its importance, UNESCO created the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008. Today, three lists of intangible cultural heritage under UNESCO patronage include 18 intangible cultural assets, placing Croatia 7th in the world and 3rd in Europe among countries with recognised intangible cultural assets. In addi-tion to artistic value, intangible cultural heritage also has tourism value. The ques-tion remains about valuing intangible heritage in terms of tourism and integrating it into the tourism supply. The research aims to analyse the conversion of Croatian intangible cultural heritage into tourism supply, using the example of the Sinjska Alka, a knights’ tournament. It is a tradition that has continuously occurred every year since 1715. The event has been on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hu-manity since 2010. The Sinjska Alka is an example of good practice, with the open-ing of the Sinjska Alka Museum in 2015 and the transformation of the event from a one-day to a year-round tourist attraction. The research is based on an analysis of tourism statistics in the Town of Sinj, an analysis of registered visitor flow to the Sinjska Alka Museum as well as the Sinjska Alka event, an analysis of the presenta-tion of the Sinjska Alka in tourist brochures, and interviews with key stakeholders from the local public. Keywords: intangible cultural heritage, UNESCO Representative List of the Intangi-ble Cultural Heritage of Humanity, tourism valorisation of intangible heritage, the Sinjska Alka, Sinj, Croatia https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-417-0.33-47 Introduction gastronomy), languages (unique languages, music), Intangible cultural heritage was first recognised in folkways (dress, farming methods, faith, behaviour, the early 21st century as a value that needs protection folklore, stories), music and performing arts (dance, and determines a locality’s identity for future genera- music, opera), religion (beliefs, practises, ceremo- tions. Timothy (2011) includes in intangible cultural nies, gender roles), sport (play, rules, and methods), heritage the following categories of cultural assets: the and festivals and pageants (ethnic festivals, food fes- arts (art traditions, handicraft skills, foodways and tivals, religious pageants). The late recognition of the Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 33 Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage value of intangible heritage has affected its inclusion as a tourist attraction can prevent it from losing its in tourism (Melis & Chambers, 2021), and a strong- authenticity (Park, 2014), which can hurt the local er tourism valorisation of intangible heritage assets and regional identity in a way that cannot be fixed. has been noticeable only in the last fifteen or so years Intangible and tangible cultural assets included on the (Petronela, 2016; Drpić & Rudan, 2019). As with tan- UNESCO World Cultural Heritage lists are protected gible cultural heritage, the crucial role in better pro- and saved from oblivion but are branded more than tecting intangible cultural heritage is raising aware- other intangible and tangible cultural assets and, ness of its value, promoting it, and strengthening the therefore, exposed to excessive commodification tourism valorisation contributed by UNESCO. In 2008, when transformed into tourism products (Cole, 2007; the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage was Adie, 2014). This commodification has initiated inten- established. Today, there are three lists of intangible sive discussions in academic circles as to whether the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humani- blessing or burden (Pyykkönen, 2012; Moy & Phong- ty; 2) the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need cultural heritage under UNESCO: 1) the Representative inclusion of cultural assets on the UNESCO lists is a of Urgent Safeguarding; and 3) the Register of Good the panichanan, 2014; Caust & Vecco, 2017) and whether Safeguarding Practises (UNESCO, 2022). ( UNESCO lists contribute to “producing heritage” cultural heritage early on, as reflected in the many in integrating all forms of intangible cultural heritage protected intangible cultural assets under the Croa- included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, there tian Ministry of Culture and Media. The Intangible are no generally accepted models of valorising it in Croatia has recognised the value of its intangible Though there are many examples of good practises Hameršak & Pleše, 2013; Zebec, 2013). fied into the following five categories: 1) oral tradi- study for this research, is an example of the tourism valorisation of Croatian intangible heritage included tion, expressions, and speeches; 2) performing arts; 3) on the UNESCO world heritage lists. customs, rituals, and ceremonies; 4) knowledge and includes 209 secure intangible cultural assets classi- terms of tourism. Therefore, the Sinjska Alka, a case Cultural Property Register of the Republic of Croatia skills; and 5) traditional crafts (Ministry of Culture these, 18 intangible cultural assets have been on the This research aims to analyse the transformation of the Sinjska Alka, an intangible cultural asset, into a and Media of the Republic of Croatia Research Goals and Methods , 2022b). Among gible Heritage of Humanity and one intangible asset a knights’ tournament, has been held continuously every year since 1715 and has been included in the on each of the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultur- Need of Urgent Safeguarding and on the Register of sixteen of them on the Representative List of Intan- tourism product of the Town of Sinj. The Sinjska Alka, UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage list, i.e., Good Safeguarding Practices for Intangible Assets, al Heritage of Humanity since 2010. The Sinjska Alka placing Croatia 7th in the world and 3rd in Europe in was an example of good practice when the Sinjska terms of the number of intangible cultural assets on Alka Museum was opened in 2015, transforming the the Sinjska Alka from a one-day to a year-round tourist UNESCO lists ( Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia attraction and branding the new museum as an iden- , 2022a; 2022b; UNESCO , 2022). The question remains as to the manner of ade- tity builder for Sinj as a tourist destination. quately valorising intangible cultural assets in terms The research is based on analyses of tourism statis- of tourism and preserving them for future generations tics for the Town of Sinj, registered visits to the Alka while, on the other hand, enriching tourism supply Museum and the Sinjska Alka event, presentations of while not excessively commodifying intangible cul- the Sinjska Alka and the Alka Museum in tourist bro- tural heritage (Du Cross & McKercher, 2020). More chures published by the Sinj Tourist Board, and in- commercialisation of any intangible cultural heritage terviews with key stakeholders from the local public. 34 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage Figure 1 The Geographical Position of the Town of Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina Region Source Croatian Geodetic Administry (2016) Tourism flow in the administrative area of the We used official data on the number of visitors to the Town of Sinj over the last ten years was analysed by Sinjska Alka Museum from its opening in 2015 to the descriptive statistics methods using official data from end of 2021 to analyse the number of museum visits the Croatian Tourist Board and sourced from the yearly and monthly. eVisitor system for the most recent six consecutive The prevalence of the Sinjka Alka in the tour- years (2016–2021), while data for the period 2012– ist brochures and tourist maps published by the Sinj 2015 derives from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. Tourist Board and the Public Institution RERA S.D. Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 35 Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage for Coordination and Development of Split-Dalmatia its favourable and advantageous transportation links, County was determined using the method of content geographical position on the border of Dalmatia and analysis, in this case, a study of images (photographs). Bosnia, and intersecting longitudinal and transversal This method is based on the presumption that there is transport links (Magaš, 2013). Sinj and the Cetinska a link between the presence of mainly presented con- Krajina region were under Ottoman rule for 150 years tent in the analysed sources and the importance of the during the 16th and 17th centuries. Though the Treaty contributed content (Mejovšek, 2008; Zupanc, 2010). of Carlowitz in 1699 (present-day Srijemski Karlovci) The analysis of images relies on decoding the meaning led to the merger of Sinjsko Polje with the Venetian of the photographs and converting them into quanti- Republic and the eastern part with the Ottoman Em- tative data to provide statistical analysis and interpre- pire, the Ottomans attempted on several occasions to tation. The decoding process included determining conquer the entire Cetinska Krajina region, leading to the number and importance of images related to the their defeat and banishment from the area in 1715, as Sinjska Alka in the tourist brochures and the tourist affirmed by the Treaty of Passarowitz, a peace treaty map. We identified the importance of images related signed at Požarevac in 1718. The organisation of Sin- to the Sinjska Alka through the following indicators: jska Alka first appeared in honour of the win over the the size of the image, its position in the brochure ac- Ottomans as a knight’s tournament called the Sinjska cording to the page number, and the centrality of the Alka. The later periods saw Venetian, Austrian, Na- image in the page design. polean, again Austrian, Yugoslavian rule, and finally, The key local stakeholders in the tourism val- the independent Croatian Republic. orisation of the Sinjska Alka and its transformation The preserved nature of the tranquil fertile valley into a tourist product are the Sinj Tourist Board, the in the Cetina River valley, surrounded by steep karst Sinjska Alka Museum, and the Alka Knights Society. mountains, including the turbulent history of this In March 2022, their headpersons participated in a region, has become the basis for developing various semi-structured interview. natural and manufactured tourist attractions in the tourism supply of Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina re- The Sinjska Alka: A Good Practice Example gion. Some of the natural attractions requiring men- The town of Sinj (administrative region: 23,574 inhab- tioning are the geomorphological attractions such as itants; settlement of Sinj: 10,828 inhabitants in 2021; the massifs and the natural surroundings of Dinara, Croatian Bureau of Statistics (2022) is in the Dalma- the highest mountain in Croatia, and Kamešnica, tian hinterland in the most densely inhabited region which in 2021 became an integral part of the Dinara of poorly inhabited Dalmatinska Zagora in the Cetin- Nature Park. Among other critical natural attractions, ska Krajina region. The area covers the fertile Sinjsko the massif of the Svilaja Mountain and hydrograph- Polje and some smaller karst poljes between the mas- ic features such as the Cetina River source and the sifs of Dinara Mountain in the east (bordering Bosnia upper part of this karst river, including the Peruća and Herzegovina) and Svilaja Mountain in the west, artificial lake, should be mentioned. It also includes which extends northwest-southeast in the valley of attractions that stem from the appeal of the cultural the Cetina River. Sinj is 40 kilometres from Split, Cro- landscape, such as the original stone houses in the atia’s second-largest city and Dalmatia’s largest urban rural settlements; in terms of the manufactured ones, area. Some are 20 kilometres from the exit of Dugopo- the most significant importance in local tourism sup- lje on the Zagreb-Split-Dubrovnik motorway; some ply are the cultural and historic features, such as the are 50 kilometres from Split Airport. Such transport Sinj Fortress, Kamičak Fortress in Sinj, Alkars’ Court- accessibility drives general development, particularly yard in Sinj, Sinj Franciscan Grammar School, Pro- tourism (Figure 1). zor Fortress in Vrlika, Stone Bridge on Han, and the In the Middle Ages, Sinj affirmed itself as the lead- bridge on Panj. There are also sacral attractions such ing settlement in the Cetinska Krajina region due to as the Shrine of the Miraculous Madonna of Sinj, the 36 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage pre-Romanesque church of the Holy Saviour at the the Treaty of Carlowitz in 1699 (present-day Srijemski Cetina source, including traditional cultural life like Karlovci), Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina region were Ojkanje Singing, Silent Circle Dance (nijemo kolo) finally merged into the Venetian Republic (Belamarić, of the Dalmatian hinterland, the carnival procession 2015). Since then, the Alka has happened every year called Didi s Kamešnice, pottery, and local cuisine, on the first Sunday in August. Besides the main tour- followed by cultural institutions such as the Sinjska nament, the Alka, on Friday and Saturday before that, Alka Museum, Museum of the Cetinska Krajina re- the Bara and the Čoja are organised, and two prelim- gion, the Archaeological Collection of the Franciscan inary races introduce the main event. The Alka inter- Monastery, Sikirica Gallery, and also events like the twines historical local, Venetian, and Ottoman cultur- Sinjska Alka and pilgrimage on the Feast of the As- al elements in terms of the costumes, weapons, and sumption of Our Lady in Sinj. precise military rules of the tournament, including Though tourism in Dalmatinska Zagora is signif- the alkars’ parade and other participants of the alkars’ icantly less developed than on the Croatian coast and procession, in which each participant has their name, islands, in the Dalmatian hinterland, there has been role code of behaviour, and clothing (Belamarić, 2015; an increasing orientation towards tourism as the cru- 2019). The Alka is headed by the Tournament Mas- cial economic sector and its increasing importance, ter and organised by the Alka Knights Society. The not only in the day trip excursion. However, one can Alka Knights Society (2022) is an association of citi- expect the destination (longer-stay) segment of tour- zens that holds the Sinjska Alka, carefully preserving ists. The most common forms of tourism in Sinj and all the tangible and intangible aspects that make the the Cetinska Krajina region are events, religious and knights’ tournament an intangible heritage. The head- cultural tourism (especially heritage tourism), rural quarters of the Alka Knights Society and the actual tourism, cyclotourism, mountaineering, ecotourism, Sinjska Alka Museum is in the Alkars’ Courtyard in and equestrian tourism. Affirming the Sinjska Alka Sinj in one of the rarely preserved Venetian kvartirs on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural (rectangular-shaped barracks to accommodate caval- Heritage of Humanity in 2010 and the opening of the ry) in Dalmatia, built in the 18th and 19th centuries. Sinjska Alka Museum in 2015, this event, including The locals from Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina re- all complementary tourist attractions stemming from gion, including all Croatians, are strongly associated the Sinjska Alka, has become even more critical when with the Sinjska Alka, the symbol of the battle for visiting Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina region. Besides freedom and peace, uniquely celebrating honour, in- being the most prominent feature in the region’s iden- tegrity, heroism, and courage while emphasising the tity, the Sinjska Alka and alka traditions hold the Sinj tradition of the time (Belamarić, 2015). The Alka ex- identity as a tourist destination. presses the traditional identity of the Cetinska Kra- The Sinjska Alka is a unique also one of the last jina region, historically formed along the border of preserved traditional horse-riding knight tourna- Mediterranean and oriental influences, Christianity ments in Europe, in which the horse-riding knight and Islam, presented in rich folk costume, the solemn (alkar) rides at full gallop (at least 45 km/h) carry- parade of altars, and other participants in the altar ing a 3-metre-long spear and attempts to hit the alka, procession, including the traditional dialect and mu- which is a small iron ring hung from a rope across the sic. The local identity exists since the alkars are only racetrack. The alka comprises two circles with a com- reputable and honourable men from Sinj and the Cet- mon centre hold. A hit in the middle is three points; inska Krajina region. in the upper section, it is two points; and in the two side sections, one point is an award. The winner is the Tourism Flow and Accommodation Capacities horserider who gets the most points in three races. in the Town of Sinj The Alka honours the win over the Ottomans in 1715. Though tourism flow in the administrative area of the It probably began in 1718, when, after the signing of Town of Sinj, based on registered tourist arrivals and Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 37 Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage Figure 2 The Number of Tourist Arrivals and Tourist Nights in the Administrative Area of the Town of Sinj for the Period 2012–2021 Sources Croatian Bureau of Statistics (2013; 2014; 2015; 2016); Croatian Tourist Board (2016; 2017; 2018; 2019; 2020; 2021) nights, is small compared to closer coastal tourist des- in 2016 compared to 2015, coinciding with the open- tinations, there has been a noticeable trend of contin- ing of the Sinjska Alka Museum and the expansion ual growth in the last decade (Figure 2). of tourism supply stemming from cultural and rural The increasing trend is emphasising tourist nights tourism attractions with the Alka. more than tourist arrivals. From 2012 to 2019, there Based on the presented data, it is evident that were more significant risk nights each year than the the duration of the average tourist stay is becoming previous year. The exceptions were in 2020 and 2021, longer. In 2012, the average duration of a tourist stay with the sudden fall in tourism flow due to the COV- in the Town of Sinj was 1.58 tourist nights. In 2016, it ID-19 pandemic, not only in Sinj but also in Croatia was 1.19, and in 2021, the average stay was 4.86 nights, and elsewhere in Europe. Nonetheless, a significant indicating a more significant and diverse tourism increase in tourism flow in 2021 compared to 2020 supply in Sinj and the entire Cetinska Krajina region indicates that the tourism sector is recovering in the and motivating tourists to decide on more extended second year of the COVID-19 pandemic after conduct- stays. The longer average stays in 2020 and 2021 are ing the vaccination campaign and introducing COVID due to the increasing demand for individual tourist passes, thereby more clearly regulating tourist arrivals stays in less-visited destinations, enhancing the en- in Croatia than in 2020. The number of tourist ar- joyment of clean natural surroundings and preserving rivals shows a somewhat slowing growth, along with traditional cultural heritage without the need to make specific oscillations between the years, regarding the too many risky social contacts. This fact leads to new number of tourist nights in 2012–2019. Noticeably, trends in tourism, which will reflect changes in terms the number of tourist nights significantly decreased of a quicker dispersive expansion of tourism demand 38 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage Figure 3 The Number of Beds in Sinj and Other Settlements Belonging to the Administrative Area of the Town of Sinj for the Period 2016–2021 Source Croatian Tourist Board (2016; 2017; 2018; 2019; 2020; 2021) from a very touristified Croatian coastline toward less centage fell to 74.13% and 64.43% for 2019 and 2021, saturated destinations in closer hinterland regions. As respectively. It becomes evident that the rate of tourist a developing destination, in these new circumstances, nights in the surrounding areas of Sinj increased more Dalmatinska Zagora has many opportunities to devel- quickly than the percentage of arrivals; this leads to op increasingly popular alternative forms of tourism, the conclusion that tourists stay in the surrounding such as cultural tourism, events tourism, intangible areas longer than in the town. The explanation is that heritage tourism, gastro tourism, ecotourism, cyclo the tourism supply for accommodation in holiday tourism, rural tourism, for which one can expect a houses and private accommodations better suited for greater demand in the post-COVID period. more extended stays in the surrounding areas is grow- What supports the evidence of the current dis- ing quicker than in Sinj. persion of tourism in the Town of Sinj as a tourist The overall number of beds in tourist accommo- destination is a trend indicating a smaller percentage dation across the entire administrative region of the of tourist arrivals and nights in Sinj compared to sur- Town of Sinj almost doubled in six years (2016–2021), rounding settlements which belong administratively from 196 beds in 2016 to 384 beds in 2021 (Figure 3). to the Town of Sinj. Hence, the share of tourist arrivals Though Sinj recorded the most significant number in Sinj in 2016 was 96.89% of all administrative areas of beds in all analysed years, the growth was due to an of the Town of Sinj. This percentage fell to 91.81% and increase in the number of beds in other settlements in 84.05% for 2019 and 2021, respectively. In 2016, 86.72% the administrative area of the Town of Sinj. In contrast, of all tourist nights in the administrative area of the the number of beds in Sinj recorded a minor increase. Town of Sinj were in the settlement of Sinj. This per- The percentage of overall beds from other settlements Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 39 Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage Figure 4 The Number of Tourist Nights in the Administrative Area of the Town of Sinj in 2019 and 2021 by Months Source Croatian Tourist Board (2019; 2021) increased from 33.67% in 2016 to 48.44% in 2021; this the days when the Sinjska Alka happens every year, confirms the dispersion of tourism in the destination all accommodation capacities in Sinj and the Cetinska and the beginning of its maturing development phase. Krajina region are entirely booked. Domestic tourists The structure of accommodation capacities is dom- exhibit a different concentration of tourist nights dur- inated by complementary accommodation capacities ing summer. What is noticeable is that the share of in private accommodation (apartments and rented tourist nights in the 2021 pandemic year during the rooms, holiday houses), offering 295 beds, mostly two busiest summer months increased compared to the four-star category, which accounts for 162 beds. the pre-pandemic year of 2019, which is due to the ex- In comparison, a single three-star hotel in Sinj has 89 tended lockdown in Croatia and emissive European beds available. In recent years, there has been an in- markets during the winter and spring of 2021, includ- crease in the number of beds in private capacities of a ing restrictions on visiting Croatia which negatively higher category (four and five stars), which indicates affected tourism. The vaccination program and intro- an increasing quality of the destination tourist prod- duction of the European COVID-19 certificates led to uct. more precise regulations of rules for visiting Croatia Most tourist arrivals in Sinj occur during summer, and behaviour during the pandemic. Coinciding with especially in July and August (Figure 4). increased tourism demand after the winter and spring The peak season, in July and August, recorded lockdowns, this increased the number of tourist 41.88% of all tourist nights in 2019 and 51.43% in 2021, nights, which in August 2021 even exceeded the previ- indicating significant seasonality in tourism. This dis- ous record in August 2019. tribution of tourist nights by month is not surprising The number of tourist nights by foreign tourists given that most foreign tourists visit Sinj in passing in the Town of Sinj exceeded the number of tourist by while they stay on the Croatian coast, during an- nights achieved by Croatian tourists, hence the ratio nual holidays and the bathing season. Moreover, on of 60:40 in favour of tourist nights by foreign tourists 40 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage Table 1 Tourist Nights in the Administrative Area of the Town of Sinj for 2019 and 2021 According to Emissive Markets 2019 2021 STATE % OF TOTAL TOURISTNIGHTS STATE % OF TOTAL TOURIST NIGHTS Croatia 38.62 Croatia 39.25 Germany 17.89 Germany 20.54 South Korea 6.95 Poland 7.85 France 3.37 France 4.83 Netherlands 3.15 Netherlands 2.74 Romania 2.95 Austria 2.04 Poland 2.90 Slovenia 1.69 UK 2.40 Romania 1.52 China 2.09 Belgium 1.49 Greece 1.99 Italy 1.40 Other 17.69 Other 16.65 TOTAL 100 TOTAL 100 Source Croatian Tourist Board (2019; 2021) and before the COVID-19 pandemic (data for 2019) Tourism Presentation and Valorisation and during the pandemic (data for 2021) (Table 1). of the Sinjska Alka Croatian tourism’s most significant number of The method of content analysis, specifically images tourist nights comes from the most crucial emissive (photographs) in tourist brochures published by the market, i.e., Germany. A considerable share of tourist Sinj Tourist Board and the Public Institution RERA nights for 2021 have tourists from Poland and France. S.D. for Coordination and Development of Split-Dal- emissive markets indicates that in the 2019 pre-pan- of the Sinjska Alka as a tourist attraction in Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina region. The analysis covered six demic year, the more prevalent non-European and A comparison of the profile of tourist nights based on matia County, was used for interpreting the meaning tourist brochures and one map promoting tourist more remote markets (South Korea, China, and the attractions in Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina region. U.K.) were among the leading ten markets, more so They include The Town of Sinj: Tourist Guide (Sinj than in the 2021 pandemic year. The large share of tourist nights by tourists from South Korea and China Tourist Board, Tourist Board, 2021c); Miraculous Lady of Sinj (Sinj before the COVID-19 pandemic is due to slightly low- and the Town of Sinj ( 2021a); Three Museums, One Gallery, Sinj Tourist Board, 2021e); The er accommodation prices in Sinj compared to nearby Our Lady of Sinj Route: Tourist Guide (Sinj Tourist coasts. Such accommodation for tourists from these Board, 2021b); The Town of Sinj: Tourist Map (Sinj far away countries is adequate when travelling on Tourist Board, 2021d); The Cetinska Krajina Region: round-trip organised tours, which is the most com- Tourist Guide (Public Institution RERA SD for Coor-mon way of seeing Croatia. On the other hand, in the dination and Development of Split Dalmatia Coun- 2021 pandemic year, there was a larger share of tourist ty, 2021a); and The Cultural Heritage of the Cetins-nights by tourists from nearby countries like Austria, ka Krajina Region: An Overview (Public Institution Slovenia and Italy, suggesting a somewhat restricted RERA SD for Coordination and Development of Split range of tourist mobility during the pandemic. Dalmatia County, 2021b). Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 41 Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage The brochure titled The Town of Sinj: Tourist Guide the Cetinska Krajina Region. An Overview explains offers tourists the most comprehensive presentation the Alka textually and pictorially using the Monu- of town attractions; the alkar motif during the Alka ment to the alkars and the Sinjska Alka Museum as is the only motif on the cover, and describes the Sinjs- the first two cultural heritage attractions in the Cetin- ka Alka in the brochure as the first tourist attraction, ska Krajina Region and the Monument Three Genera- along with photographs of the alka and alkars’ heritage tions, presented in a photograph in the second part of on the inside rear cover, which undoubtedly confirms the brochure. In addition, the Monument to the alkars that the Alka is the greatest tourist attraction and the is one of six photographs on the back covers. primary motive for the tourism branding of Sinj as a An analysis of the images (photographs) in the tourist destination. The same brochure describes and tourist brochures of Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina re- presents the Sinjska Alka Museum as a tourist attrac- gion suggests that the Sinjska Alka and related tourist tion. Though the pamphlet Miraculous Lady of Sinj is attractions (the Sinjska Alka Museum, alkars’ heritage, thematically related to the Marian shrine that attracts monuments raised in honour of the alkars and the alka) many visitors, pilgrims, and tourists, the Sinjska Alka is the most important among the tourist attractions of is also textually and pictorially presented on two pag- Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina region and is justified in es. The brochure Three Museums, One Gallery, and assuming the tourist identity and brand in promoting the Town of Sinj describes the Sinjska Alka Museum this tourist destination on the tourist market. and attached photographs as the third most impor- The Sinjska Alka is one of the most famous tradi- tant, probably because it is open after the first two mu- tional Croatian events each year at the beginning of seums: Archaeological Collection of the Franciscan August in Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina region, at- Monastery in Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina Museum. tracting many tourists and one-day visitors. Though The tourist guidebook Our Lady of Sinj Route: Tourist there is much interest in attending the Alka, due to Guide is thematically related to the pilgrimage which seating capacity limits, the fact that the Alka Knights takes place each year in the period leading to the Feast Society endeavours not overly to touristify this tradi- of the Assumption of Our Lady. In the evening, from tional event and thereby lose its authenticity, the Alka the 8th to the 15th of August, many pilgrims make is nonetheless attended by more than 6,000 visitors the journey. The pages describing the Sinj shrine also each year, and all available seating is always full. Ac- mention the Sinjska Alka in the first paragraph. cording to internal data from the Alka Knights Soci- In contrast, the Monument Three Generations ety since 2018 on attendance at the Alka, the capacity (three men from different generations holding the of the temporary grandstand assembled each year for alka together) and the Monument to the alkars are in the Alka race is 5,170 seating places, and another ap- the photographs. On The Town of Sinj: Tourist Map, prox. One thousand visitors follow the Alka event at a photo of the altar procession from the Sinjska Alka the start and end locations of the racetrack (standing Museum is found on the back covers, and the altar places only). Hence, in 2018 and 2019, the Alka was tournament is on the inside page with short descrip- watched by 6,170 spectators. Between 2000 and 2018, tions of tourist attractions and the described Alka the number of sites on the grandstand was slightly taking the first position on the page. In The Cetinska less and amounted to 4,160 seats (Alka-Knights-So- Krajina Region: Tourist Guide, Sinj takes first place ciety, 2022). The Alka was held during the COVID-19 among other tourist attractions and localities. The pandemic in 2019 and 2020, and permitted capaci- Alka presents a synonym for the town of Sinj and the ties were significantly smaller due to epidemiological Cetinska Krajina region as its most important attrac- measures; in 2020, there were 1,740 spectators 2020 tion. A photograph of the Monument to the alkars ac- and 2,650 in 2021. companies the text. The Sinjska Alka Museum is one Given that the considerable public interest in of the Sinj museums worth visiting. It presents texts watching the Sinjska Alka live cannot be satisfied, the and photos from the brochure Cultural Heritage of tourism valorisation of the Alka, Sinj and Cetinska 42 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage Table 2 Number and Structure of Sold Tickets to the Sinjska Alka Museum for 2015–2021 Year Ticket category TOTAL Adults Students, pensioners, Family Preschoolers Group children (parents + children) (5 persons and more) 2015 2,835 6,012 369 - - 9,216 2016 4,280 13,044 730 1,649 - 19,703 2017 3,432 11,383 504 826 - 16,145 2018 3,092 10,443 446 941 - 14,922 2019 2,572 10,253 418 600 - 13,843 2020 541 755 219 38 - 1,553 2021 1,031 2,305 278 51 284 3,949 TOTAL 17,783 54,195 2,964 4,105 284 79,331 Source: Sinjska Alka Museum (2022) Krajina region required the opening of the Sinjska Year award in 2017 (EMYA 2017) and European Cul- Alka Museum in the Alkars’ Courtyard. The first idea tural Heritage Award / Europe Nostra Prize 2018 in of opening a unique museum where Alkar uniforms, Education, Training and Raising awareness (Sinjska weapons, the Alka history, and all other related val- Alka Museum, n.d.). uables would be stored and exhibited to the public The most significant number of tickets sold to appeared in the first half of the 20th century. How- the Sinjska Alka Museum was in 2016, the first year ever, the museum opened on 8 August 2015, on the in which the museum operated throughout the year. 300th anniversary of the victory over the Ottomans; After that, the number of tickets in all categories fell this was how the Sinjska Alka, an intangible cultural until 2020. The most significant decrease in the num- asset, materialised. The knights’ tournament, held one ber of visits was in 2020 compared to 2019 (a decrease day a year, became a tourist attraction open to visi- of 88.78%). The reason was the COVID-19 pandemic, tors throughout the year and gained its full affirma- which resulted in fewer tourist arrivals and reduced tion in local tourism. The Museum set is modern and mobility of people. Museum operations were rare interactively interpreted, attracting visitors of various during the lockdown, as with most other activities in ages, interests, and knowledge. Besides the exhibi- closed spaces. Also, visitors largely avoided such ven- tion, which includes alkar uniforms, equipment, and ues due to a fear of becoming infected. The second weapons, alkar statues including statutes and rules in pandemic year (2021) showed slightly better attend- digital form, including an additional exhibition area ance at the museum; the attributes for this are the stip- for temporary exhibitions, the museum also houses ulation of more explicit epidemiological regulations modernly furbished rooms for holding conferences, for visits to institutions in closed spaces, as well as the seminars and various workshops, which additionally arrival of vaccines, which gave visitors a greater sense enriches the local tourism of Sinj and providing op- of safety (Table 2). portunities for development and congress tourism. Based on the profile of sold tickets and categories, The museum has received multiple awards and rec- it becomes clear that the type of tickets for pupils, ognition. Some of the more important are the Story- pensioners and children is the most sold and attribut- telling Award by the Forum of Slavic Cultures in 2016 ed to 68.32% of all sold tickets in the analysed period, (ŽIVA Award 2016), winner of the golden plaque of more popular than the category of tickets for adults, the international cultural tourism award Plautilla in followed by preschool children, and then family and 2017, nomination for the European Museum of the group tickets. The predominance of tickets for pupils, Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 43 Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage Table 3 Number and Structure of Sold Tickets to the Sinjska Alka Museum in 2019 by Months Year Ticket category TOTAL Adults Students, pensioners, Family Preschoolers Group children (parents + children) (5 persons and more) 2015 2,835 6,012 369 - - 9,216 2016 4,280 13,044 730 1,649 - 19,703 2017 3,432 11,383 504 826 - 16,145 2018 3,092 10,443 446 941 - 14,922 2019 2,572 10,253 418 600 - 13,843 2020 541 755 219 38 - 1,553 2021 1,031 2,305 278 51 284 3,949 TOTAL 17,783 54,195 2,964 4,105 284 79,331 Source Sinjska Alka Museum (2022) pensioners and children is due to the more significant tity for Sinj as a tourist destination. They pointed out number of educational school and student excursions the importance of further intensifying the promotion and those visiting the museum as extracurricular ac- of the Alka and the need to preserve its authenticity to tivities; this is a confirmation by internal data from avoid excessive commodification and touristification. the Sinjska Alka Museum on the number of tickets Priority was also placed on its status as an intangible sold by the month in 2019 (the last year before the on- cultural asset on the UNESCO list in promoting it and set of the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of the obligation to preserve its authenticity. The head of epidemiological measures) (Table 3). the Sinjska Alka Museum importantly mentioned that The most significant number of visits to the muse- one must keep the authenticity of the Alka in line with um were recorded in July (total of 3,354 tickets sold) the strict Statute of the Alka Knights Society, which and May (2,831 tickets sold) due to the organisation of takes care of its protection and continuity of tradition school and student excursions. A significantly smaller and that there is no fear of excessive touristification. number of sold tickets were during the peak tourist Representatives of the Alka Knights Society pointed season: 1,214 in August and 484 in July; this suggests out that there are no plans to increase the capacity of that pupils and students mostly visit the museum in the grandstand for Alka visitors. organised visits, whereas tourists are significantly In addition to preserving and exhibiting alkars’ small in numbers. Indeed, here lies the critical op- heritage, the head of the museum pointed out that one portunity for tourism valorisation of the Sinjska Alka of the main reasons for its opening was also to trans- and the town of Sinj. Also, in the future, tourist visits form the Alka into a permanent tourist attraction in to the Sinjska Alka Museum should be increased to Sinj. The head of the museum highlighted the impor- make this intangible cultural asset more recognisable tance of collaboration with tourist agencies, which is in terms of tourism and the town of Sinj better brand- affirmed by the museum’s partnership with about 40 ed as the town of Alka. tourist agencies, mainly from Croatia, to get the Sin- jska Alka Museum to attract a more significant num- Views of Key Local Stakeholders in the Tourism ber of individual and organised tourists visits in the Valorisation of the Sinjska Alka and its Transformation future, and also strengthen the tourist component. As into a Tourist Product suggested by the data on the number and categories All three interview participants highlighted the im- of tickets sold, the museum is visited mainly by pu- portance of the Sinjska Alka in creating a tourist iden- pils and students regarding educational programs, not 44 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage individual tourists. The head of the museum explains 4. The new Sinjska Alka Interpretive-Educational that the large share of pupils among visitors is due to Centre the recommendation within the national school cur- 5. More frequently organised alkars’ parades in sev- ora. There has been an increase in accommodation ments were only held outside of Sinj in Split in capacities in the town and across the entire Cetinska 1832, Belgrade in 1922, Zagreb in 1946 and Vuk- Krajina region, especially in private accommodation. ovar in 2017) The COVID -19 pandemic has led to a fall in the number 7. Events inspired by the Alka, such as Vučković’s of arrivals and the duration of tourist stays. The Sinj Children Alka and similar Alka’s for children, the Tourist Board director also highlighted the thematic Women’s Alka, the Flying Alka, the Moto Alka that Sinj is a leading destination in Dalmatinska Zag-The director of the Sinj Tourist Board pointed out 6. Eventual alkars’ tournaments outside of Sinj (even though in its 300-year-old tradition, the tourna- riculum to visit the museum. eral cities in Croatia and abroad walking route (e.g., Our Lady of Sinj Trail), the bicy- cle route, and the equestrian route along the Dinara Fortunately, Sinj has witnessed such synergy, re- Mountain, along the Cetina River and the Kamešnica flected in the proper tourism valorisation of the Sin- Mountain as essential segments of the tourism sup- jska Alka as an intangible cultural heritage. An es- ply in Sinj and the surrounding region. She sees many sential aspect of promoting the Sinjska Alka abroad opportunities to integrate natural attractions from the is the project to network traditional equestrian games newly declared Dinara Nature Park into the tourism in Europe, such as the Trka na Prstenac (Barban, supply of Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina region. The Croatia), Sartiglia (Oristano, Italy), Giostra di Zante respondents highlighted the importance of the Sinj u (Zakynthos, Greece), Giostra Cavalleresca (Sulmona, sridu project, which was conducted by the Town of Italy) and other games. All three respondents point- Sinj (Sinj.hr, 2019) as the beneficiary, together with ed out good cooperation and a close connection with project partners, among which are the Sinj Tourist these three critical institutions for tourism valorisa- Board and the Alka Knights Society, and which is tion and promoting Sinjska Alka, who agree with the partly financed by the European Union through the thesis that coherent action by important local stake- European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Ad- holders is vital to success in creating and branding ditional tourism valorisation of the Alka from the new tourist products. stated project requires constructing the new Sinjska Alka Interpretation Education Centre, which will “en- Discussion and Conclusion able holding all-year interpretive-educational content Croatia is a positive example of a country that early relating to the Sinjska Alka that has already become acknowledged the importance of including its intan- an established and recognised Sinj brand.” Though gible cultural assets on the UNESCO lists, where its the new Sinjska Alka Interpretation Education Centre cultural assets become living guardians of the local on the Sinj Hippodrome is still in the planning stages, identity and a statistical value transforms into com- all the stakeholders have pointed out its vital role in mercial value, used to expand tourism supply in many the future positioning of Alka as a year-long tourist destinations (Jelinčić, 2008; Smith, 2009; Opačić, attraction. 2019). The respondents concluded that further tourism The Sinjska Alka, a knights’ tournament, has be- promotion of Alka requires its upgrade in several dif- come a beneficial case study. The town of Sinj and ferent ways and through various media, such as: the surrounding (Cetinska Krajina) region are tour- 1. Tournaments, knights’ tournament, as listed on the UNESCO Repre- istically branded thanks to this traditional equestrian 2. The Sinjska Alka Museum sentative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of 3. The Cetinska Krajina Museum Humanity in 2010 and reflects as the successful exam- Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 45 Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage ple of tourism valorisation of intangible cultural her- Alka Knights Society. (2022). Internal data on the number itage in Croatia. Namely, researching the presentation of spectators (2018–2021). map has shown that Alka is the carrier of the town’s Viteško alkarsko društvo. Belamarić, J. (2019). The Sinjska Alka, a knights’ tour-and the entire region’s identity and the tourism iden-of Sinjska Alka in the tourist brochures and the tourist Belamarić, J. (2015). Sinjska alka: kulturno-povijesni vodič. tity of Sinj as a tourist destination; this shows the par- intangible cultural heritage on UNESCO lists nament in Sinj. In I. Biškupić Bašić (Ed.), Croatian allelism between the frequency of the presence of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia. (pp. 30–31). Alka in analysed tourist communication means (bro- Caust, V., & Vecco, M. (2017). Is UNESCO World Heritage chures) and its significance (Mejovšek, 2008; Zupanc, recognition a blessing or burden? Evidence from devel- 2010). Strengthening the Alka brand in the town’s and oping Asian countries. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 27. modern and interactive Sinjska Alka Museum, which Cole, S. (2007). Beyond authenticity and commodification. Annals of Tourism Research, 34 (4), 943–960. opened in 2015, helping Alka and the alkars’ tradi- region’s tourism identity has been facilitated by the https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2017.02.004 tion become a daily materialised and institutionalised Croatian Bureau of Statistics. (2013). Tourism, 2012 (Statis- tourist attraction among the tourist attractions of Sinj tical Reports 1491). Croatian Bureau of Statistics. (2014). Tourism, 2013 (Statis- and the Cetinska Krajina region. Nonetheless, what is tical Reports 1515). evident is that profiling the museum as a tourist at- Croatian Bureau of Statistics. (2015). Tourism, 2014 (Statis-traction will need more work in the future because tical Reports 1539). analysing the number and profile of sold tickets has Croatian Bureau of Statistics. (2016). Tourism, 2015 (Statis-shown that pupils and students are the leading groups tical Reports 1564). on tourism flow and accommodation capacities has popis 2021. https://popis2021.hr/ Croatian Geodetic Administry. (2016). Central registry of determined that tourism development in Sinj and its of visitors, not tourists. A statistical analysis of the data Croatian Bureau of Statistics. (2022). Rezultati popis 2021: surrounding region shows positive tendencies, though Croatian Tourist Board. (2016). spatial units in the Republic of Croatia. GIS shapefiles. a less developed destination than those on the coast. tourism flow and accommodation capacities eVisitor: statistical data on . This assessment indicates growing accommodation Croatian Tourist Board. (2017). eVisitor: statistical data on capacity and tourism flow, not only in the town of Sinj tourism flow and accommodation capacities. but also in its surrounding regions, which conforms Croatian Tourist Board. (2018). eVisitor: statistical data on contributing to the dispersion of tourist attractions Croatian Tourist Board. (2019). eVisitor: statistical data on tourism flow and accommodation capacities . for this specific destination. One can expect positive to the tourism valorisation of various attractions, tourism flow and accommodation capacities. trends in the further maturing of Sinj as a tourist des- Croatian Tourist Board. (2020). eVisitor: statistical data on tination when the newly declared Dinara Nature Park, tourism flow and accommodation capacities. Croatian Tourist Board. (2021). eVisitor - statistical data on in the immediate proximity of Sinj, fills its utilisation. tourism flow and accommodation capacities. The presumption is that the protected natural heritage Drpić, D., & Rudan, E. (2019). Event competitiveness in will be an additional factor in creating coherent local heritage tourism in rural Croatia. Academica Turistica, tourism, which will be based on tourist products from 12(2), 161–172. the tourism heritage, natural and cultural, where one Du Cross, H., & McKercher, B. (2020). Cultural tourism. gion and the entire Dalmatinska Zagora. Hameršak. M., & Pleše, I. (2013). Uvod u proizvodnju baš- tine. In M. Hameršak, I. Pleše & A.-M. Vukušić (Eds.) can find abundance in Sinj, the Cetinska Krajina re- Routledge. References Proizvodnja baštine: kritičke studije o nematerijalnoj Adie, B. A. (2014). Franchising our heritage: The UNESCO Jelinčić, D. A. (2008). kulturi (pp. 7–28). Institut za etnologiju i folkloristiku. world heritage brand. Tourism Management Perspec- darmedia/Meandar. Abeceda kulturnog turizma. Mean- tives, 24, 48–53. 46 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage Magaš, D. (2013). Geografija Hrvatske. Odjel za geografiju Sinj Tourist Board. (2021a). 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Cultural urban heritage: Development, Cultural Organization). (2022). Browse the Lists of learning and landscape strategies (pp. 181–196). Springer Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Register of good Nature. safeguarding practices. https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists Park, H. Y. (2014). Heritage tourism. Routledge. Zebec, T. (2013). Etnolog u svijetu baštine: hrvatska ne- Petronela, T. (2016). The importance of intangible cultural materijalna kultura u dvadeset i prvom stoljeću. In M. heritage in the economy. Procedia - Economics and Hameršak, I. Pleše & A.-M. Vukušić (Eds.), Proizvodn- Finance, 39, 731–736. ja baštine: kritičke studije o nematerijalnoj kulturi (pp. Public Institution RERA SD for Coordination and Develop- 313–333). Institut za etnologiju i folkloristiku. ment of Split Dalmatia County. (2021a). The Cetinska Zupanc, I. (2010). Pristup analizi prezentacije i vrednovanja Krajina Region: Tourist guide [Brochure]. baštine: primjer Istre [Unpublished doctoral disserta-Public Institution RERA SD for Coordination and Devel- tion]. University of Zagreb. opment of Split Dalmatia County. (2021b). The cultural heritage of the Cetinska Krajina region: An overview [Brochure]. Pyykkönen, M. (2012). UNESCO and cultural diversity: Democratisation, commodification or governmen- talisation of culture? International Journal of Cultural Policy, 18(5), 545–562. Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 47 An Intangible Cultural Heritage Asset as a Driver for the Development of Tourism: Violin Making in Cremona, Italy Raffaela Gabriella Rizzo Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano, Italy RaffaelaGabriella.Rizzo@unicatt.it In 2012, “Traditional Violin Craftsmanship in Cremona” was included in the UNES-CO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In the city, the link between the urban context and artistic craftsmanship is seen most clearly in the Cultural District of Violin Making, characterised by the so-called “atelier effect”. This high concentration of professionals in the field has led to the presence of sever-al actors that play a role in the handing down and dissemination of this art: the “An-tonio Stradivari” Cremona Consortium of Violin Makers, the Italian Violin Making Association, the Fondazione Museo del Violino Antonio Stradivari, the UNESCO office of the Cremona Municipality. The Safeguard Plan for traditional violin crafts-manship in Cremona and its application in the UNESCO Creative Cities network are now in progress. This study intends both to understand how the violin-making supply chain moves between traditional and innovative aspects and to analyse how its dense cluster of institutions and professionals (about 150) could enhance musical tourism based on the desire of tourists to get in touch with the creativity of the arti-sanal manufacture of musical instruments. The aim is to highlight how to promote this niche of cultural tourism in this period of significant changes resulting from technology implementation. Furthermore, it is necessary to understand how this aspect integrates with the other specificities of the area (e.g., the monumental ones) to convey and strengthen its image. The research was carried out through qualitative and semi-structured interviews. Keywords: Cremona, violin making, territorial identity, intangible heritage, cultur-al tourism, music tourism. https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-417-0.49-64 Introduction 2004). Between 2008 and 2021, this led to the inclusion This research takes its cue from UNESCO’s concept of in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural intangible heritage, in line with the “Convention for Heritage of Humanity of 629 elements in 139 countries the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage” (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, n.d.-a). In the (Blake & Lixinski, 2020; UNESCO, 2020; Olalere, 2019; last twenty years, intense debate has arisen regarding Tudorache, 2016), approved in 2003 and then ratified the conception of intangible heritage and its impli- in various countries; this had a long gestation be- cations (Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, 2004; Bouchenaki; fore being disseminated in its current form (Aikawa, 2007; Bindi, 2013; Paratore, 2013; Morbidelli, 2014; Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 49 Raffaela Gabriella Rizzo An intangible cultural heritage asset Adell et al., 2015; Smith, 2015; Richards, 2018, pp. 6–7; Edizioni Scrollavezza & Zanrè in the series “Treasures Gualdani, 2019; Cioli, 2020; Qiu et al., 2020). of Italian Violin Making”, Parma and others; Antoldi, UNESCO’s 2003 Convention considers five Capelli et al., 2017). In past centuries, as well as in Ita-wide-ranging ‘domains’ of intangible cultural heritage ly – in the Cremona area, of course, but also in Milan, (art. 2, com. 2): in the Province of Brescia, in Mantua, in Venice, in 1. Oral traditions and expressions, including lan- Emilia Romagna, in South Tyrol, and around Naples – guage, are a vehicle of the intangible cultural her- one could find luthiers all over Europe; this occurred itage. in conjunction with the establishment and differen- 2. Performing arts. other population strata when performances spread tiation of musical products and the involvement of 3. Social practices, rituals, and festive events. from aristocratic salons to theatres (Tesini, 2016). 4. Knowledge and practices concerning nature and Bowed-stringed instruments are still in prevalent use the universe. today. On a worldwide basis, one must count the nu- 5. Traditional craftsmanship. merous classical and modern symphony and chamber orchestras and the vast number of varied formations: The reflection that follows will concentrate on octets, sextets, quintets, quartets, trios, duos (even category no. 5. However, its scope will be limited to a solely strings), and soloists. These instruments are particular kind of savoir-faire, that of making stringed also used in Conservatories, universities, and schools instruments: traditional violin craftsmanship in Cre- for Musical Education, though with specific problems mona, Italy – the only example of this type of artisanal at various levels (for example, in Italy, see Comploi & expertise in the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). In Schrott, 2019). For extremely varied information and 2012 it was included in the Representative List (UNE- reflections on string instruments, see the publication SCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, n.d.-c). Numerous A Tutto ARCO of ESTA-Italia (European String Teach-actors were involved in the intensive preparation of ers Association), Archi Magazine and Strad over dif- the paperwork for its inscription, who then under- ferent years. Thanks to the archives and catalogues of wrote the application. Illuminating is the article by exhibitions held in Cremona, it is possible to discover Fulvia Caruso (2014) – who participated in the la- all the individual instruments produced over time in borious compilation of the forms – in which Cremo- the city; following their ownership changes is more na’s candidacy is presented critically, and the proce- difficult. We are not only talking about recent instru- dure adopted by the stakeholders is described. In the ments; there are also splendidly fashioned antique end, the city’s registration was decreed at the seventh instruments in circulation, some even referred to by meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee (UNE- their names (e.g., Hämmerle, Cremonese, Principe SCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2012a), specifical- Doria or Bracco). Indeed, one of their characteris- ly with the pronouncement of DECISION 7.COM 11.18 tics is that they are incredibly long-lived and can be (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2012b). The restored and adapted (Cacciatori, 2014; 2016; Rovet- manufacture of stringed instruments in Cremona – ta et al., 2016). More or less ancient instruments are with the production of the full range of those played preserved in specialist museums like those in Milan, using a bow: violins, violas, cellos and double bass- Bologna, and Venice or Academies (Zanrè, 2017), es – commenced around the sixteenth century and Conservatories and Philharmonic Societies (e.g. that became consolidated from the 1700s onwards in the of Verona) (Magnabosco, 2008). Usually, these col- “botteghe” of master luthiers such as Amati, Strad- lections result from donations. These instruments are ivari, Guarneri, Bergonzi and Ruggeri, as well as by often the focus of studies. An example in this regard exponents of their families who made instruments is the research concerning the Ashmolean Museum for numerous monarchs, for noble families, and for in Oxford and the Museo del Violino in Cremona: a the clergy (see the volumes published since 2015 by comparison was made of 15 violins from the two mu- 50 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Raffaela Gabriella Rizzo An intangible cultural heritage asset Figure 1 Audizione alla Città: Violin Concert by Lena Yokoyama (Torrazzo, Cremona-Italy) Source https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F13JrI3_AMs seums dating from between 1564 and 1816 (including the collaboration of the Municipality of Cremona, the the famous 1715 “Cremonese” of Antonio Stradivari), Museo Verticale, the Museo del Violino, the City Po- of which 11 were crafted by luthiers in Cremona (Blü- lice force, the Chief of Police of Cremona, and Acid mich et al., 2020). Studio s.r.l. On that occasion, the violinist Lena Yo- Today, musical events are very widespread (Robi- koyama played for a quarter of an hour at the top of glio, 2009; Rizzo, 2011; Cerutti & Dioli, 2013; Cafiero the Torrazzo, the highest bell tower in Europe, in the et al., 2020; Rizzo, 2020) in towns and extra-urban centre of Cremona. The streets and piazzas were filled settings, indoors or in the open air, in large or small with the sound of the - globally broadcast - string in- municipalities, in plains, hills or mountains, and on strument, creating a particularly moving communal the shores of lakes or by the seaside… in wide open moment (also because of the deafening silence in the areas or in enclosed spaces with locations in theatres, city, typical of the initial wave of the pandemic was arenas, castles, country houses, gardens, parks, town- taking place). That said, it is worth mentioning mu- houses, auditoria, piazzas, by town walls, in churches, sic’s place in accompaniment to the other arts: music cloisters, abbeys, museums, by poolsides, in cellars, at in film, music for the theatre, dance or a medium like agriturisms, on farms or anywhere that the spaces will television with its varied range of programmes. allow. Music played on string instruments may be en- So, faced with this proliferation of events, includ- joyed in its own right or part of more complex events. ing festivals and – a series of individual – concerts, the Examples are in Italy, Sorsi d’autore in the Veneto, or question naturally arises: what possible relationship EnoArmonie in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (with guided may exist between working musicians and the ICH of tours, tastings, performances, exhibitions, etc.). Em- Cremona and whether this relationship is transmitta- blematic was the initiative titled “Audizione alla Cit- ble to the spectators/listeners or if they are aware of it tà”, organised on 4 April 2020 by Pro Cremona with themselves. Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 51 Raffaela Gabriella Rizzo An intangible cultural heritage asset The manufacture of string instruments in Cremo- in Cremona and giving them a sense of iden- na has continued – with alternating fortunes – to the tity. World War in which “companies in the sector were inventiveness of the internationally known reduced to nil”, from the 1960s and ‘70s, it picked up traditional violin craftsmanship, its inscrip- present day. After a notable crisis before the Second R.2: Given the high degree of skills and manual specialist district - a leader in its field anywhere in the tion on the Representative List could testify again and has now become decidedly established as a world - and with a high concentration of producers to human creativity, while contributing to (Antoldi, intercultural dialogue and to the visibility of Macconi et al., 2017, pp. 330–335). One can attribute a place-making role to violin-making and the intangible cultural heritage as a whole. its associated associations and institutions (Caruso, R.3: Past and current efforts to safeguard the 2014). Qiu generally states: “From performing arts, craftsmanship enjoy the participation and traditions and knowledge of practices, ICH provides the municipality and national government, place-making tools to improve places’ aesthetics and local institutions as well as violin-makers’ festive events, rituals, traditional craftsmanship, oral support of diverse stakeholders including and enrichment of local history, identity, and ecolo- workshops and associations. attract tourists. It contributes to an understanding gy” ( R.4: Violin-makers and their associations, to- Qiu et al., 2022, p. 15 ). The whole city identifies itself with the production of stringed instruments and gether with local institutions and representa- music. The city is presented, in the context of the #in- tives of the town of Cremona, participated in LombardiaComeMe campaign devised by the Region the nomination process and gave their free, of Lombardy, as Cremona è musica (Cremona is Mu- prior and informed consent. sic); this is not a claim linked solely to the city’s tradi- R.5: The element is included in the national in- in the ateliers of the craftsmen, in the kitchens of the by the Ministry of Cultural Properties and restaurants, in the streets, on “our” River Po. Activities; the Archive of Ethnography and tion of violin making; Cremona is music everywhere, ventory of cultural heritage maintained to do is come and discover it in person Social History of Lombardy Region also in- Everything about Cremona is music; all you have . (Comune di Cremona, n.d) in this regard, watch the eight short cluded the element in its Register of Intangi- videos of the promotional campaign on the website ble Heritage of Lombardy Region” (UNESCO cited above). Intangible Cultural Heritage, n.d.-b). The reasons discussed above bear witness to the fact that the proposal to UNESCO to insert violin-mak- Methods and Object of the Research ing savoir-faire in the list of intangible assets was able The study was conducted by examining and carefully to satisfy the Convention’s five criteria, as shown be- reading existing primary and secondary sources, both 00719, the nomination satisfies the criteria for inscrip-Decides that, from the information provided in file plemented using a qualitative investigation, with open interviews with privileged territorial actors: luthiers, low: desktop and online. This methodology was then im- tion on Representative List, as follows: R.1 teachers, representatives of city institutions, repre- : Traditional craftsmanship for violin-mak- ing has been transmitted from generation sentatives of musical associations and organisations, to generation, both through apprenticeship etc. The common denominator of these interviews and through formal education, playing an was the initial two-part question (identical for all important role in the everyday life of people stakeholders): 52 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Raffaela Gabriella Rizzo An intangible cultural heritage asset Does the Fact that it is Part of UNESCO’s Intangible Is the Tourist and Day Visitor Who Arrives in Cremona Heritage Help Actors to Highlight and Promote Cremona Aware that he or she is Visiting One of UNESCO’s as a Place Where Stringed Instruments are Made? “Intangible” Sites? The rationale behind this question draws inspiration This latter question, again asked to the district’s actors partly from the article by Qiu, Zuo and Zhang, Intan- and (in this phase, because of the current pandemic, gible Cultural Heritage in Tourism: Research Review it was not possible to reach tourists) not to the tour- and Investigation of Future Agenda, in which the au- ists themselves, is imprinted on the vision and per- thors conduct a review of academic studies regarding ception that the tourist has of the intangible heritage the relationship between tourism and ICH, reflecting represented by ‘violin making in Cremona’. It draws on how ICH influences the process of place-making: its inspiration – though with a qualitative investiga- “the image and emotion perceived from ICH deserve tion – from studies regarding the impact of tourism more research, and place-making results within and on the inscription of heritage (tangible or intangible) without ICH elements should be clearer. For example, of other resources inserted in the UNESCO list. These what is the role of ICH in place-making and place- analyses investigate whether such inclusions in the list making? How does ICH contribute to tourists’ cogni- - in so far as they guarantee the (intrinsic) value of the tion and emotion in the place-making process? How heritage being visited – do or do not become a feature do tangible and intangible heritages bring differences of attraction for the tourist (Huang et al., 2012; Iva- in place making?” (Gasparini, 2017; Qiu et al., 2022, nunik et al., 2021; Bak et al., 2019; Canale et al., 2019; p. 15). De Simone et al., 2019; Mariani & Giuzzardi, 2020). Figure 2 Location of the Province of Cremona Source by the Author using QGIS 3.34.4 and OpenStreetMap carthography Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 53 Raffaela Gabriella Rizzo An intangible cultural heritage asset The Context of the Research The figures demonstrate that tourism is, for now, a Having decided on the methodology of the study, set- limited phenomenon. Battilani (2019) also asserts ting the two-party research question in a well-defined that “the entire Province of Cremona has never been context was deemed appropriate; this revealed itself a tourist destination, despite the splendid cathedral to be complex. and the attraction of the violin makers. The limited From a methodological point of view, it was nec- number of tourist presences proves this. The interest essary to: in tourism is very recent and has grown in parallel a) define the area under examination – with the reappropriation of the ancient art of the luth- Cremona, city of music iers”(pp. 120–121). – along with its tourist flow. b) Identify the fundamental aspects that have recent- Covid and Post-globalisation ly delineated (and are continuing to transform) A multidisciplinary debate about the crisis of the tourist destinations linked to UNESCO sites and paradigm (and of the dynamics) of globalisation is others. currently taking place (Flew, 2020; Islam, 2021; Rou-c) Trace the identity of the contemporary tourist. dometof, 2021; Shukla, 2021; Contractor, 2022). The re- search shown here refers, on the one hand, to a period The Territorial Context: Tourist Flows in Cremona in which SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19) has been pandemic The research began in the Province of Cremona before – perhaps now at the beginning of a post-pandemic focusing on the urban context of the city of Cremona. phase? – and, on the other, in an era of post-globalisa- Situated in the southern part of the Region of Lom- tion. Academics and researchers are trying to under- bardy, this province had, on 1 January 2021, a resident stand what a new model of this phenomenon might population of 352,242 and an area of 1,770,407 sq. km. be, as is nicely summarised by James and Steger: “’re- The province presents itself (again in 2021) with globalisation’, that is, a profound rearrangement of 316 structures offering accommodation (hotels and globalisation’s constituent formations that are moving others) that can boast 4,178 beds, mostly in 3- or 4-star conjecturally at different speeds and levels of intensi- hotels and agritourims. In the five years 2015–2019, ar- ty” (James & Steger, 2021, p. 807). rivals and overall stays increased, ending with 228,278 arrivals and 391,438 overnights. One can note a pre- The Figure for the Tourist dominance of domestic tourism from the Lombardy In a similar scenario characterised by multiple chang- Region and nearby Regions such as Emilia-Romagna, es in society and, simultaneously, by a certain degree the Veneto and Piedmont, with an average stay of 1.7 of (generalised, worldwide) uncertainty about the days. The 2020–2021 has not been considered, given future and hypothetical forecasts about what that the drastic reduction in numbers due to the COVID-19 future might be, how can one describe the figure of pandemic, whose only noteworthy outcome was in- the tourist? And, more specifically, that of the cultur- creasing the average stay to 3 days. Changing territori- al/musical one? To try to reply to a question of this al scale and entering the situation in the municipality significance, it is worth remembering that one of the of Cremona (the province’s capital lies in the centre of significant challenges of this historical period (see b.) the Po Valley), this contains in its territory (70,492 sq. is digital transformation, which is still taking place. km) 44% of the province’s establishments offering ac- In this regard, one is reminded of the six pillars of the commodation. This percentage covers 35% of the beds Recovery and Resilience Facility of the European Un- (1,466) available in the province. Tourist flow in the ion (European Union, 2021) and the Piano Nazionale municipality consisted of 81,012 arrivals and 156,133 di Ripresa e Resilienza #Nextgenerationitalia (Fadelli overnights in 2019, characterised by the same snap- & Fava, 2021; Ministry of Economy and Finance of It- shot of provenance indicated at the Provincial level aly, 2021a; D’Alessio, 2022; Meazza, 2022). The Italian (Province of Cremona-Statistics Department, 2021). Plan contains “a series of actions and interventions 54 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Raffaela Gabriella Rizzo An intangible cultural heritage asset designed to overcome the economic and social impact and cultural tourism in this age of Tourism 4.0 – and of the pandemic and construct a new Italy … giving heading towards 5.0 (Carbone, 2020; Pencarelli, 2020; it the necessary instruments to face the environmen- Stankov & Gretzel, 2020): smart tourism, e-tourism, tal, technological and social challenges of our time Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality, virtual re- and of the future” (Ministry of Economy and Finance ality, metaverse, phygital, travel designer, travel blog- of Italy, 2021b). One of the six projected missions is ger, communities, Exponential Organization (ExO), that of “digitalisation, innovation, competitiveness Online Tour Operator/Online Travel Agencies (OTA), and culture”, which represents the second item of ex- Destination Management Organization (DMO)…: penditure and includes “investments in tourism and a lexicon that bears witness to the concatenation of culture” for a sum of over 8 billion Euro, (Missione challenges and opportunities and – at the same time M1C3 – Turismo e Cultura 4.0) (see Table 1.1 of the – potential problems and threats that the transforma- Ministry of Economy and Finance of Italy, 2021a, p. tion of the tourist sector is bringing about. 24). In Mission M1C3, the Italian government propos- es courses of action aimed at “valorising historic and The Violin Making District of Cremona: Creative cultural sites” through interventions “accompanied and Cultural Craftsmanship by efforts to augment tourist/accommodation facili- Though small in terms of the number of people it em- ties and tourism services, to improve the standard of ploys, this district is very complex: the value chain re- what is on offer and increase its overall attractiveness. veals elements of very different kinds that are closely These operations of producing added quality /renew- integrated. Most of these elements are situated in the al of what is available for tourists are in line with a city’s historic centre; they occupy urban buildings and philosophy of environmental sustainability and full create the aesthetic “landscape” of portions of the city. exploitation of the potential of digital media, taking The luthiers – who, as a whole, constitute the actual advantage of the new technologies to offer new ser- nucleus of an ‘industrial district’ – have their artisanal vices and improve access to tourist/cultural resourc- workshops mainly close to one another, and they are, es” (Ministry of Economy and Finance of Italy, 2021a, in turn, close to any satellite activities. They may sell p. 89) (Mancini Palamoni, 2022, p. 4). their products directly or commercially (Macconi Within the context of this European and national & Antoldi, 2020; Tuccia, n.d.). They often carry out picture, one finds the figure of a constantly evolving their work “in the shop window”, in full view of those tourist. On the one hand, there is talk of the phenom- passing outside. They operate practically in an experi- enon of transformational tourism (Pung et al., 2020; enced, manual fashion, with high quality and profes- Pung & Del Chiappa, 2020) as “a positive change in sionalism. Their biographies are fascinating: they have attitudes and values among those who participate in always attended the International School in Cremona the tourist experience” (Christie & Mason in Pung et or other educational establishments elsewhere and al., 2020, p. 2) and of the co-design of a cultural tourist have then undergone specialist training in the city or experience (Cuomo et al., 2021). Conversely, the tour- abroad (e.g., in Lausanne in Switzerland, New York, ist figure emerges as a subject who is “contemporary, UK…) in the workshops of eminent luthiers. One can increasingly digitalised and omnivorous concerning read their stories on their business websites or – if the content and touchpoints to gain access to informa- they are members – on the website of the Consorzio tion and make his or her choices as a consumer” (Batt- “A. Stradivari” Liutai, where one can also admire some aglia et al., 2021, p. 131). At the same time, the tourist of the instruments they have produced. The life sto- is an actor increasingly seeking experiences providing ries of the luthiers are very varied: some come from territorial identity, authenticity, and proximity. This Conservatories and are real musicians (just as an ex- quest leads the tourist to interact – not only in a pas- ample, see Gabbani Martin, n.d.) Some also have ex- sive manner – with concepts that are proposed with perience as teachers at the School of Violin Making ever greater insistence by those who produce tourism and in the workshops. They participate in instrument Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 55 Raffaela Gabriella Rizzo An intangible cultural heritage asset Figure 3 The Violin Making District of Cremona. Figure 4 The Educational Actors in the Violin Making District of Cremona. 56 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Raffaela Gabriella Rizzo An intangible cultural heritage asset Table 1 Institutions and Other Bodies in the Violin-Making District of Cremona. Group of actors Actors Education • Scuola Internazionale di Liuteria and Liceo Musicale in the IIS (Istituto di Istruzione Superiore) Training A. Stradivari Research • Workshops (Museo del Violino) • Univ. of Pavia-Faculty of Musicology in Cremona • Univ. Politecnico Milano- Master’s in Acoustic Engineering • Conservatorio Statale di Cremona/Istituto “Claudio Monteverdi” and Monteverdi Study Centre • Accademia W. Stauffer • Academia Cremonensis Public • Municipality of Cremona – UNESCO office; InfoPoint for Tourism Institutions • Region of Lombardy • Province of Cremona • Cremona Chamber of Commerce with Cr.Forma Foundations • Fondazione Stradivari • Fondazione Teatro Amilcare Ponchielli • Fondazione Cariplo • Fondazione Lucchi Theatres • Teatro Ponchielli • Teatro Monteverdi Museums • Museo del Violino • Museo Ala Ponzone Diocese of Cremona • Diocese of Cremona Fair • Ente Fiere Cremona spa Organisations • Consorzio Liutai “A. Stradivari” and associations • Confederazione Nazionale dell’Artigianato e della Piccola e Media Impresa (CNA) • Associazione Nazionale Liutai Artistici Italiani (ANLAI) • Associazione Culturale CrArT • Associazione Costanzo Porta Others • Private citizens with Town Houses • Service companies, tourist agencies (e.g., Target Turismo) • Hotels • Musician instrument shops • Other shops and services functional for the violin making district festivals, exhibitions and national and international are made up of bodies in the tertiary and quaternary competitions, such as the ANLAI (Associazione Na- sectors and have been grouped here by category (Ta- zionale Liuteria Artistica Italiana) competition in ble 1). Together, they give rise to the type of district which luthiers from Cremona compete against violin stated in the title of this section (Segre & Re, 2020). makers from the whole of Italy and around the world. Once the training at The School of Violin Making The violin-making businesses are small, usually made and, subsequently, a superior level of learning at the up of one or two persons who sometimes have moved university and an advanced course are completed, the here due to their passion (Guercini & Caccarelli, subjects may remain in Cremona, but generally, they 2020). The groups surrounding the nucleus of luthiers “disperse” elsewhere in Italy or the world. Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 57 Raffaela Gabriella Rizzo An intangible cultural heritage asset As can be seen from Table 1 and in the descriptions • Giuseppe Guarneri fiulius Andreæ (1666–1740) – on the websites of the respective institutions, training the “Quarestani” violin, 1689 in violin making and music education can be carried • Antonio Stradivari (circa 1644–1737) – the out here at any level one wishes. Many initiatives orig- “Stauffer – ex Cristiani” cello, 1700 inate in institutional establishments but involve the • Antonio Stradivari (circa 1644–1737) – the “Il Cre- tuto “C. Monteverdi”/Conservatory, there is the Mon- • Antonio Stradivari (circa 1644–1737) – the “Vesu- teverdi Festival, a top-quality event focusing on the vius” violin, 1727 whole city in close collaboration. As regards the Isti- monese” violin, 1715 mona 1567 – Venezia, 1643 and Giulio, Cremona 1573 • Giuseppe Guarneri “del Gesù” (1698–1744) – the music of the two Monteverdi brothers (Claudio, Cre- – Salò, 1630) and other outstanding coeval composers. “Stauffer” violin, 1734 (Museo del Violino, n.d.). The festival involves – apart from the Conservatory’s Mention the public institutions, the City Gov- Orchestra Monteverdi – well-established national and ernment’s Culture Department takes initiatives re- international orchestras, musicians, and students of garding the art of violin making: first, it was one of the Conservatory itself, along with theatrical and ar- the signatories of the proposal for the recognition of tistic inserts. During the festival, workshops are held ICH status; in 2021, it constituted the UNESCO Office, for instrumental and vocal groups. These events are and it is notably involved in all the main events. Last also publicised on social media. Part of the Festival year, with the Teatro Ponchielli (which has an annual also takes place in the Giovanni Arvedi Auditorium of programme), the Museo del Violino, the Conservato- the Museo del Violino, where this year, Maestro Jordi ry and the University’s Department of Musicology, it Savall played instruments from the sixteenth century. launched the first edition of the Festa del Violino. The Violin Museum works closely with all the We close this brief description of the district with entities in the district and, in some aspects, is func- two bodies always present when businesses are being tional for them (Lucarno, 2020). It also conducts promoted and initiatives to be hosted: the Cremona international collaborations and relationships with Chamber of Commerce and the Cremona Fair (Cre- the proprietors of the “Friends of Stradivari” instru- monaFiere s.p.a.). For the former and reflections re- ments, which form part of the collection exhibited in garding this paper’s subject, please see Fulvia Caruso: a particular room in the Museum. The Museum offers La Camera di Commercio di Cremona e la liuteria a tour through ten rooms, where one can first learn classica Cremonese (2017). Regarding the latter, atten- (using multimedia techniques) about the process of tion is due to the annual Cremona musica Internation-constructing a violin and subsequently admire the ex- al exhibitions and festivals. Every type of top-quality quisite instruments on show, played by top-class mu- musical instrument and event fills the spaces and the sicians on special occasions and at the short weekly calendar of the fair during the festival. concerts. In the fifth room – referred to as “The Treas- ure Chamber” – one can admire instruments by: Awareness of the Actors Regarding Cremona’s • Andrea Amati (circa 1505–1577) – the “Carlo IX” The first part of the question asked by the author re- Violin-making ICH violin, circa1566 garded an understanding of the extent to which the • Girolamo Amati (circa 548–1630) – the “Stauffer” actors involved in various ways in Cremona’s Violin viola, 1615 Making District are aware of the value of the ICH ele- • Nicolò Amati (1596–1684) – the “Hämmerle” vio- ment that they create, produce, use, or communicate, lin, circa1658 and which they should highlight and promote to a • Antonio Stradivari (circa 1644–1737) – the “Clis- highly varied public. Emblematic in this sense is the bee” violin, 1669 sign that most luthiers attach to the windows of their 58 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Raffaela Gabriella Rizzo An intangible cultural heritage asset Figure 5 Window of luthiers Gaspar Borchardt & Sibylle Fehr-Borchardt in Piazza Sant’Antonio Maria Zaccaria in Cremona, May 2022. shops/ateliers: “UNESCO Traditional Violin Crafts- erence with the Ministry is the Municipality of Cre- manship in Cremona”. mona, coordinated by its own UNESCO Office, is still The sign inspired the author to conduct explora- in progress. In this regard, the author wishes to cite tory interviews to comprehend whether the sign was the importance of the public event on 10 May 2022, only a “decorative” element affixed in the windows at which the work already accomplished was present- of their workshops or if it had, as it were, become ed to the community by the local institutions (see “alive” over time. Dialogues were conducted with the Museo del Violino, 2021 https://www.youtube.com/ main actors who work in Cremona and the environs watch?v=cucY72vidUQ). in fields involved with the savoir-faire of violin mak- Ten years after UNESCO recognition was granted, ing (see the section on methodology in this paper). the actors involved in the general agreement, coordi- From these open interviews, it emerged from all the nated by the Municipality of Cremona, have done a interviewees that they recognised the need to imple- great deal of preparatory work towards drafting the ment actions themselves in favour of the awareness Plan: in particular, they have drawn up a question- of the craftsmanship of violin making as a UNESCO naire (as an instrument in which the craftsmen can intangible element. In the context under examination, have their say) which will be given to the luthiers and the process of drafting a Plan to Safeguard the Savoir have agreed on a calendar of work sessions on the Faire of Violin Making, for which the subject of ref- themes that are considered of cardinal importance Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 59 Raffaela Gabriella Rizzo An intangible cultural heritage asset for their activity, to begin the phase of so-called “ca- (musicologists and ethnomusicologists); violin mak- pacity building”. These sessions represent, in fact, the ers (in particular the dozen or so out of 150 who are basis for the subsequent creation of measures that prepared to give guided tours of their workshops); di- will be inserted in the planning for managing the vi- rectors of the Cremona Fair; tourist guides; specialist olin-making heritage as a “heritage that is living and publishers in the musical/violin making field; and mu- therefore – of necessity – ever-changing” and also sicians/orchestra members. The question was asked to “an expertise rooted in the local context, which has these territorial actors rather than tourists because of at the same time a global scope” (Ana Luiza Massot the characteristics of the historical period in which Thompson-Flores, director of the UNESCO Regional the study was conducted. A common denominator Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, in Museo in all the interviews was the assertion that there is no del Violino, 2021). From the voices of the luthiers, also awareness of the tourists regarding the ‘UNESCO im- confirmed by the questionnaire given to them volun- material element of violin-making savoir-faire’ when tarily, it emerges that they sense the need to promote they visit the city of Cremona and its iconic locations their professionalism/activity combined with that of (e.g., the Violin Museum, violin makers’ workshops, UNESCO in an action that is synergic and shared with Ponchielli Theatre, etc.). Three declarations appear to the various institutions of Cremona. be symbolic and worthy of being quoted: “Tourists do not know about our UNESCO Awareness About the UNESCO ICH Element membership” (all the stakeholders inter- The second question in this research regards the tour-for Tourists and Day Visitors viewed); ists and day visitors’ awareness of the ICH element un- “The average tourist does not know the intan- der investigation. Of interest – and before the study gible heritage value of Cremona, and the luth- conducted by the author – is the survey carried out iers’ workshops are not perceived as tourist by Cremona’s municipal Infopoint office in 2021 on a places” (tourist guide); sample of 4,000 tourists, from which it emerges that “Cremona has always been perceived as the “69% of the tourists interviewed declared that the city of violin music; UNESCO came later, and it principal motive for their visit to Cremona was “art, is not in the tourist’s mind” (words of the luthi- culture and related events”, followed by “food and er who carries out the most significant number wine and related events” (28%)” (Province of Crem- of guided tours). ona-Office of Statistics, 2021, p. 40). Such a decision on the part of the tourist suggests that Cremona is a Conclusive Remarks destination for cultural tourism tout court and, within To understand the role and the attractive/competitive/ this, for music-based tourism. The promotional choic- complementary importance of a small city like Crem- es made by the institutional subject, the Municipality ona, one must remember that the urban cultural tour- of Cremona, bear witness to the result of this survey. ism available in Italia is highly subdivided. Apart from Taking her cue from this consideration, the author the “classic”, overly-frequented tourist destinations sought to comprehend the relationship between the of Florence, Venice and Rome, even if one considers tourist and the ICH of Cremona’s violin, making sa- only Northern Italy (Turri, 2000) – apart from the me- voir-faire. She, therefore, asked the question, “Is the tropolises of Milan and Turin – many small and me- tourist and day visitor who goes to Cremona aware dium-sized cities contain inestimable cultural heritag- that they are visiting one of UNESCO’s immaterial el- es: the Italy of the “intermediary cities” of Giuseppe ements?” in open interviews with some twenty stake- De Rita (2022). These are now all “open” for musical holders: officials of the UNESCO Office in the Munici- entertainment. From the numerous medium-sized pality of Cremona and those responsible for the city’s towns, one passes to the minor centres (Touring Club promotion/tourist information; university lecturers Italiano, 1983) and then to the so-called Borghi, where 60 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Raffaela Gabriella Rizzo An intangible cultural heritage asset one can enjoy a slower-paced, alternative form of sition to seek out these characteristics in a larger area tourism. Within 100–200 km from Cremona, we find (Scaratti, 2020). In the case under investigation, this Pavia, a Longobard city on the Via Francigena; Pia- necessarily includes frequenting the numerous musi- cenza, with the imprint of the Farnese family; Man- cal events that are offered throughout the year. tua*, the city of the Gonzagas and the painter Man- tegna; Bergamo with the walled Bergamo Alta and the References birthplace of Donizetti; Brescia with the complex of Adami, A. (2020). Rileggere un territorio e il suo heritage era and music in general; and then to the south-east rating a territory and its heritage through music: Crem- ona, beyond Stradivari. In R. Cafiero, G. Lucarno, G. Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena*, Bologna* and Ferr- Santa Giustina; Verona*, the city of Shakespeare, op- attraverso la musica: Cremona, oltre Stradivari/Re-nar- ara* (* Onorato, & R. G. Rizzo (Eds.), Turismo musicale: storia, UNESCO tangible World Heritage Sites). For Cremona, being a UNESCO ICH site is a plus Adell, N., Bendix, R. F., Bortolotto, C., & Tauschek, M. geografia, didattica (pp. 272–281). Pàtron. factor, which should be communicated as much as (2015). Between imagined communities and communities possible (Gomez-Oliva et al., 2019); this calls, on the of practice-participation, territory and the making of part of the recipient, for a specific sensibility and ac- heritage. Universitätsverlag Göttingen. culturation regarding the role of UNESCO, which Aikawa, N. (2004). An historical overview of the prepa-seems more obvious as far as what is “tangible” is ration of the UNESCO International Convention for UNESCO should become a forma mentis, on whatever «suonano»: i fattori critici di successo della produzi- scale locations are being considered. In our case, one one italiana di strumenti musicali. Quaderni di ricerca might pressure musicians (violinists, cellists, and bass sull’artigianato, 3, 323–350. players) to underline their trait union with the vio- Antoldi, F., Macconi, I., & Gaiardi, S. (2017). 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Information Technology & Tourism, 22(3), 477–488. 64 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Smart City Branding: Kota Manado Carly Stiana Scheffer-Sumampouw Ilynka Maria Aprilia Singal University Pelita Harapan, Indonesia University Pelita Harapan, Indonesia Carly.scheffer@uph.edu mariailynka@gmail.com Magdalena Lestari Ginting University Pelita Harapan, Indonesia magdalena.ginting@uph.edu The SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) have seventeen development priori-ties for UN member countries. The eleventh goal is to build inclusive, safe, durable, and sustainable cities and settlements. Thus, Indonesia’s smart city branding should align with the SDGs’ sustainable city concept. Indonesia’s 34 provinces are divided into 98 cities and 416 districts. The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology of the Republic of Indonesia drives the country’s intelligent city initia-tive. In 2017, Manado City became one of Indonesia’s first 100 smart cities. This article uses a qualitative approach with exploratory research by observa-tion-visiting Manado, relating with the people, meeting and interviewing govern-ment officials and tourism experts, and then triangulating it with an internet news articles search. It can be inferred that the idea of smart city and city branding is considered a top-down policy from the central government. Policymakers and the Manadonese tourism community work in isolation, resulting in “diversity in har-mony” remaining a slogan rather than being promoted as a solid brand. The findings, diversity in harmony, truly serve as the DNA of Manado. However, in-telligent city branding requires a collaborative effort from a visionary government, the tourism community, and the inhabitants. Keywords: city branding, SDGs, smart city, Manado https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-417-0.65-75 Introduction transport, with special attention to the needs of those The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have sev- in vulnerable situations, women, children -children, enteen areas that become references for countries that people with disabilities and the elderly; (iii) By 2030, are members of the United Nations to carry out de- promote inclusive and sustainable urbanization and velopment. The eleventh goal of the SDGs is to build capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable cities and settlements that are inclusive, safe, durable, settlement planning and management in every coun- and sustainable. This goal operationally has small tar- try; (iv) Strengthen efforts to protect and preserve the gets to be achieved by 2030, including: (i) By 2030, world’s cultural and natural heritage; (v) By 2030, sig- ensure access to adequate, safe and affordable housing nificantly reduce the number of deaths and the num- and basic services for all and improve the quality of ber of people affected and substantially reduce the slum settlements; (ii) By 2030, provide access to safe, direct economic losses associated with global gross affordable, accessible and sustainable transport sys- domestic product caused by disasters, including wa- tems for all, improve road safety, by increasing public ter-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 65 Carly Stiana Scheffer-Sumampouw et al. Smart City Branding poor and the being in a vulnerable situation; (vi) By that customers have which give value to a product or 2030, reduce the adverse environmental impacts per service (Keller, 1998). Kapferer (2012) defines brands capita in cities, including by paying special attention as having financial value because brands create as- to air quality and municipal and other waste manage- sets that stick in the hearts and minds of customers, ment; (vii) By 2030, provide universal access to safe, distributors, and opinion leaders. The manifestations inclusive and accessible, and green public spaces, es- of these assets include brand awareness, belief in ex- pecially for women and children, the elderly and per- clusivity, excellence, valuable benefits and emotional sons with disabilities; (viii) Support positive econom- bonds. Objects that can be managed into a brand are ic, social and environmental links between urban, not limited to products, services, people or individ- peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening nation- uals, and destinations to a country. While the brand al and regional development planning; (ix) By 2020, referred to in this paper is a CITY, and this concept substantially increase the number of cities and settle- is then known as city branding. The title of this re- ments adopting and implementing integrated policies search is SMART CITY BRANDING: KOTA MANADO. and plans towards inclusiveness, resource efficiency, It consists of two main concepts, namely smart city mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resil- and city branding. The smart city concept is a city de- ience to disasters, and developing and implement- velopment that emphasises the importance of inno- ing, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster vation to solve each city’s problems by utilising ICT Risk Reduction 2015–2030, and holistic disaster risk technology, sensors, technology, and data analytics as management at all levels; (x) Support least developed a supporting factor to facilitate problem-solving (ena- countries, including through financial and technical bling factor). A smart city is formulated in the guide- assistance, in building sustainable and durable build- book for preparing an intelligent city master plan ings using local materials (Sustainable Development by the Director General of Informatics Applications Goals, n.d.). The Ministry of Communication and In- (aptika) of the Ministry of Communications and In- formation Technology of the Republic of Indonesia is formation Technology of the Republic of Indonesia). the motor for implementing smart cities in Indonesia. Smart City-based development provides a vast space Thirty-four provinces in Indonesia are divided into 98 for innovation to solve problems faced by local gov- towns and 416 districts. Manado City is included in ernments, communities, businesspeople, the world Indonesia’s first 100 smart cities, starting in 2017. In of education and various other stakeholders. So, the North Sulawesi province, Tomohon City is included Smart City initiation that appears is a partial solution in the first 25 intelligent city batches, while Manado that closes the door for innovation and further devel- City is in the second smart city batch. This paper dis- opment. cusses Manado’s smart city branding strategy since The concept of city branding itself is an exten- 2018 and the role of digital communication in brand- sion of place branding. Place branding is marketing ing the city of Manado to become an empowered and strategies to promote localities to improve their rep- globally ready region. It aims to produce a branding utation and attract residents’ attention, tourism, and campaign pattern for Manado City that can be used investment (Paganoni, 2015). The management of a as a framework for evaluation and duplication in 500 city’s brand lies with the government and, of course, other cities throughout Indonesia, specifically in the the city community. City brand management also dimension of smart branding in smart cities, accord- requires collaboration between the public and pri- ing to the smart city guidebook from Kominfo. vate sectors. Meanwhile, Keith Dinnie, editor of City Branding: Theory & Case (2011), revealed three main Literature Review concepts in managing city brands: brand architec- This research is structured with a framework of ture & brand attributes, network approach and sus-thinking starting from a brand management strategy. tainability. Meanwhile, brand communication also Traditionally, a brand is a set of mental associations depends on a city’s three target audiences, including 66 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Carly Stiana Scheffer-Sumampouw et al. Smart City Branding Figure 1 Road Map Research city dwellers, tourists (both domestic and foreign) and then promoted to specific target audiences. The local internal stakeholders. government initiates efforts to encourage this locality, A city’s branding strategy using food and beverag- but it also requires cooperation between the govern- es is a strategic step considering that apart from food ment and the private sector and empowering the peo- being a basic need every day, food and cooking tradi- ple in the city. Sustainability involves the work of all tions are also the basis for the identity and culture of parties, so the city branding research roadmap can be community groups. The food industry is an indicator described as follows: of economic growth, and how food is consumed is part of the experience economy, which is very closely relat- Nation Branding ed to the tourism growth of a city or even a country. The main elements of globalisation are apparent in The branding strategy of an area related to food should the realm of national governance. Nation branding is be understood the same as the branding strategy of a an expression of global nationalism, i.e. the belief by book, film or drama, which is essentially a process federal governments that the nation’s future consists of telling a story about who we are, where we come of finding a “beneficial role” to play in a globally in- from and most importantly, what kind of person we tegrated economic system. Under the rubric of global will become (Dinnie, 2011). Each food brings the audi- nationalism, national identities are recognised more ence to certain symbols, icons and regional identities. in terms of their suitability for capital appeal than Indonesia should be proud because we have a variety their cohesive or collegial nature. Cohesiveness and of typical culinary or iconic culinary. The term gastro a sense of belonging follow from the nation’s fitness branding emerged as an activity or process that puts to the attractiveness of capital because state policies forward names, terms, symbols, designs, or a combi- and corporate practices are mutually configured to nation of these by using marketing communication to support economic growth as an engine of citizen wel- identify everything related to food (Irwansyah, 2020). fare. The conceptual apparatus of neoliberalism com- From some of the definitions above, city branding bines the utopian vision of property ownership with is an effort to identify the local advantages of a city individual freedom, placing it as the “central value of (in Indonesia, we have cities and districts), which are civilisation.” This teaching is embedded in enforcing Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 67 Carly Stiana Scheffer-Sumampouw et al. Smart City Branding three economic practices: liberalisation, privatisation unsuccessful, and urban marketing was difficult to and stabilisation. Furthermore, these technocratic ac- understand conceptually and practically. Traditional tions are advocated as a solution to cultural and po- marketing cannot provide the correct answer for the litical problems, presented as the only necessary re- city as a product, how to determine the market for the sponse to the inevitable forces of globalisation. This city, and how to understand the target consumer for solution is called neoliberalism when globalisation is the city (Kavaratzis, 2004). A basis for discussing city presented as an economic problem. branding, a refined perspective on place emerged as Businesses and corporations “not only” collab- part of a critical discussion of urban entrepreneur- orate closely with state actors but even acquire a ship through a re-imaging analysis of localities, urban substantial role in writing laws, determining public transformation and post-industrial development, op- policies, and setting regulatory frameworks. In this erationally relegated to large-scale physical redevelop- context, the state engages in a balancing act that must ment, grand events and cultural regeneration (Antti- strengthen its authority by reducing tax and regula- roiko, 2014). tory structures to enforce a free market that becomes a consensus. Adopting public-private partnerships is Destination Branding one vivid example of this balancing act. In 2004, Hankinson conducted research on destina- The two main elements above, globalisation and tion branding, which resulted in the category of im- neoliberalism, organise today’s thinking about na- age attributes related to history, heritage, and culture tions in different but familiar ways. The representation that could shape the image of a tourism destination of countries through time has revealed the close rela- brand. Then, in 2005, Wisansing researched desti- tionship between commerce and culture, morals and nation branding, examining various components of markets, and national and global. If nation branding destination branding in Malaysia. The results of this represents business transformation in articulating na- study conclude that all products require a brand to at- tional identity, then this novelty explains what makes tract customers. In this context, Malaysia has elements nation branding refer to commercialisation, corpora- that contribute to the success of destination branding: tisation, or commodification (Aronczyk, 2013). a strong brand, firm commitment and positioning, marketing capabilities, and unique tourism products. City Branding In 2006, Peterson researched destination branding, re- Cities are part of the state, so the commercialisa- sulting in several studies from laboratories, museums, tion of cities requires a strategy. Cities have always works of art, and culture. This research study concludes been something of a brand, though not necessarily that a good national brand construction will construct well-managed. It is still rare for a city to be perceived an excellent social image. A good social image will be as relevant to its services, production, attributes, repu- created if state and destination brands are properly tation, visual associations and stories that significant- nurtured. The social image of the state brand is cre- ly influence the decision to visit. Middleton (2011) ated by building good destinations such as museums, claims that in a world where cities and regions com- city parks, festivals, tourism events, hotels, good res- pete aggressively for investment from the public and taurants, public readiness for tourist arrivals, smooth private sectors, it will consider professionally manag- transportation, and attractive souvenir products. In ing city branding. Brands in the context of city brand- 2007, Rufaidah researched destination branding, con- ing are lenses through which information is viewed cluding that a destination brand consists of visual el- and provide criteria that influence tourist decisions ements, strategic issues, tactical issues, sound, logos, (Middleton, 2011). and so on, based on the nation’s philosophy, all the Modern marketing began to spread to local gov- country’s advantages, wealth, and soul. In 2008, Lusi ernments in the 1970s. However, at that time, its trans- researched destination branding in Surabaya, Indone- fer from the business sector to the public sector was sia, which concluded several things: First, Sparkling 68 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Carly Stiana Scheffer-Sumampouw et al. Smart City Branding Surabaya is the result of branding made by the Sura- 5. As part of the recommendations, this study aims baya Tourism Promotion Brand as a city representa- to provide strategies, especially digital campaigns, tive. Second, Sparkling Surabaya has a global, modern, to implement the city branding concept consist- and brilliant meaning in every area throughout the ently and sustainably. This campaign strategy can day, representing the modern Surabaya community in later become a tool for evaluating the success of a big city. Third, Sparkling Surabaya is a power rela- city branding and can be duplicated in other cities tionship between the city government businesspeople in Indonesia. and tourism task force officials in Surabaya to form a social image of Surabaya destinations (Burhan, 2017). Research Methods Units of analysis can be individuals, groups, or organ- Digital Branding isations (Sekaran & Bougie, 2016). This research’s unit Digital branding is a marketing communication activ- of analysis is a city (organisation): Manado, the capital ity that aims to share information about a brand with of North Sulawesi, which has been declared a smart the public through digital media, such as the compa- city since 2018. In this case, the Manado city govern- ny’s website and social media. ment is a source of information because the initiative Yunus (2019) mentioned ten guidelines for improv- to campaign for the first 100 cities to become smart ing brand image through digital branding: (i) Providing cities in Indonesia is an initiative of the government a road map for long-term planning, (ii) understanding as the policyholder. the digital branding hierarchy and managing it appro- The research is exploratory by nature, which is es- priately over time, ( iii) Identify well the identity of the sential, and it aims to obtain information regarding customer and create a brand strategy, (iv) Realise brand matters related to the progress of the smart city of equity and sales are two different things, (v) Brand be- Manado after three years of being a smart city. longs to the customer, not the creator of the brand, (vi) Data collection is carried out in 3 ways: interviews Brand strategy needs to consider the attributes of its with three key informants. The criteria for key inform- CEO, ( vii) Building an efficient brand can be realised ants are individuals who hold positions in local govern- through brand association, (viii) The categories of tech- ments, understand the concept, and are responsible for nology used in digital branding are created by custom- implementing smart cities and city branding. The sec- ers and external parties, not by the company, (ix) The ond way is through a literature study on Manado city rapidly changing environment demands that marketers data obtained from various sources and case study lit- can quickly adapt to internal and external, (x) invest erature on areas successfully implementing city brand- time to understand the technology. (Yunus, 2019) ing inside and outside Indonesia. The third is internet The purpose of this research: research related to campaigns, writings or photos about 1. The research team wanted to identify Manado’s the city of Manado since it became a smart city in 2018. framework, which became the city’s brand attrib- stream mass media, namely Tempo, Kompas, Detik, Liputan 6, and Metrotvnews, typed in 3 keywords, local advantages within the brand architecture We collected data from the internet based on the main- utes. 3. Within the city branding framework, what has not framework for Manado since it was declared a tourism government official “Diversity in Harmony” is smart city in 2018? the central theme to visualise Manado as a smart city). 2. What has been done within the city branding do diversity in harmony (based on the interview with namely: kota Manado, smart city Manado and Mana- Based on the type of research, this study is a qual- and needs to be done by the city of Manado? itative study with an exploratory nature that aims to 4. Any successful and sustainable brand communi- find specific ideas, ideas, phenomena or symptoms. cation strategies are carried out with specific target The process has no particular structure and occurs audiences. randomly. The data type is qualitative, with methods Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 69 Carly Stiana Scheffer-Sumampouw et al. Smart City Branding including case studies, bibliographic research, inter- views and observations. In this type of research, the diversity, just like what Lenda said earlier, for researcher participates in the events or conditions un- religious harmony because hands are praying der investigation. Researchers often ask WHAT ques- there, a sign or identical to togetherness in tions to dig for more profound information. For this spiritual connection. However, it is also used reason, the results of qualitative research are the depth as a location or a place for activities for young of the researcher’s analysis. In general, the nature of people for sports infrastructure; there is also the exploratory study is creative, flexible and open, sports infrastructure: skateboarding, basket- and the data obtained are detailed, allowing for new ball courts, climbing walls, everything there. theories or concepts to emerge if research results from [Kountu, 2021] sia is allowed with specific and strict health protocols. landmarks and must-visit when tourists travel. There were also numerous symbols, logos, and slogans/ We experienced the city as both researchers and trav- taglines when we searched the internet. Some of the ellers. We interviewed key informants Erwin Simson Manado in November 2021. Travelling within Indone- Thus, Bunaken and Boulevard are among the city’s conflict with the ideas and images used. We visited and Dra. Neivi Lenda Pelealu, M.Si (Pembina Utama sus Christ gives a blessing, the waterfront city at the Muda, IVc, Kepala Dinas Pariwisata). Additional in- Malalayang beach and the raising of our national flag, terview is with Abdiel O Bajen – Kepala bidang pe- “merah-putih” at the base of Manado Bay. At the same Kountu, SH (Pembina IV/a, Kepala Dinas Kominfo) iconic places in Manado, for example, the statue of Je- photos and news articles were written or taken from masaran dinas pariwisata Kota Manado, while expert time, the rest of the news articles about symbols or slo- informant is a writer and lecturer of De La Salle Uni- gans were political news about the elected governor, versity of Tourism located in Manado as well-Yelly A. newly-elected mayor and vice mayor of the city and Walansendow, SE, S.ST.Par, M.Si. the winning political party. It is unfortunate, though, that we did not meet with the mayor or vice mayor. of the six pillars of the smart city in Indonesia (Direk- not gather essential data on this dimension; however, torat Jendral Aplikasi Informatika Kementrian Komu- we focus on data we received during interviews and nikasi dan Informatika, 2017). It is called smart brand- field research. A tourism government official stated As mentioned in Figure 3 above, city branding is part city based on the Kominfo model, is business. We do Discussion Another element of smart branding in Manado, the ing. As the second pillar, smart branding consists of 3 that few unique handicrafts or home industry prod- elements: appearance, business, and tourism. In terms ucts in Manado could have economic value. True, of appearance, Manado is already well-known for sev- they sell lots of things, and I visited several souvenir eral things: BUNAKEN, which is the heaven of d1ivers shops (one is open 24 hours). Unfortunately, they are and the house of plenty of sea creatures. not iconic enough to be branded. Some of the prod- Bunaken is a well-known sea park in North Su- ucts even were not initially made in Manado. Instead, lawesi. BOULEVARD is another iconic place near Laut they were imported from outside Manado: place where communities and tourists come for gath- do are more culinary, to be honest, if we talk about MSMEs or craft products, especially ering, sporting, shopping and enjoy Manadonese de- more imported from Java and then written licious meals: malls and culinary and sports centres. Boulevard is a Then MSMEs or superior products from Mana- Sulawesi, the city’s iconic area of one-stop shopping “Bunaken” which is a lot in shops in Manado. God Bless Park, or Taman Berkat, strategically There are also local craftsmen, but they are lies on Boulevard; it is the centre of activities less competitive in quality and work; I do not for the people of Manado city; people use it for know, maybe because of the characteristics of 70 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Carly Stiana Scheffer-Sumampouw et al. Smart City Branding Manado people who are not too meticulous in ate and market it, now who wants, for example, exploring small things.[Pelealu, 2021] making chips, then we can try it, coconut chips, we do not think about it; the trainers come, Home industry or small and medium enterprises both from the city and the province, then they particular destination. Therefore, the craft must be we do not think about it. Well, they bring in offline and online trainers to train and provide professionally managed in the tourism industry. On provisions for young entrepreneurs because the field in the city of Manado, we found that coconut yesterday, I was also allowed to be a resource shells have the potential to be branded as the iconic person for one of the training from the tourism craft of Manado, even Sulawesi Utara. Sulawesi Utara, office. So they encourage the community so the province, is known as Bumi Nyiur Melambai (the that they can make and create something that earth of coconut palm waving). We also received zero can be assisted. The simplest example is also findings from an internet news search about Manado in our service environment; during the pan- handicrafts. Different testimony was mentioned by back to their homes and display in their hometowns, please, for example, if I like cooking, we make it. We market it, now who wants, for example, even handicraft is something that tourists tell oth- making chips, then we can try coconut chips, er people when they share their experience about a we know that craft is something that tourists bring provide opportunities for the community to are not endorsed or branded in this sense. Whereas an expert informant who was excited and passionate demic, we immediately started three groups— about the home industry and SMEs. She explained the most minor, medium, and medium- to that the government -both local and central- were sell all kinds of activities from the communi- highly supporting the SMEs of Manado city, the prod- ty. Likewise, on campus, during a pandemic, ucts ranging from food, snacks and handicrafts: everything is smoother to make this make that and me because I have made a book during a At the time of the pandemic, MSMEs were on pandemic too; that is what I feel. I participated the rise … when the pandemic occurred, the in the exhibition. I asked the Minister of Tour- most affected were tourism service businesses, ism to give a speech to members of the DPR, to then the tourism ministry of Pak Sandiaga Uno the Regent and mayor of North Sulawesi, and worked with the provincial tourism office, the many gave speeches for my book and apprecia- Manado city tourism office, and other cities in tion quotes for my book. Manado is famous for Indonesia, training or several times holding roa, tuna, fried bananas, and many more. Well, training activities were continuous, I know into flower pots. There are pandanus hats made precisely this because my friends are there … training for MSME participants, they boosted, there are also crafts and coconut husks made is more from the cooperative, trade office, it made of plastic materials that are also recycled carries out like that. Even though this is an or maybe new items to train those who may be entrepreneur, MSMEs have been around for a used to carrying boats because there are many so both in the city, in the province, then there them; it is good, fantastic. Then there are bags when we go to hot tourist attractions and wear long time, but they intensified during this pan- guests, bringing tourists, because there are no demic; the simplest example is that we can look tourists anymore, so at home, besides catch- in the next room; some exhibitions are made ing fish, the mothers can cook. The fathers can in collaboration with retail entrepreneurs or make bags or other crafts.[Walansendow, 2021] owners of, for example, trading places, they hold continuous; they make exhibitions, then Thus, the home industry was very enthusiastic, provide opportunities for the community to ranging from food products to crafts, there were exhi- please, for instance, if I like cooking, we cre- bitions, and souvenir shops are quite a lot in Manado. Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 71 Carly Stiana Scheffer-Sumampouw et al. Smart City Branding Nevertheless, iconic products such as coconut shells Manado City… then the second is, of course, should be branded and promoted by the city, such as the beauty of the mountains. There are places pearls from Lombok and Ambon, weaving textiles such as lakes, rivers, and waterfalls here com- from Nusa Tenggara and noken bags from Papua, etc. pletely… There are many unique fishes and The raw materials of coconut shells are galore. Still, sea animals in the waters of Manado City… our findings indicate that this business was not man- Then the second is, of course, the beauty of the aged professionally to become Manado’s iconic handi- mountains, then places such as lakes, rivers, craft and create economic value for the people. There- and waterfalls here are complete … in Mana- fore, in finding localities in brand architecture and do, there is everything, eat it all. Manado has attributes, Manado is best and concentrates only on it all; that is why we went to Davao yesterday. place/destination branding and culinary. At the same I said that Davao is inferior to Manado… but time, the craft was not given high priority; our inter- why did we go outside when Manado itself net search result confirms it. Tourism is the third ele- has much potential that we can see… maybe ment of smart branding from the smart city model of Manado people themselves are bored. How- Manado the city. Our interviews and internet findings ever, friends from other regions in Indonesia show that nature is Manado’s prioritised destination. will be satisfied because Manado is quite small; It has Bunaken and Boulevard in Jembatan Soekarno we can only reach it in an hour without traffic and Jendela, Indonesia. People can experience para- jams. Well, you can get a lot from there… you gliding on Tetempangan Hill, and the newest one is can see the mountains, the sea, the beach, and called Gunung Tumpah. We were recommended to all kinds of beauty in North Sulawesi province, visit Gunung Tumpah as the local government is pro- especially in Manado.[Walansendow, 2021] moting it; however, when we requested local people to From her statement, she implies that Manado drive us to Gunung Tumpah, unfortunately, they had possesses diversity in its nature. Tourism in Manado never heard of the place called Gunung Tumpah. In is also rich in its culinary tradition. The diversity of August 2018, there was a campaign about Tomohon food, rich in spices and even several kinds of iconic City celebrated as the city of flowers, and it was such drinks, indeed describes Manado as a city with diver- a big and happy festival- full of flowers. In July 2019, sity in food and beverages. “Nasi Kuning, es brenebon, President Mr Joko Widodo enacted the Likupang dis- bubur manado” (Yellow rice, iced brenebon, Manado trict to become one of the super-priority destinations porridge) are some of the city’s iconic foods and are of Indonesia, along with Danau Toba, Borobudur, being reviewed in the news stories. Not to mention, Mandalika and Labuan Bajo. To visit Likupang and ‘extreme food’ has also become the headline. Bats, Tomohon, one must arrive in Manado, the province’s snakes, field mice and dogs are categorised as extreme gateway to North Sulawesi. The expert informant also food and are sold commonly in traditional markets suggests that Manado possess diversity in its nature (it or restaurants. Manado is one city in Indonesia that has mountain, sea, beach, and underwater): serves this type of food, called extreme food, and it The first is, of course, the beach, the sea… is sold in extreme markets. Religious tourism was starting from Malalayang to Tuminting, then written once in the national newspaper (Sightseeing towards Bunaken, not on the island, just on in Manado turns into an excursion to Tomohon (Bukit the outskirts; everything passes through the Doa, Danau Linow, Bukit Tetetana). However, we do sea coast, not to mention in Bunaken on sev- not find a single article on the craft or handicrafts of eral islands of Bunaken, Siladen, Nain, it is also Manado. Crafts can bring the slogan “diversity in har- very rich in beauty, the beach and the sea are mony” into something tangible. Tourists can bring also under the sea, underwater… many fish the crafts home besides photos and videos. Thus, the and sea animals are unique in the waters in business element in smart branding of a city stays as 72 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Carly Stiana Scheffer-Sumampouw et al. Smart City Branding homework for Manado City. The idea of Manado’s demics who feel that this has been - they issued smart city is internalised in smart tourism. Moreover, this must have gone through various meetings, the campaign was well-documented, as was Mana- They have spent much money, a lot of time and do Fiesta. Newspapers have written a lot about it ideas, everything must have come out when since 2018, and the slogan “diversity in harmony” is discussing this programme, and we certain- well-documented both on mass media and social me- ly hope that this will continue, because in the dia. (Manado Fiesta Official, 2020). However, based current era of digital, everywhere people are on in-depth interviews with three government offi- now, district cities have even followed the steps cials and one tourism expert, the author found that of the last Manado city, they took the initiative the idea of a smart city, smart tourism, innovative to become digital cities, for example, the city branding and diversity in harmony remains merely a of Bitung. WelOtherties in Indonesia have used slogan you can uphold and later take down according that, meaning they have followed this step or to change in leadership. The city government thinks adopted it from the last Manado city. As I said of “diversity in harmony” as past events and merely earlier, let us monitor this good program to see an event well-documented in mass media. In online whether it has ended or will continue, and I am news media, we found the slogan “diversity in har- sure that if the government is smart, they will mony” mentioned along with the launch of Manado use this because this will be something extraor- Fiesta when Manado was set to be a smart city back dinary for our city, not only in Manado but in 2018. On the other hand, the author considers that other cities in Indonesia. [Walansendow, 2021] diversity in harmony is not only a slogan. It serves as It implies that smart city branding has changed the DNA of Manado City. Based on observations, lit- just as city leadership has. Where it puts the branding erature reviews, and internet news searches, Manado has diversity in several dimensions; the city has rich tate Manado to become a digital city. Indeed, various as merely a slogan, other cities even started to imi- tourist destinations and a variety of authentic food tactics of city branding can be applied according to and beverages. “Bubur Manado” is one famous por- leadership. However, values, culture, and local wis- ridge available in almost every canteen. Based on field dom are the same. Thus, it should be communicated observation, tolerance is high within the city. Manado consistently. respects the diversity of religions despite the majori- ty of inhabitants being Christians. Politically speak- Our Internet News Search Concludes the Following ing, diversity in harmony plays a vital role in putting This internet search is based on news articles and Manado as a role model city in Indonesia as a country. photos released by mainstream media: Kompas, Tem-Indonesia has a slogan, “unity in diversity”. If Manado po, Liputan6, BBC, detikcom, CNN, CNBC, and Antara plays its role by correctly branding the city, it serves as News and Media Indonesia from 2018 to 2021 (rough-the miniature model of Indonesia, the country. Last-ly two years before the pandemic hit in 2020). In 2018, ly, our expert informant, who functions as a tourism the city of Manado was declared a smart city. We did academician, SME practitioner, and book writer who not receive any news about KRIYA (craft) at all; this also lives in Manado, poses a strong opinion when confirms the statement from the Head of the Manado asked about smart city branding in Manado city: Tourism Office that no Manado city craft is superior. As a lecturer, of course, I will also explain to my So, neither news nor the welfare of MSMEs in Manado students to research this, because if we make is visible online. One business has emerged, namely the programme, I believe and believe it is ex- Woloan’s house (the location is not in Manado, and pensive, so do not let the change of leadership, the item is not a souvenir that tourists can take home for example, then this good thing is not contin- as a keepsake. It is a weakness, where the handicrafts of ued or not realised, it is a shame for us as aca- the community and improving the city’s economy are Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 73 Carly Stiana Scheffer-Sumampouw et al. Smart City Branding also strategies to increase brand awareness of Manado the head of the Ministry of Communication and In- City when there are souvenirs that tourists can take formation Technology of Manado City, Mr Erwin home and not consume. According to the head of the Simson Kontu, SH. Most articles were in the smart city tourism office’s interview, NATURAL TOURISM is still category, which focused on developing infrastructure the City of Manado’s flagship product and the locality and technology to support Manado’s progress. that the city government prioritises. The second most common news topic is natural However, culinary tourism, religious tourism, and tourist destinations, which aligns with the results of crafts must improve because a city’s branding includes our interview with the head of the Manado city tour- all these elements. The Manado Association as the City ism office, Dra. Neivi Lenda Pelealu, M.Sc. Indeed, of a Thousand Churches and SULUT as the province of she emphasises Manado’s superior natural wealth. Nyiur Melambai should appear in news reports from Another notable occurrence that can be observed the national media. Likewise, news about Diversity in from the findings of an internet news search is that Harmony based on interviews is promoted to the au- no visible or insignificant news discusses the involve- dience as a tagline, although national news coverage is ment of the private sector with or within the city of minimal/almost non-existent. News & photos about Manado regarding natural tourism, culinary, religion, DISASTER also dominate the Manado keyword, and it or intelligent cities. is in the second top position after NATURAL TOURISM An online news article (liputan6.com) in 2017 if we enter the keyword Manado. Emergency numbers wrote that the implementation of intelligent city for the public and tourists can be contacted when a Manado is exemplary. They have mainly depicted disaster occurs/experiences and needs help, which the Manado Cerdas Command Centre (C3) photo. must be communicated frequently concerning smart The author was given a chance to visit the Manado city branding. When searching for news regarding command centre and found the technology, human Manado in the last two years, it turned out that the resources, and seriousness of the Kominfo Manado internet also promoted other cities such as Tomohon, Office were highly beneficial to the people of Mana- Tetempangan Hill, and Koha. Hence, digital cam- do. The technology and budget allocated were signif- paign strategy plays an important and strategic role. icant to serve the people. We are in the middle of the The arrival of President Jokowi and the First Lady, pandemic; society needs information and commu- as well as other ranks of the central government, nication technology. Moreover, the Manado Cerdas means that the central government is earnestly pro- Command Centre is there to help. By doing this, the moting super-priority destinations and SEZs in North government is working mainly on smart city pillar Sulawesi, with the city of Manado as the entry point. number 1: Smart governance. News content is overwhelmingly dominated by nat- Based on an internet news search, interviews and a ural or social disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. visit to Manado City in November 2021, we found that Twenty articles out of 100 collected pieces contain all “diversity in harmony” serves as the DNA of the city. the negative news about the MANADO keyword. For The government officials cleverly captured it, and the this reason, the role of the city government in provid- slogan truly reflects the city of Manado. However, the ing access, facilities, and technology to help commu- smart city idea appeared to be a top-down policy. The nities affected by disasters is vital. It includes frequent branding communication is not consistent. As a re- communication of emergency telephone numbers, sult, our internet news search indicates that the hype which need to be known not only by the residents of was only during the Manado Fiesta campaign, which the city of Manado itself but also mainly to be under- was back in 2018. After the Manado fiesta event, the stood by tourists. Communication and Information branding of Manado becomes obscure. If the smart Technology often disseminates the emergency tele- city concept is applied by local government, it does phone number for Manado on standby, namely 112. not solely resonate with tourism or technology; in- This is in line with the results of our interview with stead, it reveals the city’s DNA and maintains its in- 74 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Carly Stiana Scheffer-Sumampouw et al. Smart City Branding habitants’ quality of life. The current local government Kavaratzis, M. (2004). From city marketing to city brand- does not see a smart city as a solution for Manado; ing: Theoretical framework for developing city brands. Centre 112. However, pillar #2, innovative branding, Cerdas Command Center and Call Keller, K. L. (1998). Strategic brand management: Building, measuring and managing brand equity. Prentice Hal. still requires collaborative work: government, internal Lusi, E. P. (2008). Representasi Identitas Kota Surabaya: stakeholders, and inhabitants to attract tourists and Analisis Wacana City Branding ‘Sparkling Surabaya’ investors. After all, there are three target audiences for Lastly, smart city pillar #1, smart governance, excelled Kapferer, J.-N. (2012). The new strategic brand management: Advanced insights and strategic thinking. Kogan Page. in implementing instead, it is merely a slogan or a series of past events. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 1, 58–73. [Unpublished degree thesis]. 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Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 75 Accessibility in Vernacular Settlements: A Holistic Experience and Sustainability Key Maria Griva National Technical University of Athens, Greece marilygriva@gmail.com Constantinos Caradimas National Technical University of Athens, Greece ccara@arch.ntua.gr Charikleia Kanari Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece kanarichara@nured.auth.gr Cultural heritage protection and inclusive human settlements constitute a sustain-able development pillar. Vernacular settlements are architectural ensembles whose idioms limit accessibility adjustments, while location and geomorphology often contribute to settlements’ exclusion. Accessibility in the context of Universal De-sign is a crucial factor for vernacular settlements’ sustainability as tourism destina-tions and living places. Enhancing their accessibility, and thus their functionality, usability, and inclusivity, as well as providing learning opportunities, is expected to improve residents’ lives and strengthen people’s relationships with heritage and place. At the same time, it offers new options for attracting new groups of visi-tors and creating new tourism destinations while enhancing existing ones, enabling economic growth benefiting local communities, and thus contributing to heritage, settlements, and cities. The present research aims to contribute to this field by in-vestigating new approaches to Greek vernacular settlement sites, including cities’ historical centres, towards rediscovering the visitor experience, including persons with disabilities. The research is in the literature review and situ research stages. The paper presents the research objectives, the methodology and the first results of the literature review that form the interdisciplinary theoretical framework of the study. Finally, we discuss gaps and challenges related to the accessibility, sustainability, and holistic experience for all, including persons with disabilities, in vernacular settle-ments. Keywords: accessibility; vernacular settlements; visitor’s experience; inclusion; settlements and cities’ sustainability https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-417-0.77-100 Introduction ments, recognisably impacting architectural heritage Pandemics and evolving socio-economic and envi- environments. The present research focuses, within ronmental crises have greatly changed human settle- the context of architectural heritage environments, Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 77 Maria Griva et al. Accessibility in vernacular settlements on the Granada Convention, 1985 (Council of Europe, mogenisation and global socio-economic transforma- 1985) classification as “building groups”. Mainly, it tion. A new approach structured in heritage protec- focuses on the vernacular settlements regarding the tion associated with inclusivity is necessary. Greek ones. In Greek building legislation (New Build- Under the accessibility prism, the vernacular set- ing Code(L.4067/2012), 2012, article n.6), “vernacular tlements’ unique attributes comprising location, geo- settlement” encompasses settlements or parts of them, morphology, history, place memory and architecture historic centres or parts of cities, and independent ar- in traditional or historic structures, forms, materials chitectural complexes. These coherent architectural (colours, textures) and construction techniques are ensembles are complicated systems evolving in time considered possible generators of barriers. The bar- and reflecting the socio-economic and environmental riers to access in general and for persons with disa- changes. bilities have multiple dimensions. Physical barriers, Vernacular settlements form a heterogeneous which are natural and structural, block the approach group with various characters, sizes, and urbanisation and transfer of persons with disabilities within spaces. levels: historical centres, parts of metropolises, small Intellectual barriers inhibit the whole experience of urban centres, settlements and complexes. They are the cultural commodity by people who face sensory, carriers of collective memory, cultural archives, and intellectual, or other impairments. In addition, there educational resources. Their historical value, coher- are attitudinal barriers (e.g. prejudices), organisation- ence, authenticity, and continuity in time are gener- al (e.g. lack of flexibility in organisations, practices, ally recognised, attributing a unique identity to each and procedures) or other circumstances such as so- one. cial isolation (Oliver, 1990; 2013). Furthermore, par- The intrinsic elements constituting vernacular set- ticularly in vernacular settlements, distances, height tlements’ idioms contribute to preserving their identi- differences, inclinations, standard features, traditional ty, but on the other hand, they often limit their acces- or urban fabric consisting of streets, open spaces and sibility and put their sustainability under discussion. buildings, and some complicated-to-perceive archi- Location and geomorphology are historically critical tectural idioms can form different types and levels of factors for settlements’ accessibility and sustainability. barriers to accessibility. They have often driven small mountainous and island Enhancing vernacular settlements’ functionali- colonies, which faced issues of distance, connection ty, usability, and inclusivity by ensuring accessibility and accessibility, to isolation and economic decline. will contribute to settlements’ and cities’ sustainabili- However, they have also been the fundamental drivers ty both as living places and as tourism and education for retaining settlements’ physiognomy. Cities’ histor- destinations. The basis that accessibility facilitates in- ic centres reflect the problems of contemporary urban habitants’ environment and everyday life can provide settings and suffer the consequences of controversial new tourism and learning opportunities and can be heritage management and inappropriate interven- beneficial in terms of economic potential and contri- tions on monuments and sites, which alter or destroy bution to local community development, which are their character. In cities where the historic setting strongly related to cultural heritage (Hampton, 2005). keeps changing in form and function, the big chal- The present research’s perspective falls under this con- lenge of heritage continuity and compatibility is to be text. It is important to mention that researchers have met by urban heritage management (Bandarin & Van not significantly investigated the field of accessibility Oers, 2012), whose social dimension entails inclusiv- in architectural heritage environments at the Greek ity and accessibility. As highlighted in the Charter on national level. The conducted studies primarily focus the built vernacular heritage by ICOMOS (1999), built on monuments, archaeological sites, and museums. vernacular heritage worldwide is deemed extremely Thus, under the current survey of the extent of the rel- vulnerable, facing serious problems of obsolescence evant investigation at the European and international and integration due to the contemporary culture ho- level, the present research has to confront the issue of 78 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Maria Griva et al. Accessibility in vernacular settlements the minimal associated conducted studies as a basis bilities in all areas of social life. In this context, the UN for further development. On the other hand, it faces addresses architectural heritage because all individu- the challenge of generating innovative research. als can access cultural commodities (UN, 1948, article 27.1). Persons with disabilities live, travel, and move Theoretical Framework together with their family, friends, etc., creating con- Key Theoretical Topics for Accessibility in Vernacular sistent groups in visiting destinations with appropri- Settlements for a Holistic Experience and Sustainability ate access and services. (Fletcher, 2006; 2013; Lisney et Given the lack of a comprehensive framework for al., 2013). In this line, CRPD (article 30, “Participation issues of accessibility for vernacular settlements in in cultural life, recreation,leisure and sport”) stresses Greece as “building groups” (see Introduction), one the right of persons with disabilities to participate in major challenge of the current research is to form a cultural life “on an equal basis with others”. Accessibil- theoretical framework that combines different aspects ity is the primary condition to ensure this right, and it of issues related to persons with disabilities, accessi- refers to various aspects, activities, services, and plac- bility in terms of sustainable development, and archi- es related to cultural life, including monuments and tectural heritage, as well as theoretical frameworks sites. In specific, the CRPD states that States Parties for built environment and learning and appropriate […] recognise the right of persons with disabilities to technologies. The following sections present the vi- have access to cultural life with the appropriate meas- tal academic topics defined from the first stage of the ures so that persons with disabilities “enjoy access to present research and specifically from the literature places for cultural performances or services, such as review. These topics form an interdisciplinary, multi- theatres, museums, cinemas, libraries and tourism layered theoretical framework necessary to proceed to services, and, as far aspossible, enjoy access to mon- the following steps of the study. uments and sites of national cultural importance” (UN, 2006, article 30, section c). Furthermore, many Persons With Disabilities and Accessibility others face mobility restrictions for different reasons Persons with disabilities constitute a heterogeneous or in different periods (e.g., elderly, pregnant wom- population with different types of impairments, while en, parents with children in strollers, and people with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disa- temporary injuries and chronic ailments). As a result, bilities (CRPD) stresses the importance of “recognis- it is crucial to adopt theoretical frameworks and prin- ing further the diversity of persons with disabilities” ciples that address people’s diverse needs. The present (UN, 2006, Preamble, section i). Persons with disabil- research aligns with the international social agenda ities face different types of socially constructed bar- and conventions for human rights and persons with riers. Accessibility is a core factor and condition for disabilities rights (UN, 1948; 2006; Lawson & Beckett, their equal participation in all aspects of life to fulfil 2021) and extends the investigation of persons with fundamental human rights and freedoms (UN, 2006, disabilities accessibility in vernacular settlements’ en- Preamble, section v). Based on the “social model of vironments. disability”, disability is conceived mainly as a socially created problem versus the “medical model”, which Universal Design views disability as a problem of the person. A person’s The idea of an “average user” is no longer accepted in functioning and disability are dynamic interactions architecture, design and other scientific fields (Mace, between health conditions and contextual factors, in- 1988). In practice, as Mace (1998, p.5) states, “no “av- cluding personal and environmental factors (Oliver, erage” actually represents the majority because too 1990; 2013; World Health Organization, 2001, chapters many people have vastly differing requirements”. To 3.2 and 5.2), which leads to the necessary environmen- address these diverse requirements, Universal De- tal and organizational modifications as well as atti- sign is a framework that integrates the understanding tudes for the full participation of persons with disa- and managing of the diverse humanity’s needs and Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 79 Maria Griva et al. Accessibility in vernacular settlements concerns in the design of environments, products, modity (Di Stefano, 1979) with cultural and econom- programs and services to be usable by all people to ic value. On this basis, protecting and improving the the greatest extent possible (Mace, 1988; Mace et al., architectural heritage environment increases its effi- 1996). In the case of persons with disabilities, Univer- ciency, with cultural and economic benefits for socie- sal Design is the central concept and framework of the ty. In the Mexico City Declaration on Cultural Policies CRPD (UN, 2006). Thus, Universal Design does not re- (1982, point 16), UNESCO links culture with develop- fer to persons with disabilities but all people. The rea- ment, asserting that “making cultural factors an in- sonable adjustments (UN, 2006, article 2) concern the tegral part of the strategies designed to achieve it” is already spatially configured environments concerning essential to ensure balanced development.” Also, its the necessary and appropriate modifications and ad- Report “Our Creative Diversity” (1995) stresses “the In the present research context, the built environment we are still not using the heritage in all its aspects as will be approached via Universal Design, with supple- broadly and effectively as we might, nor managing it mentary specific references to accessibility regarding as sensitively as we should. products and services (Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban European Parliament and of the Council, 2019), in- Landscape (2011, point 5) integrates and frames ur- cluding digital technology. In this context, it is nec- ban heritage conservation strategies within the larger of all human rights and the fundamental freedom for economic development”. It claims that we have not yet persons with disabilities on an equal basis to others. sufficiently considered intangible cultural heritage; justments in every single case to ensure the exercise importance of heritage preservation policies as part of mands an advanced analysis of all possibilities and of approach for identifying, conserving, and managing historic areas within their broader urban contexts by the objective space limitations and then the lifting of considering the inter-relationships of their physical barriers by determined actions and the guidance of with disabilities’ needs, facilitating life for all. It de- sustainable development goals. It suggests a landscape essary to consider the various sub-groups of persons users. The design incorporates assistive devices when forms, their spatial organisation and connection, their there is a demand for them. Furthermore, “Universal natural features and settings, and their social, cultural design” shall not exclude assistive devices for particu- and economic values (Weber & Yannas, 2014). More- lar groups of persons with disabilities where this is over, the vernacular architecture itself is considered a needed” (UN, 2006, article 2). Issues of protection and model for sustainable design (Weber & Yannas, 2014) conservation of architectural heritage are vital factors and the lessons that it may teach constitute “indige- in the present research. nous” forms of knowledge (Vellinga, 2015). The Gra- nada Convention’s definition of architectural heritage Protection and Conservation of Architectural Heritage - as monuments, groups of buildings and sites (Council Vernacular Architecture of Europe, 1985) renders possible the identification The Amsterdam Declaration on the European Archi- of properties to be protected. ICOMOS (1999) defines tectural Heritage (Council of Europe, 1975) outlines vernacular architecture in the Charter on the built the need for architectural heritage conservation to vernacular heritage as a manner of building shared by become an integral part of urban and regional plan- the community within a context composed of its char- considering social factors. In this frame, architectural 1. A manner of building shared by the community. heritage includes exceptional-quality buildings, their ning, involving local authorities and citizens and acteristics, which one can recognise as: surroundings, and all areas of towns or villages of his- 2. A recognisable local or regional character respon- sive to the environment. torical or cultural interest. So, architectural heritage, entailing monuments, vernacular settlements, and 3. Coherence of style, form and appearance, or tradi- historical centres, has evolved into a cultural com- tionally established building types. 80 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Maria Griva et al. Accessibility in vernacular settlements 4. Traditional expertise in design and construction is social and economic processes to facilitate the sus- transmitted informally. tainable development of historic districts. Accessibil- 5. An effective response to functional, social and en- ity is examined in the present research regarding the vironmental constraints. dimensions mentioned earlier and within the fields of tourism, learning and living places. Regarding learn- Regarding the non-academic character of the ing and education, in the context of the provision of most significant part of vernacular architecture, inclusive education, emphasis is laid on providing all Amos Rapoport (1969, p.2) claims that this architec- people with access to life-long learning opportunities ture is the “ideal” environment of a people expressed to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to partic- in buildings and settlements, with no designer, artist, ipate fully in society (UN 2015, point 25). Finally, par- or architect. In addition to collective memory, accord- ticipatory, integrated, sustainable human settlement ing to Aldo Rossi (1982, p.130), the city is the locus of planning and management (Goal n.11.3) is important collective memory associated with objects and plac- and strengthens local communities. es. Therefore, preserving collective memory and tra- dition is crucial to protecting and preserving elements Place Branding that carry these values and constitute architectural In place branding, a popular tourism concept, stake- heritage. Moreover, heritage protection and sustain- holders can implement a strategy in vernacular set- able development are firmly linked, structuring an- tlements and cities’ heritage environments to give other component of the present research’s theoretical meaning to a place and manage perceptions about background. it. An integrated brand strategy could be developed based on a settlement’s or city’s core values, attitudes, Sustainable Development behaviors, and characteristics (Middleton, 2011). The Heritage protection associated with making cities and place is integral to the human experience (Seamon & human settlements inclusive, which entails the par- Sowers, 2008). The relationship between place and ticipation and access of all, is considered a pillar for space, as components of the environment, can be seen sustainable development. In the context of the United from the perspective of experience (Tuan, 2001). Par- Nations Agenda 2030 sustainable development goals ticularly in tourism, the relationship between archi- (UN, 2015), for the achievement of the goal of mak- tecture, an image of a place and tourists’ perceptions ing cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, re- is powerful. This fact is crucial for the implications silient and sustainable (Goal n.11), critical factors are of architectural heritage management for tourism the protection and safeguarding of the world’s cultural (Gholitabar et al., 2018). In terms of a strategy, the and natural heritage (Goal n.11.4) as well as the pro- endeavour is to form a strong relationship between vision of access to safe, inclusive and accessible public person and place concerning vernacular settlements spaces, in particular for women and children, older regarding the feeling of attachment to the site and the persons and persons with disabilities (Goal n.11.7). identification leading to place satisfaction. The above The empowerment of vulnerable people, by remov- expects to drive both locals and new visitors -tourists ing obstacles and constraints is emphasised (UN, 2015, and students- to stay at or to select to visit a particular point 23). Based on the two goals mentioned above, place of a vernacular settlement. Regarding the terms one can develop a new framework to ensure the sus- “place attachment” and “place satisfaction”, Chen and tainability of heritage and other cities and settlements. Dwyer’s (2017) survey suggests that, at residents’ lev- The three dimensions on which sustainable develop- el, place satisfaction configures residents’ intention to ment lies are economic, social, and environmental stay, while place attachment has a strong influence on (UN, 2015, point 2). Regarding the sustainability of cit- residents’ participation in tourism planning for a des- ies’ heritage environments, UNESCO’s Recommenda- tination. Numerous surveys conducted in the place tion on the Historic Urban Landscape (2011) supports branding field (e.g., Giuliani & Feldman, 1993; Bro- Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 81 Maria Griva et al. Accessibility in vernacular settlements cato, 2006; Gustafson, 2014) and regarding the topic tity of the vernacular settlements, the frameworks of of place attachment associated with the issues of en- interpretation and storytelling are essential for the vironment, cultural context and mobility can contrib- survey. With compelling storytelling, stakeholders ute to the supplementation of the present research’s deem that the place above branding can build a sense theoretical framework. Furthermore, besides the built of belonging for residents and visitors. At the same environment, to provide meaningful and accessible time, the site narrative can contribute to both social learning opportunities and construct an “architectur- and economic development. Regarding storytelling al narrative”, it is equally important to investigate and and culture, the narrative approach to dissemination, adopt theoretical frameworks that address the diver- mainly for historical and cultural contexts, is consid- sity of learners. ered a powerful means to enhance learning through emotional impact (Palombini, 2017). Based on this, Universal Design for Learning we need an initial approach to the museum field that Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is based on the generates heritage experiences. We need to approach concept of Universal Design (Pisha & Coyne, 2001) and the interpretation of things and their typologies and combines theories and evidence from different scientif- cultural dimensions, as well as the polysemy of the ic fields (e.g., learning theories, cognitive psychology, museum objects (Nakou, 2001). neuroscience, etc.) (Riviou et al., 2015; CAST, 2018). Similar to universal design, education and various Τhe Research learning settings and environments recognise people’s The research investigates accessibility as the means for diversity and the different ways they learn or prefer to the perception of heritage and as a strategy tool for learn, including cultural ones. UDL does not focus on sustainability. It lies on the notion that via ensuring persons with disabilities, although it includes them. accessibility, persons with disabilities can discover and It places importance on designing teaching and ed- perceive vernacular settlements’ identity and can ex- ucational programs by considering learners’ diversity perience the cultural commodity of architectural her- and heterogeneity in advance. It has basic principles itage in situ. In this context, accessibility is explored concerning the “why”, “what”, and “how” of learning, not simply as a technical provision but as a means for suggesting a set of guidelines for the engagement, rep- all to perceive the ensemble’s unique identity and have resentation of information and content, action and ex- a holistic architectural heritage experience via a new pression, respectively. In practice, that means adopt- narrative. Furthermore, combining issues of heritage ing different methods, strategies, tools, etc., which protection, functionality, inclusivity and providing enhance learners’ access, participation and under- learning experiences for all contributes to settlements’ standing, motivate them, and promote their engage- and cities’ sustainability, enhancing locals’ lives and ment and various ways of expression (Riviou et al., strengthening local communities and economies. 2015; CAST, 2018). We can implement UDL into differ- ent frameworks, settings and learning environments, Aim and Objectives of the Research including the cultural sector (e.g. schools, museums, The research aims to contribute to the sustainability of etc.) (Rappolt-Schlichtmann & Daley, 2013; Riviou et heritage, settlements, and cities by investigating new al., 2015; Kanari & Souliotou, 2020). Thus, UDL should approaches to Greek vernacular settlement sites. We be a basic theoretical framework for accessible learn- can achieve the above by forming a strategy and a set ing experiences in vernacular settlements alongside of principles for a new “architectural narrative” based specifically designed provisions, means and tools. on physically, intellectually, and digitally accessible routes within the context of place branding. Interpretation and Storytelling Implementing the abovementioned strategy as- As the research aims to form a strategy for developing sociated with relevant in situ interventions aims to a new “architectural narrative” to perceive the iden- be highly beneficial in tourism, learning and living 82 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Maria Griva et al. Accessibility in vernacular settlements places. Regarding tourism, enhancing the access and form supplementary regulations to the Greek legisla- perception of heritage is expected to offer the tourism tion for architectural heritage and accessibility. market new prospects by attracting new groups of vis- The primary defined research objectives are to in- itors and entrepreneurs, creating new tourism destina- vestigate the following: of the built environment and services. In the field of • The ways and means, via mainly Universal design, tions for all and improving the existing ones in terms for structuring the in situ experience of vernacular opportunities for all. These opportunities can increase settlements for persons with disabilities. learning, the objective is the provision of new learning dents, which can largely contribute to heritage preser- chitectural heritage by persons with disabilities can contribute to heritage sustainability as well as the level of knowledge for residents, tourists, and stu- • How the enabling of access and perception of ar- vation via cultural awareness, maintaining heritage as an archive and educating the next generation. As for to vernacular settlements’ and cities’ sustainability. living places, accessibility facilitates and enhances the • The processes and tools for accessibility measure- inhabitants’ everyday environment and life, simulta- ment and evaluation. neously offering prospects for local market develop- • The codification of the vernacular settlement’s ar- ment. The aim is to increase the incentives to stay and chitectural environment in terms of form, struc- live in vernacular settlements rather than to move to ture, and function. big urban centres and live in historic centres of cities • The integration and embodiment, via integral rather than in newer districts, which will have social, design, of accessibility elements (standards, con- economic, and environmental benefits for local com- structions, technology) in traditional or historic the research aims to present ways for addressing mo- • The configuration of directions in structure and bility and perception difficulties of different types and implementation of Greek legislation for accessibil- munities and places. Regarding in situ interventions, environments; and levels and for reducing or even eliminating barriers ity and architectural heritage. via design. Particularly, interventions resulting from the integral design combining traditional or histori- cal elements with advanced design should provide the Method of the Research channels for having the architectural heritage experi- To verify the hypothesis above and to realise the set ence. We must emphasise that the criterion of heritage goals, we used qualitative and quantitative research protection always prevails. The in situ interventions methodologies (Creswell, 2015). The research method and adjustments associated with providing means for involves: digital access are under investigation. There are ar- • A settlement’s classification by accessibility level. chitectural synthesis and design issues regarding em- • Developing a typology. bodying elements (constructions, special equipment, • Evaluating recognised interventions. standardised elements, assistive technology -applica- • Interviewing stakeholders and persons with disa- tions, and digital models) into the existing heritage bilities. environment. The objective is the creative and effec- tive integration of the idiom elements (location, geo- • Conducting case studies and proposal tools. morphology, history, place memory and architecture, Thus, the methodology will occur in different stag- in terms of distances, height differences, inclinations, es and with the use of various research instruments: traditional structures, forms, materials and construc- tion techniques) and new appropriate elements for • Literature review comprised of three axes as fol- access and perception, into traditional or historical lows: (1a) the thematic axe concerning the re- settings and the included buildings. Moreover, direc- search’s individual questions fields, in regards to tions configured through the above investigation can the theoretical framework and with the emphasis Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 83 Maria Griva et al. Accessibility in vernacular settlements led on strategies, good practices and connections We must stress that the fundamental concept of and interactions between the investigated areas, the accessibility chain is missing. A significant gap (1b) the national accessibility and architectural recorded via the literature review concerns address- heritage legislation and (1c) listing of the Greek ing and managing Greek environments of high ar- vernacular settlements and of the realised case-by- chitectural value, such as the vernacular settlements. case and authorised by councils relevant accessi- Generally, there are difficulties in implementing the bility interventions; existing Greek building legislation, attributed to the • In situ research in Greek vernacular settlements as special features of these environments and the fact well as in Greek archaeological sites where numer- that Greek legislation has a quite general character ous accessibility interventions have appeared. and does not include regulations aiming exclusively at • Development of accessibility measuring processes the environments mentioned earlier. The lack of spe- • Conduction of questionnaires and interviews with terventions and adjustments into such environments has led to case-by-case interventions (on buildings and tools and evaluation criteri. cial regulations to give directions for accessibility in- • Classification, by accessibility level, of the Greek place. constitute fragmentary constructions. With these case-by-case interventions, we recorded an intention to interpret accessibility legislation. The result is the vernacular settlements and the realised relevant regarding the fields of tourism, learning and living and in public spaces) authorised by councils, which stakeholders, including persons with disabilities, generation of new accessibility “vocabularies” for in interventions and development of typologies and evaluation. standardisation is crucial, and a standard “vocabu- situ adjustments. However, the role of standards and • Organization and analysis of information. lary” practice is deemed the basis for training persons • Configuration of general directions and tools for with different types of disabilities. To bridge this gap, accessibility in vernacular settlements’ environ- the present research, through investigating the axes of ments and assessment of them with accessibility protection of architectural heritage and ensuring ac- experts in various fields. cessibility, aspires to propose directions and tools for • Implementation of the above directions and con- a holistic approach and the perception of the identity duction of case studies. of vernacular settlements, supplementing the national • Testing the applied directions with a focus group legislation. of users, including persons with disabilities. Firstly, there are regulations for the listed build- • Codification of accessibility provisions and gener- Secondly, there is a reasonably developed context for accessibility in public spaces generally and not spe- • Extraction and evaluation of results; and ings, with a few references to accessibility issues. ation of conclusions and proposals. cifically in heritage environments, which needs to The Greek Context, Accessibility and Vernacular be updated. Moreover, a critical point of the existing Settlements’ Issues and Challenges legislation is that it does not address vernacular set- The literature review is the first stage of the present tlements as complicated architectural ensembles but research. We have defined the theoretical frameworks primarily as buildings and public spaces. However, (see Theoretical Framework section). This literature the vernacular settlements are much more than a sum review clearly shows that the accessibility approach of buildings and open spaces. So, developing the con- in vernacular settlements towards sustainability and a text of regulation for a holistic approach to vernacular holistic experience for all is multidimensional, multi- settlements is essential. layered, and interdisciplinary. Furthermore, the litera- Another issue is that legislation and realised in- ture review and the Greek context revealed some gaps, terventions tend to emphasise mobility impairment issues, and challenges. while overlooking other types of impairment, inevita- 84 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Maria Griva et al. Accessibility in vernacular settlements bly leading to these groups’ exclusion. Available Greek for an architectural narrative for the access and per- population statistics (Hellenic Statistical Authority, ception of vernacular settlements’ identities; this is 2002) show that 18.2% of the population has various also deemed an educational challenge and a challenge chronic health problems or types of disabilities lead- regarding tourism boosting. Particularly in education, ing to mobility limitations, which is a considerable the association of the architectural and, precisely, the percentage and brings to the surface the issue that technical part with the academic part constitutes a inclusion and involvement of all should be a priority. challenging concept and research procedure. The literature review and first stage of in situ re- The lack of facilities -and infrastructure in general- search in Greek vernacular settlements has revealed for conservation and sustainability is a characteristic the heterogeneity of the settlements, which, in combi- of the Greek reality. Focusing on buildings as a funda- nation with the heterogeneity of the group of persons mental element of vernacular settlements and historic with disabilities, creates a multi-parametric research centres of cities, it is a fact that numerous Greek-listed problem. Dealing with the limitations of the Greek and traditional buildings are abandoned or even col- settlements’ place idioms (location, geomorphology, lapsing. The prospect of contributing to these build- architecture, history, place memory) for addressing ings’ sustainability by enhancing their accessibility the various needs of persons with disabilities and with- and functionality within the heritage preservation in the context of accessibility legislation undoubtedly context, particularly their reuse, is challenging. constitutes a big challenge. The relationship between Another major issue in the Greek context is the heritage and technology regarding special equipment insufficiency of information regarding accessibility and digitalisation is a big issue. The first stage of the for persons with disabilities, particularly regarding in situ research revealed analytical problems of trans- architectural heritage. Difficulties also exist in getting fer, approach, access, entrance, routes, horizontal and official data from ministries, public organisations, vertical circulation, crossing and stops, orientation, and museum sites. We generalised the problem of the perception of landmarks, ways of escape, signage for dissemination of relevant information. Accessibility all, function, services, urban equipment and mainly chain and participation of all parts -built environ- the accessibility chain. In the Greek context and re- ment, services, products- is indispensable. The need garding relevant issues about monuments, a method- for cooperation and participatory processes becomes ology for accessibility and perceptibility improvement even more significant in contemporary times when interventions has been built, applied and tested at cities and settlements face threats to their sustain- the Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki by a re- ability due to crises like pandemics and wars. These search group of the Aristotle University of Thessalon- crises pose risks to the sustainability of architectural iki (Naniopoulos & Tsalis, 2017). This methodology heritage. Additionally, in the same context, there are relies on existing accessibility evaluation methodolo- difficulties in synergies and collaborations at scientific gies, such as the Checklist for Buildings and Facilities and various operators’ levels, which hinder the partic- of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility ipation of all stakeholders in processes regarding ac- Guidelines (ADAAG) (1992). The city-level assistance cessible heritage and tourism and other accessibility tool also constitutes the Disability Inclusion Evalu- fields. ation Tool (DIETool) (Rebernik, 2020). Hence, we must stress that in some cases, settlements, or parts Conclusions and Suggestions of them cannot be subject to in situ improvement ad- The promotion of accessibility, including the en- justments or can only be limited ones. In these cases, hancement of functionality and perceptibility in ar- other means, such as digital accessibility, should be in- chitectural heritage environments, is expected to have vestigated as the primary means for accessing and per- a tremendous social and economic impact. Ensuring ceiving architectural heritage. The issues mentioned accessibility and perceptibility generally, particularly above stress the importance of developing a strategy in vernacular settlements, is a heritage valorisation Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 85 Maria Griva et al. Accessibility in vernacular settlements practice. It adds value to these heritage environments, Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy’s archive benefiting mainly local communities and other revi- of vernacular settlements and listed buildings (2022), talising vernacular settlements and cities. Therefore, the literature review and first stage of in situ research it constitutes a sustainability driver regarding her- in Greek vernacular settlements revealed the heter- itage, settlements, and towns, with great benefits for ogeneity of the vernacular settlements, which, when tourism, education and residence. Its contribution combined with the previously unknown heterogene- to sustainability reflects and strengthens the regional ity of the group of people with disabilities, formed a cultural identity, enhancing tourism destinations and multi-parametric research problem. 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The subject is also charged with studying the expectations and behaviour of tourists and tourism’s economic, social, and envi-ronmental impact on South Africa, which relates to sustainable and responsible tourism. Teaching the Tourism as a subject appears to be a valuable and practi-cal platform for schools, teachers, and other relevant stakeholders to contribute meaningfully and innovatively to sustainable development, policy framework, local community involvement and participation and in supporting and promoting local tourism as a platform to support social cohesion and economic development, as per the vision, mission, and objectives of the World Heritage Tourism. This paper aims to explore the schools’ roles in forging a partnership and relationship with local communities in the generation and preservation of knowledge about local heritage sites located, near schools. It further explores the implementation of a tourism cur-riculum in this regard, emphasising on the interplay between education, heritage, and sustainable community development. The study is premised in the Commu-nity-Based Education, Cultural Heritage Education and Sustainable Development Theories. Through surveys, reviews of existing literature and analysis of case stud-ies, this paper highlights the benefits and challenges of such educational initiatives and proposes strategies for effective curriculum delivery. The results suggest that teachers regard Tourism as a bridge that connects schools and communities and an approach to transform how heritage sites are perceived, particularly in rural and township communities. Keywords: Tourism, heritage, community, sustainability, education, teachers https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-417-0.89-100 Introduction they are expected to pass on to their students. Agency Education plays an important role in giving a voice is defined as the ability to operate autonomously in and agency to students and transforming commu- determining social constrains of social structure and nities. Teachers are at the centre of this process, and temporal-relational contexts. Agency is a key element they are believed to be the custodians of agency, which in influencing change (Pantić, 2015; 2017). This paper Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 89 Sibiya Thandeka Education and Heritage investigates how the Tourism subject teachers par- learners’ active participation in their education is key ticularly in rural and township schools can teach the in creating sustainable communities. subjects to reinforce the view of creating relationships The system of apartheid in South Africa rein- with local communities, with the aim of preserving forced colonial land dispossession policies, resulting heritage and creating a sustainable tourism future. in Black communities losing vast tracts of ancestral The Tourism subject has an important role in lands. These lands were often reallocated to white South Africa’s education, in endowing schools with ownership and have since been developed into tour- the ability to construct and preserve sustainable her- ism enterprises that benefit the descendants of apart- itage sites as well as forging socially cohesive commu- heid-era beneficiaries. For instance, the Natives Land nities, through the curriculum. Tourism education is Act of 1913 and subsequent legislation confined Black perceived as “the way tourism destinations prepare the South Africans to only 7–13% of the country’s land, human resources to be able to work professionally in the facilitating white ownership of the remaining areas development of the tourism sectors,” (Bellos et al., 2021, . This historical colonial land dispossession has had p. 1). This implies that tourism development depicts a lasting impacts, with many tourism ventures oper- better quality of life for the tourists and the local com- ating on land that was historically taken from Black munity at the destination. Similarly, in the South Af- communities. The concentration of tourism assets in rican context, education is perceived as a transform- the hands of a few, predominantly white individuals, ative tool, particularly after the collapse of apartheid. underscores the enduring economic disparities root- This system used education as a tool to suppress rural ed in apartheid-era policies; Maharaj, (2006) . and township education in favour of urban education, These historical puzzle pieces; colonialism and which predominantly promoted white supremacy. apartheid, significantly shape the readers’ understand-Education was used as a device to oppress, control ing of why the curriculum is at the core focus of this and divide the South African population along racial study, and why the study examines the Tourism cur- and cultural divides. riculum’s role in promoting socially cohesive and her- In this study I share similar sentiments with Rog- itage-sustainable communities. In this context, the erson and Rogerson (2020), where they argue that the curriculum presents itself as a bridge and springboard literature review in their study suggests that there is to manage local tourism innovatively, but most signifi- limited informed historical research that explores the cantly to address the past injustices for rural and town- racialised dimensions of tourism landscapes, across ship communities. However, with poor implementation the international academic discourse, hence why in of the curriculum due to various reasons, such as lack this study I attempt to base my argument within the of knowledge and innovation and creativity from the scope of the South African history in order to achieve side of the teachers, and or subject advisors, Tourism as what Saarinen et al. (2017, p. 311) referes to as “the a subject, has not yet reached the level at which it can extended application of historical perspectives in order elevate local communities, particularly rural areas and to inform contemporary debates and practices”. Event- townships, to gaining World Heritage status. This view hough there have been equity and equality measures is based on the belief that knowledge should be based on put in place by the new government dispensation a bottom-up approach and used to foster partnerships to address the inqualities of the past, the legacy of with communities; promoting the view that schools are apartheid continues to be evident in various sectors not isolated institutions but have a transformative role of the economy and culture, including tourism spac- to play for the wider society. This study draws from dif- es which are still associated with power imbalances ferent contexts yet similar experiences of implementing (Witz, at el., 2004). The long-term effects of this sys- the Tourism curriculum worldwide. tem led to a failure to address democratic principles, One notable situation is discussed by Tribe (1999; which are based on access, participation, and equity, 2005a; 2005b; 2005c). Tribe notes that the curriculum argues Msila (2007). Therefore, this paper argues that was cushioned or supplemented by multi-disciplinary 90 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Sibiya Thandeka Education and Heritage knowledge at the early developmental stages of tour- a community-based aspect and vision is essential in ism in the United Kingdom. Based on this approach, empowering poor communities, and in South Africa, scholars believe that curriculum developers and plan- rural communities are often marginalised and pover- ners have managed to incorporate multiple ideas, ished, which makes this approach even more relevant. skills, and methodologies to inform the teaching of the subject. Tribe (2000a; 2000b; 2000c; 2002) argue Problem Statement that this brought a significant maturity of tourism as Even though the curriculum addresses the topic of an academic subject, and emerging vocational subject, heritage multiple times in the distinct phases of its im- focusing on the economy and business. According plementation, there are still gaps that exist in the way to this literature, the approach to teaching Tourism, in which the Tourism pedagogy is perceived. Often, should be viewed as a tool to capacitate and empower it is regarded as a classroom-bound subject instead students to think critically, and being able to study dis- of a platform for connecting schools and communi- ciplines from a cross and inter-discipline perspective ties and bringing about community transformation. and being able to transcend the different parts that Jamal et al. (2011) describe tourism as a social and cul- contribute to the totality of the subject or discipline. tural phenomenon. This perspective is aligned with For this reason, this study argues for the practical in- the move that higher education institutions institut- clusion of local heritage as extended knowledge in the ed after the Bologna Process should re-invest in the formal curriculum by teachers and relevant stakehold- tourism curriculum from a pedagogy renewal view. ers as one of the routes to achieve sustainability within It is in the interest of this investigation to view ped- the teaching of Tourism as a subject in South African agogy as a platform that designates local heritage as schools. This is necessitated by the justifications high- a strength of communities, particularly after the de- lighted in the subsequent sections of this article. mise of apartheid. The curriculum should not only be a means to accumulate grades but also a spring- Justification and Background board to facilitate social values, such as peace, social Post-1994 South Africa’s objective of the tourism sub- cohesion, non-sexism, non-racialism, and democracy jects is to empower the students with practical skills (Muller, 2020). The term sustainability is used without and knowledge needed to pursue careers in the tour- necessarily understanding what sustainable education ism sector, while instilling an understanding of the is. Youness (2017) argues that sustainability means en- rights and responsibilities associated with tourism for hancing jobs and improving the economy. South Afri- both tourists and tourism practitioners. This study ca has a diverse population, which also means diverse argues that incorporating tourism education from an economic sources. Still, the curriculum seemingly has indigenous heritage perspective can assist students not yet been exploited to the level at which it can be recognise the significance of the heritage passed down applied to tap into the different economic sources, by their ancestors and encourage them to engage in such as local heritage, to provide local economies with conservation efforts for the benefit of future genera- sustainable living and heritage preservation. tions. However, owing to the general lack of access to Research Questions resources and challenges faced by teachers in terms of 1. How can schools implement the Tourism curric-curriculum flexibility, in rural and township schools ulum in a way that contributes to heritage preser-(Tapala et al., 2021), the tourism curriculum is not yet vation and sustainable tourism in rural areas and fully maximised as a platform to assist preserve in-townships? digenous knowledge that natives had been denied to, during colonial and apartheid South Africa. Further- RQ 1.1 Does valorising the tourism curriculum more, the subject also empowers citizens to develop encourage stakeholder engagement in sustainable livelihoods from their heritage. Accord- preserving local heritage in rural and ing to Mtapurı and Giampiccoli (2020), tourism with township communities? Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 91 Sibiya Thandeka Education and Heritage RQ 1.2 Does the tourism curriculum require fur- each audit. Subsequently, in 1997, a new curriculum ther reforms to encourage schools to play policy was launched, curriculum 2005, which was a meaningful role in community develop- outcome-based. In 2002, this curriculum was recon- ment? structed and approved into the Revised National Cur- 2. How can Tourism curriculum be put on the same riculum Statement (NCS) and implemented in 2004. It 3. What impact does tourism education have on stu- and teachers. As a result, the 2009 findings of the NCS were reviewed in 2011. Its subsequent amendment led dents’ understanding of community sustainability? level with other subjects? was reviewed in 2009 regarding the quality of learning to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement RQ 3.1 What knowledge and skills do students (CAPS), claims DoE (Department of Education 2009; gain from the tourism curriculum re- National Education Policy Act 1996; 2009) and Pin- garding sustainable practices? nock (2011). RQ 3.2 What are the long-term impacts on stu- dents’ attitudes and behaviour towards The Tourism Curriculum Concept sustainability in their communities? Based on the evolution of the school curriculum in South Africa, as documented by the CAPS Tourism Research Aims and Objectives. Package published by the Umalusi, a Council for a) Investigate the role of schools in forging partner- Quality Assurance in General and Further Education ships and relationships with local communities to and Training, in collaboration with the Department generate and preserve knowledge about local her- of Tourism in South Africa, the Tourism curriculum itage sites. appears to be aligned with Curriculum levels and as- b) Examine the benefits of teaching the tourism cur- sociated curriculum documentation (Thijs & Van den riculum from a community sustainability perspec- Akker, 2009). This characteristic presents Tourism as c) Investigate the long-term benefits for students re- gies. In 2009, the subject was therefore identified as a priority economic sector as well as one of the growth garding community sustainability. tive in South African’s rural and township schools. a key subject in the country’s various economic strate- d) Investigate the role of teacher capacitation in up- ment of economic activities in rural areas by the In- areas which are expected to contribute to the develop- lifting the status of Tourism subject. dustrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP2), according to the National Tourism Sector Strategy, (February 2011). Literature Review Therefore, it is assumed that the tourism subject, as This study contributes to the existing literature on early as the school phase, is recommended as part of the role of the Tourism curriculum in fostering and the improvements that can potentially influence the bolstering sustainable heritage in rural and township implementation of the curriculum both in and out- communities. However, it is imperative to review the side the classroom. literature that discusses the school curriculum devel- opment and reform stages in South Africa from 1995 Heritage and Economy to 2014 to present a rather comprehensive, coherent, According to Timothy and Boyd (2006) and Stod- and logical argument. The curriculum amendments dart and Rogerson (2009), tourism is regarded and were intended to direct education towards a quality described as a strategy in rural areas to market less education, especially after most of the population had developed heritage asserts. One of the effective ways been subjected to subjugation for about five decades. to achieve this, according to Snowball and Courteney From 1995, after the democratic elections, national (2010), is documenting them. Although most of the audits were conducted to assess the different curric- publicity is often done by tourism boards and munic- ulums, and the results revealed significant gaps for ipalities, for example, on wine routes in the Western 92 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Sibiya Thandeka Education and Heritage Eastern Cape and in KwaZulu-Natal Midlands Mean- destinations already enjoying publicity, argues Viljoen der and the Eastern Cape, heritage trails are named and Tlabela (2006). after local chiefs; on such occasions, schools can also get involved by researching the names and even the Theoretical Framework roles these individuals played in the political-libera- This study is shaped by three theories, Community tion struggle for freedom or cultural roles, which is Based Education, Cultural Heritage Education and a way in which the subject of tourism can apply the Sustainable Development theories. According to the knowledge gained from the history curriculum. community based education theory, residents’ views The preservation of heritage in South Africa is in- on the benefits of tourism shape the attention that trinsically linked to the political context of the country scholars have afforded the subject (Almeida-García, before 1994. According to Timothy and Boyd (2006), et al., 2016). Studies show that community members the history of certain races was excluded, which Kim will support development innitiatives if they realise et al. (2007) refer to as collective amnesia. The delib- that community innitiatives are a platform for devel- erate suppression of certain histories can be addressed opment (Lee, 2013), which leads to supporting such and Courteney (2010), described as a healing process that community-based environmental education is a participatory, collaborative, action and information through revitalising local heritage, which Snowball programmes. Bui (2011) and Bui et al. (2020), argue financial funding, schools can contribute from an ac- munities towards development programmes, such as community based tourism (Abdul Aziz, et al., 2023). ademic point of view. This approach to education is empowering and pre- A study in Indonesia (Hampton, 2005) advocates history. While this requires a substantial amount of based process, hence the positive reaction of com- and an attempt to correct the gaps in South Africa’s serves community heritage. Cultural heritage educa- for community participation, presenting tourism as a the practical education and training of learners about fore its preservation is crucial, according to Jagiels- the Tourism industry. More significantly, if we single ka-Burduk, et al. (2021). In light of this, education is out the Midlands Meander, which is mainly rural, the an integral part of its preservation, through awareness local community, according to Snowball and Court- and other forms of education. Thus far, UNESCO has eney (2010), was not benefiting from the tourism off- been crucial in developing the existing legal frame- shoots; it is only a recent development that emerging work in the area of culture, by adopting six conven- Black entrepreneurs are obtaining membership in the tions in the area of heritage. According to the Agenda route association. Most factors responsible for the 2030 for sustainable goals, SDG 4.7 ensures that by lack of rural Black participants in heritage and tour- ty. While schools may not be involved in the financial highly contested discipline (Jagielska-Burduk, et al., planning and management of the heritage sites for 2021). Cultural heritage and sustainability are aligned tourism, their involvement could be a step forward in because, culture is an non-renewable resource, there- bottom-up, participatory, and benefit-oriented activi- immovable, tangible and intangible heritage, and is tion asserts that culture has many layers, movable, 2030, learners acquire knowledge and skills required ism development include limited information and to promote sustainable development, human rights, lack of finance and experience. Schools, as centres of equality and the promotion of culture, peace, diver- knowledge, can educate communities about the role sity and global citizenship. According to the Sus- that they can play in developing a sound tourism tainable Development Theory, the curriculum has a economy. One example would be to discuss a much role to promote and encourage tourism practices that simpler and user-friendly White Paper, a policy paper merge economic growth with environmental steward- which stresses the advancement of tourism to devel- ship and social equity. The Brundtland Commission op even those areas that are lagging because the ten- presents this theory as a lens though which learners’ dency, even for the government, is to focus only a few learning parttens should be guided. They should learn Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 93 Sibiya Thandeka Education and Heritage about how tourism impact communities in the com- that internet-based surveys provide the researcher with munities where they live and go to school (Brundt- economic relief based on the logistical factors posed land & Khalid, 1987). This aligns educational out- by the distance and financial costs, according to Van comes with broader goals of sustainable community Selm and Jankowski (2006). The ease is also provided development. by the accessibility by which potential respondents can be reached. In this study, using email was particular- Methodology ly attractive because the participant teachers work in We present a constructivist qualitative study. Adopt- different schools across a large South African region, ing a constructivist approach, according to Crotty meanwhile the researcher is based in outside South Af- (1998), allows the researcher to search for culturally rica. However, despite the benefits, challenges were still and historically explained interpretations of the social encountered. For example, communication with some life world. The construction of meaning and knowl- teachers stretched much longer because of the poor edge, according to constructivism, is a societal-driven internet networks, leading to receiving responses later process through interaction with reality (Schmuck, than anticipated. Other teachers were concerned about 1997). This paper aims to pool multiple teachers’ their privacy and anonymity because, as Van Selm and knowledge about the topic at hand to contribute to Jankowski (2006) argue, email-based responses are the Tourism curriculum in the South African context. prone to invasion of privacy, where the identity of re- The sample consisted of a total of ten (10) teachers, spondents can be compromised due to the nature of nine (9) who are experienced, and one (1) who is a the Reply Function of an email programme. novice, in schools located both in rural and township The study also references two case studies. Case South Africa. Due to the logistical dynamics, an inter- studies in education can bring to the fore challenges net survey was chosen as the most practical way of ad- faced by teachers in education (Broudy, 1990). In the ministering the research questionnaire to teachers. It context of this article, teachers are unable to some ex- was designed in Microsoft Word format and emailed tent to implement the Tourism curriculum to effect to the respondents. community transformation, through the two case The purposeful sampling of the respondents was studies below, we can draw some conclusions that it based on the idea that I am a teacher and have worked is a possible feat. with some of the respondents as colleagues in different schools. In the process, they could suggest names oth- Results er teachers I did not know, who could also be potential In rural and township schools, the tourism curricu- respondents. However, the results of this study cannot lum can serve as a vehicle for teaching students about be generalised because of the size of the sample. local heritage, environmental stewardship, and sus- The choice behind the use of email as a tool and tainable business practices. By embedding sustaina- platform for conducting online research data collec- bility principles within the tourism curriculum, edu- tion is supported by the idea that as early as year 2002, cators can prepare students to become custodians of emails were already used in Iceland in a study involv- their heritage and proactive participants in local eco- ing teachers and students (Lefever et al., 2007). Elec- nomic development, however teachers also should be tronic data collection methods vary widely, including prepared. This means that curriculum transformation computer-administered, electronic mail, and web sur- and teacher training is crucial to the achievement of veys (Nayak & Narayan, 2019). Since the early 2000s, the roles that the subject is expected to fulfill. the Internet has become the most convenient tool and platform for survey research, argues Van Selm and Discussion Jankowski (2006). Online surveys present themselves Lack of a Strong Will as both advantages and liabilities; for this paper, the Some teachers agree that tourism remains a vocation- positives surpass the challenges. It should be mentioned al subject that is not taken as seriously as it should be, 94 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Sibiya Thandeka Education and Heritage partly due to the country’s symbolic nature of curric- policies to address particular social issues by utilising ulum changes. In the wake of South Africa’s demo- the curriculum seems to be an inevitable practical tra- cratic elections in 1994, the then minister of education jectory. This is reflected by the coastal part of Leba- launched national processes that aimed to transform non and Syria, which, according to Bellos et al. (2021) the curriculum and purge its apartheid-subjugating and Bou (2021), the tourism industry will thrive and matter. However, these changes did not legitimately be shielded from threats such as terrorism, conflict usher in change; instead, they exposed the symbolic and political corruption, and become a smart and and superficial transition, argues Jansen (1999). The sustainably worthwhile investment if there is a visi- gaps in the curriculum implementation are visible ble political will to transform tourism, a process that generally across the curriculum, including the Tour- is contingent on the power of education as a reform ism subject. tool (Airey & Tribe, 2006). This perspective portrays South Africa’s Tourism curriculum seems ad- and regards the youth as the custodians of heritage, vanced and detailed compared to countries that im- which is achievable through a meaningful education plement the IGCSE Curriculum, like Kenya, Lesotho, system. Considering this view, this paper understands India and the UK, because its objectives include con- that Tourism education or Tourism curriculum can tent that discusses culture and heritage, mapwork and promote sustainability and economic development marketing the country (Department of Education, since sustainable tourism has become a popular trend 2014). However, it still does not occupy the same sta- worldwide, according to UNWTO (2020a; 2020b; tus as other subjects in the school curriculum. Teach- 2020c; 2020d). ers and school managers’ perception of the Tourism subject, according to Nhlapo et. (2019), poses a chal- A Self-reliance, Community-based Curriculum lenge of rendering it an easy subject for those learn- The self-reliance community-based concept in ed- ers who are struggling in the STEM subject. This at- ucation is a philosophy linked to Tanzania’s former titude is also popular among teachers in Lesotho. In statesman, Julius Nyerere, which he popularised 2011, when the subject was introduced in the country, across the African continent after recognising that learners did not hesitate to elect it as part of their high the Western-based education system was not bene- school curriculum package. Teachers who participat- fiting Africans, instead, it was turning Africans into ed in a study conducted by Nhlapo et al. (2019), Leso- dependent individuals. He further criticised it as tho also holds similar sentiments about the Tourism being theoretical and lacking practical skills (Nyer- subject resembling a dumping site for learners strug- ere, 1967). He campaigned to adopt a community gling with other elective subjects. participation-based curriculum. In this light, one of According to Sean (2010), there is a general feeling the participants agreed that tourism as a vocation- that Tourism is a generic subject that utilises everyday al subject should be taught in a way that triggers an knowledge. While this may be true to some degree, it entire community’s awareness of tourism attractions still threatens to tarnish the image of the subject and available in their communities. Nhlapo (2018) argues water down its significance. Dube (2014) argues that that communities are an asset which can assist schools these phenomena present a paradox because while and learners in reaching a state of self-reliance, which the government designates the subject as an integral is an idea that is also supported by Kretzmann and contribution to the economy, on the ground, it is per- McNight (1993; 1996) and Moeller and Bielfeldt (2011). ceived as a soft discipline, which may be interpreted According to Russell (2009), communities play a sig- to mean that it has no significant value, which this a nificant role in improving local education in Mexico, direct opposite of the sentiments shared by this study. Nicaragua, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Kenya. Communi- Based on the above claims in the South African con- ty participation is a well-documented concept (Fan text, it can be argued that the extent of commitment & Williams, 2010; Moeller & Bielfeldt, 2011; Barron, and support from key decision-makers to formulate 2013; Fathi, 2014). Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 95 Sibiya Thandeka Education and Heritage Nhlapo (2018) argues that community participa- Teacher Capacitation and Empowerment tion goes a long way where the community members The teaching of Tourism as school subject, but sig- have low levels of education because once commu- nificantly as a vocational subject, is not executed in nity members see a value in the knowledge that they earnest, according to the view of some participants. possess and begin collaborating with schools in the Previously, the subject did not enjoy the same status form of capacity building, they can significantly gain as other subjects to qualify learners for university en- self-esteem (Myende, 2014). This therefore informs trance. This is one of the reasons that contributed to us that in addition to the heritage asserts that exist in the relegation of the subject to an inferior status com- communities, it can be the beginning of a long-stand- pared to academic subjects. ing relationship between communities and schools, if Participants believe that the threat of the subject utilised meaningfully. For this section of the study, I not being taught justly looms, if a subject is not held in am presenting the participants views on the contribu- high regard (Chili, 2013; Adukaite et al., 2016). There- tions of the example of Mount iNhlangakazi. fore, it is paramount that Tourism teachers and school This mountain lies in the valleys of Ndwedwe. management be capacitated on available ways of el- It is a pilgrimage mountain of the Nazareth Baptist evating the subject so that it becomes a tool to pros- Church, founded by Isaiah Shembe, a Zulu prophet per the subject and uplift the status of local heritage. who holds a special place in the hearts of the mem- In Lebanon and Syria, a study conducted, provides bers of this church. This church is one of the oldest perspectives on the role of educational institutions in and largest independent African churches, also known encouraging local development through educational as an indigenous church, founded around 1910 (Van tourism; Bou (2021). der Heyden, 2004). The church has Zulu traditions Tourism in South Africa is renowned for its role and culture at the centre of its doctrine, making the in the economy and its ability as a sustainable labour mountain a shrine and a heritage site. Apart from attraction (Adukaite et al., 2017). Considering this that, the Nazareth church is one of the many Zionist view, Tourism teachers and learners, as early as high churches that sprung up to resist colonial religion, school, should be aware of the subject’s critical role which rendered it an enemy of missionary work, (Adukaite et al., 2016). According to Adukaite et al. leading to being labelled as a black nationalist organ- (2017), teachers can implement the curriculum flexi- isation that was threatening public safety and their bly in deciding which methodologies to adopt. How- leaders’ charlatans and rebels in disguise, argues Lea ever, such knowledge comes with extensive training (1924) and Van Wing, (1958). Therefore, the histori- and experience. Generally, Tourism teachers are not ography of the church describes a strong political, qualified to teach the subject argues Adukaite et al. religious, and cultural heritage that exists mainly in (2017) and lack innovation, interest, and exposure. To rural areas. The historiography presents the mountain address the challenge of student apathy regarding the and the whole religion as heritage, and the commu- subject, we must create relationships with the com- nity living in Ndwedwe and the schools located there munity to forge a participatory teaching and learning are said to be the main initiators and beneficiaries of approach to heritage as one of the aspects of the tour- the heritage. This idea is aligned with the Community ism subject. Cultural Wealth Theory that acknowledges that Indig- enous knowledge from the community is worthy for Case Studies educational purposes (Mahlomaholo, 2012; Graven & The Madikwe Game Reserve in the Northwest Prov- Schafer, 2013). Such an approach to teaching tourism ince is an example of a successful integrating tourism is believed to be useful in assisting teachers who some- education with community sustainability. This pro- times are not adequately trained or lack resources to gramme facilitates the participation of local schools in gravitate towards learner-centred teaching, which ren- the wildlife conservation, eco-tourism, and economic ders the subject effectively vocational; Park, (2008). development benefits of sustainable tourism. Through 96 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Sibiya Thandeka Education and Heritage this programme, community participation in various ing learner knowledge beyond the classroom. Recog- tourism initiatives has increased. One of the key fac- nising Tourism’s vital role in driving economic growth tors that renders this programme a success, is educa- and addressing historical inequalities in post-apart- tion. The Madikwe Reserve operates various educa- heid South Africa, this approach may offer a pathway tional programmes that aim to conscientise locals of to job creation through heritage-based initiatives, the importance of conservation, empower locals with depending on weather communities are aware of the knowledge and skills needed to engage in susta- the significance of heritage in this context. Howev- inable practices. Some of the significant benefits of er, implementing this vision poses challenges. One this initiative is the income generated from tourism. key concern is the shortage of professionally trained The funds help fund local schools and educational teachers who understand the subject’s depth and so- projects, thereby contributing to long-term commu- cietal relevance. Such educators are crucial in influ- nity development. There is an increasing demand for encing school leadership to actively involve commu- programs that produce socially conscious students nities in the educational process. The study suggests armed with practical and contextual knowledge and that adopting a community sustainability perspective ready to act accordingly (Arrobas, 2020). The tourism in the Tourism curriculum, particularly in rural and sector requires students who can interprete theoreti- township schools, can reframe the subject to empha- cal views into practical realities. sise heritage preservation, sustainable development, Another case, is that of Khayelitsha Tourism Edu- and community-based education. This approach cation Project. Khayelitsha is one of the biggest Black promotes a more integrated, relevant, and engaging townships situated in Cape Town, formed by the curriculum. It prepares learners to become proactive apartheid state (Mokoena, 2022). Upon its formation, agents in their communities and supports long-term it was characterised by overcrowding and poverty. impact through strengthened school-teacher-learn- Today, Khayelitsha is a predominantly characterised er-community relationships. Ultimately, the study ad- by informal housing and unemployment and lack of vocates for a resilient educational model that fosters infrastructure (Phelanyane, 2021; community empowerment and sustainable develop- Kongo , 2022). De- spite these challenges, schools and other institutions ment through Tourism education. remain radical in capacitating the youth. The Tour- through tourism. The curriculum includes modules Abdul Aziz, N. A., Mohd Ariffin, N. F., Ismail, N. A., & Alias, A. (2023). Community participation in the on local history, cultural tours, and sustainable busi- ism Education Project focuses on empowering youth References ness practices. 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The criteria for the protection of the country’s natural wealth are presented. Within the EU’s “Nature 2000” framework, 37% of the coun-try’s surface is defined as exceptional, and 14% of the territory is classified by Slove-nian law into five protection categories. The tourism industry builds its promotion through the nation’s natural diversity of the Mediterranean, Alpine, Karst and Pan-nonian (Danubian) landscapes. Protected areas are under the constant pressure of visitors and economic restructuring. The challenge for tourism planners and regu-lators of natural resources is focused on tourist flows numerically, substantively, and promotionally. After the impoverishment of economic inflow during the SarsCov pandemic (2019 -) and the desire for a rapid rise of tourism, the fear exists that tourism industry participants, tourists, and providers of tourist amenities would bypass the recommended management of nature’s treasures. Therefore, the reasons for the author’s plea to place significant nature treasures (and culture), like the Tri-glav National Park (TNP), under international observance, favourably UNESCO, is documented. Keywords: human geography; protection of nature; sustainable tourism, Triglav National Park, Slovenia https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-417-0.101-114 Introduction ing, caretaking, educating, mobility, socio-political A Place is Designed to Provide a Living Experience activism and leisure activities (= tourism; recreation) Like an Experience Attached to the Site. (Maier et al., 1977; Zupančič, 2019; Drozg, 2020;). Geographers are, by rule, superficial when studying Tourism has lately put many layers on the planet. The the Earth. We register the phenomenon, discover elites, initially trendsetters, began … and the middle connections, and monitor the processes that shaped class of the Western to the Eastern society followed. them. Geographers do not descend into the “guts” of The poorer strata of society were seldom incorporat- the phenomenon. One of my mentors, professor Sve- ed (except pilgrimages). In Colorado, Professor Nick tozar Ilešič (1907–1985), concluded that a geographer Helburn (1918–2011), another mentor of mine, a for-observes the planet from a satellite. He registers traces mer student of the famous cultural geographer Carl of nature and humans on Earth and files layers they Ortwin Sauer (1890–1975), and an admirer of the na-have left behind. In times of peace and stability, we ture protectionist John Muir (1838–1914) took us, stu-individuals change our planet through work, resid- dents, in early November of 1981 to the Rocky Moun- Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 101 Anton Gosar Layers of Tourism in Protected Ecosystems of Slovenia Table 1 The Definition of Protected Areas by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and by the Nature Conservation Act of the Republic of Slovenia. Protected Area International Union for the Conservation of Nature Conservation Act (Zakon o ohranjanju narave, Nature (1994) 2004) National Park A larger ecosystem and natural area with Larger area with several natural values and great biodi- preserved indigenous ecological processes and versity. National parks must be defined by at least two specific types of ecosystems is the base for pro-conservation areas so that the strengthened protection viding environmental and cultural conditions regime must be predominant in size and consider the that conform to meet the spiritual, scientific, international protection standards. The national park and educational needs and recreation (follow- institution, the purpose of protection, the size of the ing the primary management objectives). protected area, the protection criteria and the operator shall be determined by law. Regional/ A long-standing interaction between man and A relatively larger area of the region’s typical ecosystem Landscape Park nature has created a larger area of the specific and by size, outstanding primordial nature is intertwined ecological, biological, and cultural landscape. with the works of humans and balanced by nature. It The nature-human interaction is the key to should be defined by at least two conservation areas so preserving the specific and authentic ecologi- that the conservation area with a sharper regime is in cal characters in the related geographic areas. size of smaller scale. Detailed rules of conduct are to be established. Source: Dudley (2008), Berginc et al. (2006), and Sovinc and Gosar (2015) tains National Park. We’ve observed the mountainous management (World Tourism Organization, 2013). landscape from the Summer Camp at the University According to UNWTO guidelines, sustainable tour- of Colorado, Boulder. Across from us, we’ve identified ism should focus on non-mass tourism. In addition a dark green forested slope and two white stripes in to that, respecting visited nature and culture. Conse- the cleared area. We, students, thought it was a typ- quently, eco-tourism (responsible tourism) should be ical wood clearing, a work of foresters. After a short understood as non-mass travel in naturally sensitive, break, the teacher explained: “… no, no… there is a protected areas where the visitor would raise public winter sports centre in the making (Breckenridge); awareness towards preserving the natural environ- due to the lack of precipitation (“the Rain Shadow”), ment. The set of products would enable visitors to ad- the ski slopes must be artificially snowed in early au- mire the complexity of natural and cultural environ- tumn already”. Almost a decade later, I completed my ments (heritage, habits) and thereby contribute to the doctoral dissertation entitled “Holiday Homes as an development of the local economy. Tourism would Element of the Transformation of Slovenian Alpine also be in tune with the residential population and Regions” (Gosar, 1989), which was, in a way, triggered allow tourists to understand the destination’s social/ by this experience. UNESCO and the documents of cultural substance in its cohesion with nature. The Rio+20 (Vernhes, 2013) claim that sustainable de- rules of conduct, namely the protection regimes and velopment should be an exclusive goal of the planet’s the development direction, as well as recommenda- societies; it would diminish poverty, create a society tions for the types of protected areas which could be of social justice and preserve natural resources. The included in tourism products of a certain country, are World Tourism Organization (e.g., in The Guide- defined by the International Union for the Conserva- book: Sustainable Tourism for Development) directs tion of Nature (1994). development policies towards environmentally, so- This paper focuses on the exponential societal use cially, and economically responsible planning and of the planet’s natural wealth by tourists, the tourism 102 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Anton Gosar Layers of Tourism in Protected Ecosystems of Slovenia Table 2 Management Objectives of Protected Areas Outlined by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and by the Slovenian Nature Conservation Act Protected Management objectives defined by the Union for the Conserva-Management objectives defined by the Area tion of Nature (International Union for the Conservation, 1994) Nature Conservation Act of the Republic of Slovenia (Zakon o ohranjanju narave, 2004) National Primary objectives: Protection of natural biodiversity, including Primary objectives: Natural parks should, in Park organic structures and environmental processes of the area for addition to the purpose of protection (Tab. promotion, education, and recreation. 1), set up a vision towards sustainable devel- Secondary objectives: Management of the area of its natural opment of the area, considering the specific state to ensure the sustainability of the representative examples, regional development and the complex needs genetic resources, and natural processes. The site management of the residential population, including must maintain the survival of viable and ecologically functional measures to support physical and mental populations and communities of native species in such density, relaxation of humans. Protected areas should which is necessary to keep the integrity of the ecosystem in the become future cells of sustainability. long run. The management should contribute to biodiversity Secondary objectives: The purpose of des-conservation, especially regional ecological processes. With the ignating protected areas by law (as in the goal not to expand biological and ecological degradation, the Conservation Act of the RS) is to outline management of the area should manage visits to the area for specific landscape areas with outstanding relaxing and recreational purposes. It should concentrate on the natural features and authentic human-nature education of visitors. At the same time, the management of the interactions. Each protected area should protected site must consider the needs of the resident popula- be tackled separately and not within the tion and local communities so that their acts do not harm the designated category of the general protection primary goal of protection. In addition, the management of guidelines. the protected site should, through adapted tourism products, contribute to developing the local economy. Regional/ Primary objectives: Protection and conservation of outstanding (See above) Landscape and authentic landscapes (mainland, sea) and their associated Park nature, including additional values of the site that have emerged due to man’s interaction with nature. Secondary objectives: The purpose of protection is to main- tain a balanced interaction of man and nature by conserving certain spatial areas and their corresponding traditional forms of governance, including sociological, cultural, and spiritual values. Management of named sites should also address the broader protection of nature (flora and fauna; agricultural and aquatic phenomenon) and the landscape’s specific use. It should produce opportunities for relaxation, well-being and other activities within recreation and tourism. Management of the site should focus on the natural and cultural heritage to encourage the active community to participate. Source Dudley (2008), Berginc et al. (2006), and Sovinc and Gosar (2015) industry and linked economies. Visits of tourists to natural significance (2865 m) for the Slovenian nation, diverse natural resources of Slovenia, particularly sites our intention is also to start a discussion by which the under protection, will be discussed and elaborated. Eastern Julian Alps, with their highest peak Triglav, Special attention will be given to the Triglav Nation- would be placed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. In al Park (TNP). Due to Triglav’s national, cultural and a way, this mountainous range, from its natural and Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 103 Anton Gosar Layers of Tourism in Protected Ecosystems of Slovenia cultural point of view, is like the area of the neigh- es and the consistency between the international cate- bouring Dolomites, which were included in the List gories of protected areas, by IUCN standards, and cat- in 2009. egories of protected areas in the Slovenian system has been performed (Zakon o ohranjanju narave, 2004). Spatial Background: Areas of Protection A comparison of the management of objectives in Slovenia is one of the most diverse tourist destinations categories of national parks and protected landscapes in Europe. On its relatively small size (20.273 km2), with similarly defined protected areas in Slovenia has Mediterranean landscapes cover 9%, the European been carried out. (Dudley, 2008; Berginc et al., 2006; Alps 42%, karstic landscapes of the Dinaric Alps 28%, Sovinc & Gosar, 2015). and the Pannonian (also called Danubian) landscapes According to international standards, in the cen- cover 21% of the nation-state’s territory. The detailed tral area of national parks, activities that would en- geographic perspective singles out Mediterranean danger “the biodiversity, together with the organic flysch areas (5.2%), Mediterranean karst (3.3%); Al- structure and environmental processes, may not be pine highlands (15.1%), pre-Alpine hills (23%), Alpine carried out” (Dudley, 2008). Article 68 of the Nature lowlands (4.0%); Dinaric plateaus (18.8%), Dinaric Conservation Act of the Republic of Slovenia (Zakon valleys (9.4%); Pannonian hills (14,8%) and Pannoni- o ohranjanju narave, 2004) prohibits and limits activ- an flatlands (6,4%). (Orožen Adamič & Perko, 1998). ities that threaten biodiversity, organic structure, and Within the “Natura 2000” program framework, the environmental processes in the TNP’s central area and EU Life program singled out 365 areas, covering 37% at designated sites of regional/landscape parks. How- of the country. In this context, protection is granted to ever, this arrangement is not a minimum standard in 205 animals, 27 plants and 60 typical natural environ- named and other protected areas. Therefore, activities ments, which is 11% of all protected habitats in the Eu- should be banned or at least limited in central areas of ropean Union - EU (Ministrstvo za okolje in prostor, each protected nature site if they threaten biodiversi- 2022). The largest protected nature area covers Triglav ty, a basic objective of the international classification National Park - TNP (838 km2); the areas designated categories. as UNESCO’s natural heritage cover 773 km2 (World Tourism Organization, 2020). Six types of protection Methodology are legally defined in nature conservation areas. In ad- Previous Study. The Slovenian Tourist Board (STO) dition to the Triglav National Park, 3 Regional Parks, has since produced several strategic plans and pro- 46 Landscape Parks, and 57 Nature Reserves (57) ex- motional campaigns. Along with the general pro- ist. A certain level of protection is granted to 1.164 motional slogan “I feel Slovenia”, the contempo- Monuments of Nature (Zavod Republike Slovenije za rary trendy slogan is to recognise the destination varstvo narave, n.d.). The Slovenian Nature Conserva- as “Green, Active, Healthy”. From the dawn of the tion Act (Zakon o ohranjanju narave, 2004) has par- 21st century, the intention has been to base tourism tially implemented conditions published by the Inter- growth entirely on principles of sustainable devel- national Union for the Conservation of Nature (1994). opment. Students at the University of Primorska, The 49. article describes protected areas. In a special Faculty of Tourism Studies - Turistica, have tried to survey, we have checked criteria implemented on cat- find out how national directives are accepted by ho- egories of protection by Slovenian law – in national, tel management and among tourists. Senior manage- regional and landscape parks. The system of protec- ment believed sustainable development should focus tion determines the category or type of protected area on actual, place/destination-related problems. They and should consider the internationally established would favour sustainable development if promotional IUCN categorisation of protected areas. The minimum campaigns would change past trends and would de- protection and sub-sequential tourist use standards liver increased short- and mid-term financial results. are not set for each category. The analysis of differenc- Many have acted independently by saving electricity 104 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Anton Gosar Layers of Tourism in Protected Ecosystems of Slovenia Table 3 Protected Sites of Nature Recommended for Visit UNESCO (Nature) National Park Regional Parks (RP) Landscape Parks (KP) Natural Reserves (NP) Unesco Global Geopark TNP - Triglav Inner Carniola (incl. Debeli Rtič (3 km2) Škocjanski zatok Idrija (294 km2) National Park Cerknica Intermittend (1 km2) (839 km2) Lake (222 km2) Škocjan Caves Škocjan Cave (31 km2*) Strunjan (4 km2) Lagunes of Ormož (31 km2; incl. RP area) (1km2) Krokar Primeval Forest Kozjansko (206 km2) Sečovlje Salt Ponds LP (7 Reserve (1 km2) km2) Snežnik Ždrocle Reserve Pivka Intermittend Lakes-17 (8 km2) (140 km2) Ljubljana Marsh Pile- Ljubljana Marshes (150 km2*) Dwellers (150 km2) Unesco Global Geopark Tivoli, Rožnik & the Hill of Karawanken (in Slovenija Šiška (5 km2) 409 km2; Austria 568 km2) Radensko polje (15 km2) Lahinja (3 km2) Kolpa (43 km2) Logarska dolina (24 km2) Goričko (462 km2) 6 (773 km2) 1 (839 km2) 3 (429 km2) 11 (706 km2) 2 (2 km2) * incl. in UNESCO * incl. in UNESCO Source Sovenska turistična organizacija (2020) and water, changing cleaning practices and treating Research Base food-wastes. They disagree with enforced regional/ Along with directing general tourism develop- national handling of the matter; they want to be con- ment, the Slovenian Tourist Board (STO) publishes sulted in advance because some measures may affect award-winning catalogues and promotional mate- their profits in the long run. Tourists welcome the rials highlighting the Republic of Slovenia’s natural sustainable tourism concept only as long as measures and cultural assets. According to the STO brochure taken are not venturing their wallets, changing em- Outdoor Slovenia: Movements in the Nature (Sloven-bedded habits, interfering with their privacy and not ska turistična organizacija, 2020), 23 large-scale pro- affecting the quality of the existing tourist attractions tected nature areas of Slovenia are in high interest by at the destination. Three-quarters of visitors to tourist visitors. The Triglav National Park (TNP), six UNESCO destinations consider environmentally conscious ap- World Heritage Sites and 11 landscape parks lead the proaches as desirable. The general opinion of visitors way. STO suggests that the experience-loving tourists regarding educational content is that they should be should have 1976 km2 (about 9.8% of the nation-state’s offered at tourist destinations where they should be territory) in mind. Dominant by size is the Triglav applied to the residential population, particularly to National Park in the Julian Alps (839 km2), followed tourist industry managers and workers (Jurinčič & by Unesco sites (773 km2) and designated Landscape Gosar, 2003). parks (706 km2). Regional parks cover an area of 429 Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 105 Anton Gosar Layers of Tourism in Protected Ecosystems of Slovenia km2, and the largest of three, encompassing 222 km2, Škocjan Caves Regional Park, in the Karawanken is the Inner Carniola Regional Park (Notranjski reiki Geopark (both UNESCO sites) and in the Inner park), with several above and underground attrac- Carniola Regional Park (Notranjski reiki park). tions produced by the karst geology. 60% of recommended visits to the underground Selected contemporary trends regarding pandemic world are to be performed in protected areas. and post-pandemic behaviour of tourists in protected 4. Other recommended sites to visit in summer in- areas have been observed in contemporary literature clude adventures in the air and on water as well as and at several national institutions, such as the Slo- in “adrenalin parks”. These are rarely located inside venian Office of Statistics (SURS), the headquarters protected areas of nature and, therefore, are not of the Triglav National Park - TNP (Triglavska Roža, subject to analyses. Nevertheless, their initial loca- Bled) and the Mountain Rescuing Service (GRS). tion is often on the edge or near nature-protected sites and could affect them indirectly. None of the Tourism Layers in Protected Sites recommended 15 golf courses are located within Promotion and Directions. In 2020, the Slovenian protected areas. Tourist Board, in the brochure “Slovenija na prostem. Moj način gibanja v naravi” (Open Air Slovenia. My In the brochure named earlier, the Slovenian Tour- Movements in Nature), highlighted four types of ac- ist Board outlined destinations specially recognised tivities: hiking, cycling, experiences of the karst un- by media or institutions related to tourism. In the derground and golf. Other recommended leisure-ori- frame of “hiking”, two stand out: 1. the Juliana Trail, ented summer activities included horseback riding, circling the Triglav National Park in the alpine envi- parachuting, paragliding, hang-gliding, and balloon- ronment with outstanding vistas (330 km, 20 days, ing, experiences on and along rivers, lakes and the sea, 1326 meters of maximum elevation above sea level); visits to the adrenaline parks and activities in health this trail was recommended by the British newspaper resorts (Slovenska turistična organizacija, 2020). Rec- The Guardian and the USA’s New York Times; 2. the ommended summer tourist activities placed in pro- Peace Trail, crisscrossing the Italian - Slovenian bor- tected areas of nature show the following character- der and the Triglav National Park area in memory of istics: the first World War tragedy at the Isonzo frontline in 1917 (120 km, seven days, hiking in part above 2000 m 1. Hiking and Mountaineering. Out of 12 hiking/ above sea level); this trail is marked with the sign “Slo- mountaineering trails, as many as six crisscross Triglav National Park (TNP), five trails offer expe- Slovenia (Mountain) Biking venian Unique Experience”. In the frame of “biking”, riences in landscape and regional parks. Just one Tour the bicycle circle route 2. Bicycling. Of the nine recommended cycling je). Protected sites of nature are crisscrossed by several regional and landscape parks, as well as the 92% of recommended hiking trails. Triglav National Park (Vršič Pass, 1611 meters). The hiking trail avoids protected areas (region Zasav- elevation, 109 control points) stands out as it crosses (1800 kilometres, 41 segments, 50.000 meters of “underground experience” is highlighted by three, routes, two cross the Triglav National Park, five named “Slovenian Unique Experience”: lead cyclists through regional/landscape parks, The Postojna Cave is 22 kilometres away from the and two avoid protected areas (the Mura River and Inner Carniola Region Park (Notranjski regijski Park the Kamnik-Savinja Alps circle tour). Thus, 78% of - NRP). the recommended cycling routes cross protected The Peca/Petzen walking, biking and boating ad- natural sites. venture in the Unesco Geopark Karawanken. 3. Experience of the karst (and the underground The Caves of Škocjan are a UNESCO Heritage Site, world of Slovenia). 5 exceptional and recommend- containing the world’s largest underground canyon of ed caves to visit three are in protected areas: in the the river Reka. 106 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Anton Gosar Layers of Tourism in Protected Ecosystems of Slovenia Table 4 Suggested Summer Outdoor Activities/Experiences by STO. Hiking Trails Biking Routes Underground Experiences Other Outdoor Atractivities Golf Slovenian Trail: 617 km (37 Slovenian Biking Slovenian Unique 40 take-off sites for hang- Bovec: 3.012 m (9) vistas); Pohorje via Alps to the Tour: 1800 km/41 Experience - Postojna Cave gliding & paragliding */** Adriatic Sea* segments* (22 km) Exploring: 4 km; Tourist Visits since 1818 Via Alpina Red: 220 km; Pohorje Long Slovenian Unique Zipline Parks: Učja, Kanin, Kranjska gora: Karawanken via Julian Alps to Distance Trail: Experience - Peca/ Planica, Bled, Bohinj*, Golte, 1.748 m (9) the Adriatic Sea* 75km** Karawanken: Walking, Črna na Koroškem; Maribor Biking, Boating: 5 km** Via Alpina Purple: 430km; Trans Slovenia 1 Škocjanske jame: World 20 adventurous parks: 5 in Lipica: 6.225 m Julian Alps to the Karawanken* Trail: 384 km / 7 Largest Underground River the Upper Soča Valley*; Stari (9) segments* Canyon; Unesco Heritage ** vrh, Bohinj*, Bled, Postojna, Krvavec, Vače, Menina, Celje, Otočec, Osilnica, Betnava, Vurberk, Bukovniško jezero Alps-Adriatic Peace Trail: 145 Trans Karawanken Vilenica: Oldest Cave Outstanding Lakes: Bled Bled: 6.536 m (18) km; criss-crossing Slovenian- Trail: 132 km** Opened for Tourists (since (alpine lake w. island - icon Italian-Austrian border* 1660) of Slovenian Tourism); Bohinj (largest)*; Cerknica (intermittent)**; Šmartinsko (longest shore) European Trail E7 (Naprudnik’s Biking Trail along Križna jama: Underground Adriatic Coast: 21 beaches (on Brdo: 887 m (9) Trail): 598 km; ** from Baltic to the Draga River: Lakes and Ponds (boat 47 km of coast) the Adriatic 145km** ride) ** European Trail E 6 (Cigler’s Biking Trail 21 Spa’s: Lendava, Moravske Ljubljana: 5.872 m Trail): 260 km**; from Italian to Parenzana: 32 km toplice, Radenci, Laško, Čatež, (18) Lj.-Stanežiče: Hungarian Spa’s (Trieste to Poreč) ** Dolenjske, Ptuj, Rogaška, 1.299 m (9); Olimia, Zreče, Dobrna, Lj.Volčji potok: Šmarješke, Portorož, Strunjan, 5.015 m (18); Banovci, Mala Nedelja, Rimske Lj.Trnovo: 2.470 toplice, Dobova, Topolšica, m (9) Snovik, Cerkno. Via Dinarica: 160 km**; Around Kamnik- Grad Otočec: experiencing the karst landscape Savinja Alps: 130km 6.189 m (18) Alpe Adria Trail: 145 km* Via Bela Krajina: 115 Grad Mokrice: criss-crossing Slovenian-Italian-km; ** 5.785 m (18) Austrian borders* Mountain Trail of Koroška: 230 Along Mura River: Podčetrtek: 2.081 km ** 56 km m (9) Hiking Trail of Pomurje: 330 Slovenjske km** Konjice: 2.448 m (9) Hiking Trail of Zasavje: 199 km Radenci: 1.669 m (9) Juliana Trail: 330 km: Moravske Toplice: experiencing the Julian Alps 6.236 m (18) (suggested by New York Times and The Guardian) * Source Slovenska turistična organizacija (2020) Among several other outdoor areas with karstic Layers of Tourism in Mountainous Environments. features, the intermittent Cerknica Lake in the Inner The most obvious layers of leisure, produced by con- Carniola Regional Park’s (NRP) core area is worth stantly growing tourism in the Republic of Slove- mentioning (see Table 4). nia, are experienced along the Adriatic Sea and in Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 107 Anton Gosar Layers of Tourism in Protected Ecosystems of Slovenia Table 5 Triglav National Park (TNP): Visits, Bed-nights, Mountain Rescues 2018 – 2021 Mountaineering % Bed-night stays in % Bed-night stays in % Interventions of Mountain % in TNP * the TNP area municipalities partly Rescuing Teams in TNP Bohinj - (in 000)** within TNP*** **** 2018 172.711 100 661 100 3.945.332 100 322 100 2019 176.798 102 710 107 4.052.241 103 394 122 2020+ 158.827 92 465 70 2.395.659 61 292 91 2021+ 179.864 104 584 88 4.012.302 102 399 124 Sources - + pandemic years: SarsCov 19. Notes * Statistics of the automatic cameras (April to August) in TNP at: Bohinjsko jezero, Krma, Lepena, Planina Blato, Tamar, Zadnjica. Source: Triglavska Roža, Bled: M. Odar, 2022. ** Source: Headquarters of the Triglav National Park (Tri-glavska Roža, Bled: M. Odar, 2022). *** Source: Statistical Office of Slovenia (2022). **** Source: Mountain Rescue Service (Gorska reševalna služba, 2022): municipalities with TNP area) the Julian Alps. Early attempts to protect the alpine ginning of the pandemic, tourist visits dropped by a mountainous range go back to the beginning of the third. According to results from cameras registering 20th century. In 1924, Albin Belar, a radio broadcaster visitors hiking to the park’s core, mountaineers de- (1864 - 1939), succeeded Triglav Lakes Valley, an area creased by just 11% (159.000). In 2021, as the vaccine of 1.6 km2, and became declared “The Alpine Protec- against the virus became available, the visits to the tion Site”. 1981, the Bill of Triglav National Park (TNP) Triglav National Park (TNP) ‘s core increased 2018 by passed the Slovenian Parliament. In addition, the 2%. Along with the growing number of visitors, rescu- protection of 839 km2 of the mountainous area of the ing teams’ (Gorska reševalna služba, 2022) interven- Eastern Julian Alps was finalised. Triglav - the Three tions increased by 24% (Table 5). On the edge of the Head Mountain has become the nation’s symbol and park, visitors were intrigued by the many installations is engraved in the Coat of Arms of the Republic of that satisfied the desires of post-industrial humans. Slovenia. In 1895, the priest Jakob Aljaž placed a mi- Leisure/recreation supply installations - like zip lines, cro tower - a galvanised sheet of metal called Aljažev rafting, canyoning, downhill skiing and biking, flying stolp (the Aljaž Hut) - on the top of the mountain. in several styles and walking over trees… are mush- This structure evokes the memory of the national rooming. Since they are an “open air” experience, they awakening and symbolically outlines opposition to were heavily visited in the Covid-19 pandemic years the then-ruling (Austrian) elite. Nowadays, people’s (like in the municipalities of Bohinj, Bovec and Kran- proverbial saying, “If you’ve not been on Triglav, jska Gora). Major motives creating the contemporary you are not a Slovenian” (“Kdor ni bil na Triglavu ni layers of tourism in the TNP are related to a) the lei- Slovenc”). Proof of continuous visits and interest in sure-time motivated impacts, b) the nation-state’s pro- the wealth of mountainous/alpine nature is found in tection and intervention management and c) private recent statistics provided by the nation-state’s statis- and societal economic interests. Second home con- tical office, the Headquarters of the Triglav Nation- structions are the most visible layers of tourism in the al Park and the register of the Mountain Rescuing TNP. Starting in the 1960s, in socialist Yugoslavia, in Teams (Table 5). times of de-privileged agriculture, the locals’ pasture Municipalities sharing the area of the Triglav Na- lands and farm huts started to switch ownership. Po- tional Park (TNP) reported that at the height of the litically and economically privileged urban residents pandemic, in 2021, tourists equalised overnight ac- settled in. This trend continued and was, to a certain commodations of the pre-pandemic years and even extent, stopped with the national park legislation. In increased visits by 2% with the year 2018. At the be- a limited form, the construction of second homes 108 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Anton Gosar Layers of Tourism in Protected Ecosystems of Slovenia Figure 1 Second Homes in the Triglav National Park (TNP), Slovenia in 2015. Source Miha Koderman (2017) continued anyway. Most have been built without re- In September 2012, there were 129 such cases under quired permits. Municipalities have unwillingly legal- consideration by the nation--states or municipality ised them; rare buildings were demolished. Named inspectorates (see Figure 1; Koderman, 2017). problems have often been lead stories in mass media, Since the dawn of the 21st century, the national in- exposing the removal dilemmas (Gosar, 1989; Koder- terest in was within the Triglav National Park has en- man & Salmič, 2013). In the village of Goreljek (7 full- forced by changing/improving the TNP Bill. The main time residents), 25 new second homes were built since aim was to increase nature protection and implement 1981, and just one was legally demolished. Most of the local initiatives. Some “national interests” also mirror year, the named village, with about 70 buildings, is a the military infrastructure (high-mountain battle- ghost town (despite several urban owners registering field) and enlarged sports facilities. As the Slovenian permanent residency there). According to the Reve- biathlon team showed significant results in the inter- nue Office of Slovenia, 3.344 second homes are locat- national competition, the idea to develop a biathlon ed on the territory of municipalities associated with centre in the park’s core area has received nation- TNP (see Figure 1). Between 400 and 600 are illegally wide support. On the Plateau of Pokljuka, 1347 me- constructed within the limits of the park. The man- ters above sea level, construction began in 2008. The agement of the Triglav National Park reports about investment was worth close to 10 million Euros and 30 cases of suspected new illegal objects every year. was with 6.5 million Euros founded by the European Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 109 Anton Gosar Layers of Tourism in Protected Ecosystems of Slovenia Regional Development Fund; the Ski Association of Slovenia (Gorska reševalna služba, 2022) reported Slovenia provided missing funds. In 2012 the first in- that nine interventions (out of 399) could have been ternational competition was attended by 18.000 spec- triggered by “a person taking a photography of him- tators; the Biathlon World Championship in 2019 was self”. Taking selfies at dangerous points, above cliffs visited by close to 50.000 sports fans. Despite efforts etc., was the cause of 24 deaths in Europe in the last to minimise the impact of the centre on the fragile pandemic year. The deadliest accident happened in environment (waste-water treatment plant, minimal 2017 when globally, as many as 107 people died by tak- illumination on tracks, avoiding large-scale parking ing selfies (Avery, 2021). Selfies increase interest in a spaces, low-noise snow-making machines, the wild particular locality. If they are forwarded via Facebook rooster population monitoring, etc.), low-key hotels or other apps to “friends”. Video or photos of unique have been upgraded, a stadium and a heliport were attractions can lead to increased visits. constructed. Violations of the Nature 2000 and EU Consequently, due to the crowds that follow, this habitat directives were registered. Namely, an above- impulse is trending into the saturation of the desti- ground water reservoir meant to support snowmaking nation. Colleagues from Arizona State University exceeded the initially approved plan more than three analysed Tik-Tok messages focused on the Hainan times. The reservoir has a capacity of 5,478 cubic me- National Park (China). Park management has strong- ters and is about three times larger than the proposed ly opposed such acts, the unwanted promotion, as it project (1,400 cubic meters). The EU Commission was already has resulted in devastating impacts on the put on alert because of the EU’s co-financing of the protected nature and infrastructure. Namely, thou- project. A new project assessment took place in the sands of followers re-enacted the acts promoted by years before the 2019 championship. In the according the original TikTok video and those degrading certain books, the water reservoir - a lake - is now registered elements of the park (Wengel et al., 2022). Publicised as a “reservoir for pasture feeding cattle”. According to video of a quarrel between critics of the government media reports, as of March 2017, the European Com- and the prime minister, which took place in the Tri- mission has retracted the EU Proceedings 1308/10 and, glav National Park in 2021, sparked similar complaints in addition to that, removed its critics of the project by the Slovenian Mountaineering Society (SPD), the (G. C., 2014; Kavčič, 2014; Gosar, 2017). park’s management and the public (Slovenska tiskov- na agencija, 2021). Addressing this issue, researchers Findings from the University of Primorska, Faculty of Tourism The attractiveness of the mountainous and alpine Turistica, concluded in a recent study that national landscapes increased the interest of visitors, the econ- and local authorities should ensure positive impacts omy, and the general society. The exploitation of the of tourism on the residential and wider population. wealth of nature resulted in visitors’ enjoyment. It In addition, tourism would enable sustainable devel- enabled profit to the local and wider economy, but it opment in destinations of tourists’ extreme interest often becomes, to a certain extent, a burden to the res- (Juvan et al., 2021). idential population. Several recent studies have out- In Renata Mavri’s dissertation (2020), which I su- lined that the structure and attitude of tourists visiting pervised, visits to the Triglav National Park are empir- mountains have changed, that in the pandemic years, ically documented, and the dissatisfaction of the res- destinations offering outdoor activities have gained idential population is epitomised. Residents believe popularity and that impacts of tourism on the host that their mountainous homeland needs to be more population have increasingly worked against interac- saturated and protected. Interviews were performed tive sustainability. Returning to the traditional values with visitors of the park (TNP) and the local popu- of the mountaineering culture would enforce sustain- lation. She concluded that contemporary visits to the able tourism development in the mountains (Špindler park are still traditionally dominated by hiking and et al., 2022). In 2021 the Mountain Rescue Service of mountaineering (48%). However, the activity by vis- 110 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Anton Gosar Layers of Tourism in Protected Ecosystems of Slovenia Table 6 Interviewing Visitors to the Triglav National Park: Activity During TNP Visit Activity Performed* Residents of TNP % Other Slove- % Foreign % All % Municipalities nian Citizens Visitors Mountaineering / Hiking 59 47 160 48 85 47 304 48 Mountain Biking / Biking 50 39 133 41 71 40 254 40 Other Recreation (motorised vehicles, ski 18 14 35 11 23 13 76 12 touring, base jumping, etc.) N = 634 127 100 328 100 179 100 634 100 Source Renata Mavri (2020) itors whose mode of recreation is related to different terests in the TNP - A base for the management of the types of bikes (40%) and recreation vehicles - four- park (Mlekuž & Zupan, 2011) or in the Aspects of car- wheel recreation vehicles, motorbikes, and motorised rying capacities and recreation management: the case slides (12%) - has exploded (Table 6). of Triglav Nations Park, Slovenia (Mrak et al., 2018). Layers produced by tens of thousands of hikers yearly can be traced on or near designated paths (also Conclusion by trash); generally, they do not conflict with the resi- Protected areas are established to protect the inherit- dential population or park authority. Mountain bikers ed natural and cultural biodiversity. At the same time, (increasingly using electric power) are also seldom these areas provide essential goods and services for becoming a burden to the local population and park the residential population and could be admired by management. The concern is particularly directed to other humans visiting. Tourism has become essential the increasing number of leisure activities motorised to the areas in and around national parks, landscape recreation vehicles perform. Most visitors, foreign parks and natural monuments. Management of tour- and domestic, are opting against events which would ist visits to protected sites is often inadequate. Stand- take place in the park (78% and 76%), whereas, to a ards of protection, set on the international level, have certain extent, surprisingly, a substantial number of been implemented selectively – even worse, due to na- the local population would support such acts (39%). tional promotion directives, protection of outstand- In general, all agree that the number of visitors in ing heritage becomes a minor priority. The national the area where they hike, bike, or otherwise recreate park (TNP) protection, with its strict regime at its must be limited: the local population opts for a max- core, has no adequate regimes set on lower intensity imum of 500 visitors per day (31%), Slovenian and protection levels in Slovenia. The number of visitors international visitors would rather see that number to protected sites of nature (open spaces) is constant- between 50 and 200 (72% and 66%). All agree that the ly growing, even in years of the COVID-19 pandemic. non-regulated system of visits is nowadays absolute. Visits also increased by the presented and elaborated On the relationship between residents and visitors to booklet of the Slovenian Tourist Bureau, in the pro- the Triglav National Park, the authors of this study motional brochure “Slovenija na prostem. Moj način concluded: “Tourism development in protected sites gibanja v naravi” (Open Air Slovenia. My Movements of nature has reached the level of saturation and needs in Nature). Negative impacts humans impose on na- to be re-evaluated” (Mavri, 2020, p. 268). Suggestions ture in protected sites - like motorised traffic, mass on how to limit or otherwise restrain visitors from vis- events, noisy and other selected sports activities, etc. iting popular sites in this nation’s largest protected site - distract from preserving the area’s intangible natu- of nature (and culture) are included in several previ- ral values. The tourist industry and tourists as visitors ous studies financed and published by the TNP - such to protected sites – national, regional and landscape as The Analyses of the Cohabitation and Clash of in- parks - acknowledge that the international restric- Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 111 Anton Gosar Layers of Tourism in Protected Ecosystems of Slovenia tion standards, elaborated in this paper, supplement crowded places and that the intrusion of personal or sustainable tourism development. Proper managing national interests would not overshadow the efforts sustainable tourism in protected areas means elimi- of institutions of protection. Studies made in the last nating previous and contemporary negative impacts decade support the following conclusions: by humans, like a) the construction of second homes, b) the construction of (new) municipal roads, c) in- should become regulated/registered (user fees • visits to the extremely popular sites of nature troducing sophisticated agricultural methods, d) in- troducing non-native species of plants and animals; limitations introduced), monitored, and, if ex- should be implemented and other meanings of e) organising sport and other mass public events; f). other illegal activities related to sport and recreation. period. treme devastation is registered, closed for a certain prises (owners of restaurants, hotels, bed & breakfast dealing with sustainable tourism in protected areas, that the Slovenian Triglav National Park services) or just by occasional nature-loving enthusi- would become UNESCO Heritage Site (like the Do- asts. (Cigale, 2010; Salmič & Koderman, 2013; Ma vri, lomites in neighbouring Italy). This step would, 2020). Following international directives, sustainable along with managerial directives, enable UNESCO tourism should incline towards accepting main man- to send careful warning signals to operators if the agement goals which should be implemented in are- site’s management does not coincide with interna- as where protection (of nature/culture) and tourism tional standards and the original wealth of nature/ supplement each other: 1) preserving natural values, culture. Past UNESCO warnings and directives re- species, habitats and the cultural landscape as a whole, als investing in the construction of second homes), by motived intrusions into space of natural wealth, we initiate the proposal, often elaborated at re- nation-state institutions (sport, agriculture and forest sponsible institutions and professional meetings management agencies, military), by private enter- in part initiated by nature-loving tourists (individu- • to avoid individual, economic and institutionally It is somehow contradictory that named activities are 2) enabling visitation and enjoyment in parts of pro- garding the overuse of the world’s heritage sites, like in Venice, at Plitvice Lakes and in Dubrovnik, tected sites open to visitors, 3) contributing to the in- have been welcomed by the public and the resi- terests of other sectors of public policy and tourism dential population. economy, 4) supporting development of local com- munities in a way which is not in opposition to the primary management objectives related to the sites of References protection. 5) managing protected areas by embrac- Avery, D. 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Ogrin (Ed.), Raz- list.si/1/index?edition =200496 voj geografije na Slovenskem: 100 let študija geografije na Zavod Republike Slovenije za varstvo narave. (n.d.). Za- Univerzi v Ljubljani (pp. 186–204). Znanstvena založba varovana območja. https://zrsvn-varstvonarave.si/kaj Filozofske fakultete. -varujemo/zavarovana-obmocja/ 114 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage: Reflection on Slovenian Story of Success Urška Starc Peceny Matevž Straus ARCTUR, Nova Gorica Slovenia ARCTUR, Nova Gorica Slovenia urska@arctur.si matevz.straus@arctur.si Tomi Ilijaš ARCTUR, Nova Gorica Slovenia tomi.ilijas@arctur.si The paper aims to look back at the ‘digital innovation of cultural heritage’ processes happening in Slovenia in 2020, 2021, and 2022 after a public call by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology. The article summarises the activities and results of a set of projects that present a novel approach to developing new tourist offers in Slovenia. In the article, the authors – all involved in the training for tourist destinations and the execution of some projects – look at both the results of the pro-jects, their quality and relation to existing tourist offers, as well as at the processes at leading tourist destinations, know-how and skill-set to conduct such projects. In the final chapter, the authors envision the needed next steps to reach the mission to become the leading European country in digitally enriched tourism experiences. Keywords: tourism 4.0, heritage+, digital innovation of cultural heritage, digitisa-tion, digitalisation, cultural heritage https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-417-0.115-128 Introduction ism products on cultural heritage and are even less ‘Our competition is Netflix and Candy Crush, engaged in incorporating new digital interpretation technologies. The tourism sectors (tourism providers, not other museums’ (Sree Sreenivasan, former tourism destination management organisations) and Chief Digital Officer of the Metropolitan Mu- cultural heritage (GLAM and regional offices of the In- seum of Art, New York). stitute for Heritage Protection) have – despite having On several occasions, investments in cultural heritage many touchpoints and common aims – very seldom have shown both direct and indirect positive impacts. cooperated in co-creative processes, which changed From a tourism development point of view, cultur- in 2019 with the Slovenian Ministry of Economic De- al heritage presents an opportunity and a potential velopment and Technology’s mission to become the source of new digitally enriched interpretation and leading European country in digitally enriched tour- (tourism) experiences. Each registered object of im- ism experiences and thus combine tourism develop- movable cultural heritage conveys a value and learn- ment with cultural heritage protection and interpre- ing that could be interpreted digitally – and thus pre- tation. The goal was to develop new tourism products sented to new audiences in new, engaging ways. that take inspiration from cultural heritage, engage However, tourism management organisations are new audiences and stakeholders through digital and typically not engaged in creating new complex tour- hybrid interpretation, and, like this, contribute to the Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 115 Urška Starc Peceny, Tomi Ilijaš Matevž Straus Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage interpretation, awareness-raising, and documentation Investments in cultural heritage have already of (immovable) cultural heritage. shown both direct and indirect positive impacts. In The Ministry aimed to support leading tourism de- 2003, Nypan (2006) identified a ratio of 1:27 between velopment organisations conducting complex devel- direct job creation by heritage institutions and indi- opment, documentation, and interpretation projects rect job creation (creative and cultural industries, at the cultural heritage and tourism crossroads. Such tourism, etc.). The exact ratio of direct to indirect job projects were envisioned to directly result in tourism creation for the automotive industry is 1:6.3. Moreo- development and indirectly support creative and cul- ver, a study found that 1 million USD invested in the tural industries, advance technology in cultural tour- rehabilitation of cultural heritage generates 31.3 jobs, ism and cultural heritage, and contribute to local 3D making the impact more significant than manufactur- digitisation goals and cross-sectorial cooperation. ing (21.3) (Rypkema, 1998). The proposed paper examines Slovenia’s ‘digital In addition, only 16% of the jobs created from in- innovation of cultural heritage’ processes. As part of vesting in cultural heritage are located at the heritage the team that led training and workshops for leading sites (Greffe, 2002), which means that the positive tourist destinations at the beginning of the processes impacts are felt mainly in the vicinity and for neigh- in 2019 and 2020 and implemented several projects as bouring communities. For example, Nypan (2006) at- the main contractor, the authors have insights and ex- tributes only 6–10% of all heritage tourism spending periences worth sharing with the broader public. to the objects of cultural heritage. The largest share The article looks at the projects’ results, quality, of spending happens in the broader community (ac- and relation to existing tourist offers, as well as the commodation, food, related cultural offers, and other processes, know-how, and skill sets at leading tourist local businesses …). Although the impact of culture is destinations to conduct such projects. increasingly analysed by (cultural) economists (Doyle, In the final chapter, we envision the actions/ pro- 2010; Navrud & Ready, 2002; Srakar, 2010; Seaman, grammes/ projects necessary to achieve the mission. 2003) and conceptualised as a part of macroeconom- ics, cultural heritage within development lacks a real Heritage as a Developmental Field working formula that can be used in the practice of Cultural heritage is widely understood as a powerful ‘polishing diamonds’. Consequently, despite the broad economic, educational, and social resource, a ‘de- agreement on the need to (socially) innovate at the in- velopment asset’ (Loulanski, 2006), a ‘value-adding tersection of heritage and economy, many of the chal- industry’ (Cernea, 2001), and ‘the most significant lenges remain. product of the 21st century’ (Ogino, 2002). Heritage and culture, in general, are especially valued for their Recent Developments in the Heritage Sector contributions to social innovation (Napolitano, 2018) Heritage institutions, GLAMs (galleries, libraries, ar- – for their creative and innovative capacity, identity chives, museums) and others involved in research, and capacity to generate attractiveness and as a cata- preservation and promotion – public, private or lyst for urban transformation, as discussed in sever- non-governmental – have a long tradition: from the al UNESCO publications (UNESCO, 2013; 2016; 2018); first private collections of rare and curious objects and This is where local culture and cultural heritage are artefacts (cabinets of curiosities) to the gradual open- often seen as ‘unpolished diamonds’ that can be trans- ing to the public of collections starting in the late 18th formed into assets by ‘polishing diamonds’, a process century, to the development of a contemporary mod- of ‘turning underused or unused resources, situa- ern public and private institutions. In the 21st century, tions, facilities or features into socio-economic assets’ heritage institutions balance their debt to tradition (Schwedler, 2012), as the URBACT OP-ACT Thematic and history with their commitment to contemporary Network (Schlappa & Neil, 2013) suggests. communities (Anderson, 2005). 116 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Urška Starc Peceny, Tomi Ilijaš Matevž Straus Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage Since the 1970s, these institutions have experi- out of tourism would leave tourism of theme parks, enced new challenges that demand changes in their casinos, spas and SSS (sea, sand, sun). functioning. They are operating in a highly compet- Despite this natural connection, a Eurobarometer itive leisure market, trying to meet the expectations survey reports that almost half of Europeans (48%) say of increasingly discerning visitors (Komarac, 2014; they are not involved with cultural heritage in any way. Conway & Leighton, 2012). Although these changes Moreover, cultural heritage is not often seen as a source do not only affect heritage institutions, this sector of new tourist products and the development of new was also – and continues to be – less able to adapt tourist destinations. Contemporary trends in tourism and consequently most affected, due in part to their (outdoor activities, focus on experiences, gastronomy long tradition of object-oriented modus operandi. and wellbeing, personalisation, business-leisure blur) The shift from object-based (dealing with objects and are often driving tourist destination developers even collections) to people-based approaches (UNESCO, further away from cultural heritage, which is primar- 2015; Chhabra, 2009) has become more and more ac- ily due to the image of cultural heritage as rather an cepted (Mencarelli & Pulh, 2012) as in people-based inhibitor of development than a resource, and under- approaches, the intangible benefits for the visitor are standing of cultural heritage as static, rigid and non-at- favoured (Alcaraz et al., 2009) over more custodial tractive. However, from a tourism development point approaches based on conservation and objects. of view, cultural heritage presents an opportunity and This shift has a significant effect on the organisa- a potential source of tested and pivoting stories, uni- tion of work, programming, professional skills (e.g., versal values, and emotions that can be translated into ‘hybrid profiles’ (Burning Glass and General Assembly, new products. As a starting point of sustainable tour- 2015)), marketing (Kotler, 2005) and budgeting, which ism development, cultural heritage is characterised by also changes the role and positioning of heritage insti- deep roots in local culture and the life of local commu- tutions in their wider communities – locally, national- nities. It reflects local, regional, national, and cross-bor- ly, or internationally. Heritage institutions are expect- der identity and symbolic DNA - the ‘authenticity’ and ed to collect, preserve, and conduct research and drive ‘uniqueness’ a modern tourist seeks. Moreover, in Slo- economic growth. The ‘eco-museum’ presents heritage venia, cultural heritage is relatively evenly dispersed. institutions as ‘agent(s) for managing change that links Cultural heritage has been identified in all regions, education, culture, and power. It extends the mission both in rural and urban areas, the only exception be- of a museum to include responsibility for human dig- ing larger forested areas, such as Trnovo Forest and nity’ (Fuller, 1992). Furthermore, the challenge of ato- Kočevje Forest, that humans have not inhabited. Due misation of customers, the so-called segment of one’ to even dispersion, developing tourism around local (Rogers & Peppers, 1993; Peppers & Rogers, 1999), cultural heritage can avoid the agglomeration effects of requires heritage institutions to customise activities mass tourism, where tourism providers tend to cluster based on individual requirements and expectations, around existing tourism destinations, often leading to resulting in the need to collect, analyse and operation- over-tourism, iconisation and over-commercialisation/ alise data using advanced technology. Disneyfication and at the same time harming the life of the local community (Juvan et al., 2021; Urbančič et Heritage and/in Tourism al., 2020). Cultural heritage and tourism seem to be natural companions – several of the main tourist attractions Digital Technologies for Tourism and Cultural Heritage are also cultural heritage sites (nationally, in Slovenia The tourism and heritage sector face new challenges - Bled, Postojna Cave, Piran, Ljubljana Castle … - and due to the quick adoption of information technology globally – Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Great Wall of China, tools and advanced technologies in the science indus- Colosseum, Machu Pichu …), or otherwise places of try (Industry 4.0.) and daily use. The true essence of significant cultural heritage values. Scraping heritage this paradigm shift is not only to use technology to Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 117 Urška Starc Peceny, Tomi Ilijaš Matevž Straus Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage initiator of Tourism 4.0 Partnership Figure 1 Potential for Technological Innovation in the Value Chain of Cultural Heritage (adapted from De Voldere et al., 2017). unlock the innovation potential in the tourism sec- • in the process of the exhibition: using presentation tor but to affect every field around it by creating an technologies (e.g., VR, AR, holograms, 3D models ecosystem in which physical and digital space, in- and prints…), frastructure, people and technology behind it merge • in the process of promotion: presentation tech- into one seamless experience of many personalised nologies often have more significant promotional outputs (Peceny, 2019). The knowledge, expectations, potential due to the attractiveness of technologies utilised to build new services and products to raise • in the processes of re-use (tourist attractions, cre- the satisfaction of all stakeholders’ experiences in and experiences of tourists, defined as Tourist 4.0, are and digital storytelling, of the key enabling technologies from Industry 4.0, activities…): using presentation and interaction such as the Internet of Things, Big Data, Blockchain, technologies (e.g. 3D printing and reconstruction, Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality and Augment- AR, VR, MR, mobile apps, personal assistants…). the tourism ecosystem, which is done with the help educational programmes, community building ative industries, re-pro-ductions (e.g., souvenirs), ed Reality. Within the value chain of cultural heritage (De Voldere et al., 2017), several fields of disruption Thus, the use of intelligent technology applications that digital technologies are potentially creating can presents an opportunity for the heritage sector and be identified: cultural tourism – not only concerning digitalisation in the process of research: using technologies for for archiving, documentation, analysis, and presenta- detailed inspection (e.g., LiDAR, laser scanning, pho- tion, but primarily for the development of new points togrammetry) and analyses of digitised material (e.g., of interest, heritage-inspired digital branding and digital archives and digital copy collections, such as marketing, and post-tourism creative narratives, as Europe-wide Europeana and 3D-Stock.eu for 3D well as for management, monitoring, and citizen par-models of cultural heritage), ticipation. Although heritage institutions have always 118 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Urška Starc Peceny, Tomi Ilijaš Matevž Straus Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage been a source of data and information, digitisation be introduced to people through (serious) play and (transforming cultural heritage in digital formats) and practical experience. digitalisation (using new business processes for man- Despite several advantages, tourism management aging and presenting digitised heritage) enable new organisations are typically not engaged in creating virtual tours, augmented reality and virtual reality ex- and are even less engaged in incorporating new dig- periences, holograms, and interactive chatbots. They presentation experiences, such as virtual museums, new complex tourism products on cultural heritage ital interpretation technologies. The tourism sectors nal collaborators. (Open) access to digital collections organisations) and cultural heritage (GLAM and re- gional offices of the Institute for Heritage Protection) provides an opportunity for new outreach, research have – despite having many touchpoints and com- and innovation programmes that allow for play, al- and, most importantly, open these processes to exter- (tourism providers, tourism destination management also present new collections management methods teration, and speculation without compromising the mon aims – very seldom cooperated in co-creative physical artefacts, enabling simultaneous, collabo- processes. Moreover, digital interpretation technol- rative, co-creative and remote processes. (Digitised) ogies – such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, cultural heritage could become a (digital) resource holographic projections, video mapping, and mobile that allows for the experimentation, testing and piv- and web apps – have not been joined at leading tour- oting that have become the mainstream approaches in ist destinations, primarily due to a lack of knowledge, (social) business development, art and design. Digit- skills, and dedicated funding. ising and digitalising cultural heritage open opportu- nities for new co-creative and participative processes. The main obstacles can be identified in: It offers opportunities for developing new narratives within cultural heritage tourism, gives an impetus to • Understanding of DMOs’ role: DMOs in Slovenia creative and cultural industries, and can be a source of have traditionally been engaged in promotional new city/region marketing and branding. and advertisement activities (offline and online About the intersection of tourism and cultural promotional presence, destination marketing and who have not shown any previous interest in cultural traditional festivals, informing visitors …) and heritage, have overlooked it or considered it boring. much less in development activities (co-creating heritage, new technologies can attract fresh audiences branding, promotional materials, organisation of Digital technologies present new methods for pre- and operating tourist products). senting content — for example, in a visually more at- tractive way — and offer better explanations or break- • Understanding of GLAM sector as non-tour- downs of information that include the visitor. These ist: Among DMO, we have noticed a common mis- solutions are also attractive for groups not considered understanding that museums, libraries, galleries, drawn to cultural heritage. New interactive technol- and archives are not (also) tourist providers. Con- ogies and digital storytelling methods are not meant sequently, GLAMs are often excluded from normal also widen the circle of potential visitors. Moreover, • Understanding cultural heritage as a barrier, not digital technologies enable communication and in- an opportunity: Cultural heritage is often seen as only for those interested in cultural heritage but can co-creation processes and promotional activities. ods (texts, articles, information boards, photographs, something to preserve, not to develop or build teractive experiences that classic presentation meth- videos…) do not allow. Through technology, learning upon. about cultural heritage can become interactive, simul- • Absence of technical standards and widely accept- taneously making it more educational, memorable, ed agreement on what is technically sufficient dig- individualised, and experiential. Cultural heritage can itisation project. Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 119 Urška Starc Peceny, Tomi Ilijaš Matevž Straus Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage Technical Standards for 3D Digitisation here (in Slovenian and English): https://tourism4–0. Pending the establishment of standard European org/heritage/toolkit/. Digital innovation of cultural guidelines for the unification of digitisation activ- heritage projects changed in 2019 when the Slovenian ities under Tourism 4.0, particularly its Heritage+ Ministry of Economic Development and Technology sub-programme, the Tourism 4.0 Partnership pro- set out to become the leading European country to duced the Technical Guidelines T4.0: Digital Inno- systematically develop unique tourist experiences by vation of Cultural Heritage in 2019. These guidelines applying digital innovation to cultural heritage. With represent essential technical standards in the process that as a goal, the Ministry published a public call for of digitising cultural heritage. The guidelines offer a leading tourist destinations (35) that also involved technical framework to all actors involved in digiti- co-financing ‘digital innovation of cultural heritage’ sation processes - heritage institutions, local and na- activities. The ‘Public Call for Building Competencies tional governments, public services, technology com- of Leading Tourist Destinations and Development of panies and other stakeholders. Guidelines are updated Tourist Offer at Leading Tourist Destinations in 2020 by the expert team of the Tourism 4.0 Partnership at and 2021’ was published in October 2019. Training in least once a year, according to the technology develop- catering and tourism provided co-funding for digital ment, accessibility of technological solutions, broader innovation of cultural heritage. Each applicant was practice, and other criteria for the digital material. The required to implement digital innovation of immov- document’s purpose is not to give precise and compre- able cultural heritage in its area and develop tourist hensive instructions for digitising the material but to products and services that build upon digitised units define fundamental guidelines and minimum require- of cultural heritage (e.g., virtual tours and virtual mu- ments necessary to ensure the use of materials for en- seums, 3D printing of souvenirs, augmented reality riching the experience of cultural heritage. applications in tourism, mobile and stationary gam- Technical guidelines complement the Guide- ification, digitally enriched storytelling and digital lines for capture, long-term preservation, and access animation, digital reconstructions of ruins or archae- to cultural heritage in digital form (Issue: 6202–1 / ological sites …). 2013-MIZKS / 17 Version 1.0) prepared by a Ministry of In this case, this required applicants to 3D digit- Culture working group in 2013 for the long-term pres- ise at least three units of immovable cultural heritage ervation of cultural material in digital format (from from the Registry of Immovable Cultural Heritage, now on referred to as e-material) within the agenda out of which at least one should be further devel- of the European Digital Si EU Ti. The guidelines’ first oped into a tourist experience, following the Slove- edition covers the digitisation processes of audio ma- nia Unique Experiences guidelines (green, boutique, terials, video materials, 3D models, image materials authentic, sustainable, local, experiential, personal and 360° photos and videos. This document’s most …). The focus was on immovable cultural heritage, significant contribution is digitising three-dimen- although exceptions for intangible and natural her- sional objects and structures (in 3D models) and vid- itage were allowed after confirmation by the special eo materials. This area has changed and developed the commission comprised of representatives of the Min- most since the last update of the Guidelines for the istry of Economic Development and Technology, the capture, long-term preservation, and access to cul- Ministry of Culture, and the Slovenia Tourist Board. tural heritage in digital form in 2013. Although clear For the call, 5,480.00 EUR were allocated, and the pro- standards are not yet in place, we can define vital tech- jects were to be completed by June 2022 (the deadline nical guidelines based on industry practice. The T4.0 was postponed from October 2021). technical guidelines also set the bar higher for mini- The call obliged applicants to work closely with re- mum standards for digitising image, video, and audio gional offices of the Institute for the Protection of Cul- materials - mainly due to better and more easily acces- tural Heritage of Slovenia, local, regional, or national sible equipment. Technical guidelines are accessible museums, the national library and other national in- 120 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Urška Starc Peceny, Tomi Ilijaš Matevž Straus Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage stitutes and, upon completion, deliver all 3D digitised Therefore, digitally enhanced cultural heritage units to the Ministry of Economic Development and experiences adhere to some underlying interdiscipli- Technology, Ministry of Culture and Slovenia Tourist nary principles, covering four elements: preservation Board. The Ministry aimed to support leading tour- of cultural heritage, storytelling and interpretation, ism development organisations conducting complex technology, and sustainability. development, documentation and interpretation pro- The project is based on scientific evidence and ver- jects at the cultural heritage and tourism crossroads. ifiable historical facts, which are unequivocally stated Such projects were envisioned to have direct results in when they draw inspiration from myths and legends tourism development and indirectly support creative or contradict expert opinions. The project considers and cultural industries, advance technology in cul- the chosen cultural heritage in the context of its his- tural tourism and cultural heritage, and contribute to torical period — in addition to the assets themselves 3D digitisation goals and cross-sectorial cooperation and their traits, it presents the conditions in which at local levels. To summarise, the goal was to develop they existed and draws attention to both the achieve- new tourism products that take inspiration from the ments and injustices of the past and the deviations cultural heritage, engage new audiences and stake- from commonly accepted values of today. Thus, the holders through digital and hybrid interpretation, and project not only entertains but also raises awareness thus contribute to the interpretation, awareness-rais- and educates users about cultural heritage — in each ing, and documentation of (immovable) cultural her- case, adapted to a given desired audience. Moreover, itage. the project adheres to the recommendations for safe- guarding cultural heritage, and the project’s interven- Defining Digitally Enhanced Experiences of Cultural tion may not negatively impact the asset in question Heritage or its natural or cultural surroundings. In the digital Digitally enhanced cultural heritage experiences world, the project follows directives for long-term could be described as ‘engaging experiences, both storage of cultural heritage materials in a digital for- digital and hybrid, that employ digital technologies to mat — regarding the quality, formats, and metadata. interpret cultural heritage values to pre-defined target The project communicates a clear and memorable (tourist) groups’. Like this, they: message about storytelling and interpretation, with • Imply an engaging and user-friendly conveyance values relevant to the cultural heritage. The project of the values connected to natural and cultural includes well-rounded content focused on the cul- tural heritage in question. The cultural heritage assets • Make use of advanced technologies for greater engaging in the area. heritage, ensure safe visits, and disperse tourist flows onto new locations. To achieve this, planning and execution involve artists, creatives, and creative in- interactivity, memorability, storytelling, and the • Focus on what is truly unique, memorable, and are chosen prudently to avoid negative impact on the heritage. global recognition of tourist experiences. needs and wishes of the visitors, considering both the dustries. It aims for a solution that derives from the • Develop new business models and demonstrate existing and desired audience (general/professional, positive effects on the local economy. children/adults, shorter/longer visits. • Develop hybrid competencies of heritage and busi- The project is particularly attentive to the user ness approaches and skills (art & design thinking, experience in the technology field. It uses different business models, user experiences, digital market- methodologies to anticipate, evaluate and improve ing). the interaction between the user and the solution. At • Local business offers (accommodation facilities, the same time, it avoids excessive generalisation, loose food establishments…) should be meaningfully assessments, and misleading facts about the cultural included and connected to other tourist products. heritage asset. The project relies on quality digital Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 121 Urška Starc Peceny, Tomi Ilijaš Matevž Straus Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage initiator of Tourism 4.0 Partnership Figure 2 The Overlapping Nature of Technology, Storytelling, Preservation, and Sustainability in Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage materials. Digital scanning of cultural heritage assets (local community, experts, tourist industry and oth- complies with the standards and recommended min- er consenting parties…). It includes diverse social imum criteria, allowing further use in other (tourist groups and achieves wider acceptance and higher cre- and non-tourist) applications. Here, it considers not ativity through a participatory process. Financially, it only the accessibility of physical spaces but also the effectively uses available resources – producing the accessibility of information and services. best result in the given timeframe. For sustainable reasons, the project is based on a widely accepted consensus of the key stakeholders 122 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Urška Starc Peceny, Tomi Ilijaš Matevž Straus Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage Training Before the Start • Identifying and selecting units of cultural herit- Before the projects started, the Ministry and external age: things to consider while selecting heritage contractor Arctur d.o.o. organised workshops and units and stories while simultaneously identifying training to clarify and deepen tourist destinations’ un- (physical, technological and ethical) obstacles and derstanding of ‘digital innovation of cultural heritage. ‘ limitations. Within three workshops, organised twice – in • Digital experience: introduction to principles of West and East Slovenia -, the whole process of digital heritage interpretation (ICOMOS) and user/cus- innovation has been covered from the technological, tomer journey. content and organisational points of view: Second Workshop First Workshop • Tourism of the future: Discuss current trends standing of technologies for 3D digital capture • Digitisation (3D digital capture): basic under- and the main challenges in tourism (overtour- (advantages, disadvantages, environmental fac- ism, need for personalisation, data management, tors, necessary preparation and technical require- unforeseen events) and consider technology as a ments, standards) and comparison to other digital • Processes of digital innovation: Elements of a good proposes using digital technologies to find solu- sic understanding of digital media (advantages, tions. Digital technologies for cultural heritage: disadvantages, environmental factors, technical why digitally interpret and what societal benefits requirements, possible applications). digitisation of cultural heritage has. • Interpretation plan and user journey: principles of heritage interpretation (ICOMOS), elements of project: Discussing elements of a good project and awareness of the heritage sector’s challenges (e.g., • Digitalisation (VR, AR, holograms, video map- banalisation, fictional digital ‘meta’ worlds) and ping, mobile and web apps …) technologies: ba- potential solution. Heritage at the Challenge raises assets (e.g., 360-degree photos and videos). successful digital experiences, developing tourism stressing the importance of a balanced and inter- experiences. disciplinary approach – covering storytelling and interpretation, technology, sustainability, and pro- tection of cultural heritage. Third Workshop • Identification of heritage stories: This covers iden- • The new COVID-19 reality: the importance of tifying a target group, the subject (cultural herit- non-textual contents, datafication of culture, algo- age), the main message, and the idea of an expe- rytmicity, phantomisation. rience. • Promotion: introduction to digital content mar- • 3D digitisation and digital interpretation: This keting, bridging the divide between education, en- covers preparing for and implementing 3D digiti- tertainment, and art. In addition to the two in-per- sation (using various technologies), familiarising son and one online workshops, a toolkit, ‘Digital yourself with different digital media, developing Innovation of Cultural Heritage: Toolkit for Tour- the user experience, and digitally interpreting the ist Destinations’, has been published. unit through selected media. • Reflection on Results and Processes • Launch and promotion: promotional activities As part of the team that has led the training men- (online and offline) and re-use of digital content. tioned above and workshops for leading tourist desti- • Target groups and personas: define the target nations and implemented several projects as the main group, get familiar with national tourist personas, contractor, the authors have a comprehensive and ho- and develop your story-specific persona. listic overview of the processes and results and wish Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 123 Urška Starc Peceny, Tomi Ilijaš Matevž Straus Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage to share experiences and reflections on the outcomes. Sevnica Castle, Mokrice Castle, and the castle ruins of Our team has been the main contractor or sub-con- Svibno and Kunšperk. tractor in 13 destinations and has participated in pro- To increase the visibility of Posavje Castles and its ject design and implementation. We have entered the offer and to link the destination brand with the cas- projects with several internal guidelines and convic- tle-themed offer, it was decided to address visitors in tions we aimed to follow: person and at the destination. The selected location • Projects must respect and contribute to cultural was Terme Čatež, with the most visitors and overnight heritage interpretation, not abuse it for promo- stays within the destination. An interpretation room tion. We must advocate collaboration with herit- in Terme Čatež, called the Digital Room of e-Posav- age institutions and support the client in this col- je Castles, was established at 20 m2, next to the main laboration. strolling path. The digital room has the latest techno- • We aim to create complex interdisciplinary pro- logical equipment: holograms, VR glasses, LCD screens jects that cross sectoral boundaries. We shall in- and smart tablets, and presents the castles attractively volve the creative sector. through 3D models, 3D reconstructions, 360° videos, • We use technology to convey the message, not for videos with 3D models and an interactive web app. its own sake. Sometimes, a simple technology can The Magnificient Seven: www.egradovi-posavja.si. be more efficient than an advanced solution. The Digital Room opened on 5 July 2021 and has • We aim to submit to technical standards for digital attracted over 3,450 visitors in half a year. The local • The end goal is heritage tourism products, not sole- on handling the technology and providing addition- al tourist information to the visitors. Entrance to the ly tourism promotion or heritage documentation. capture. tourism office manages the room, training the staff Digital Room is free of charge and mainly attracts Overall, the results show great creativity, inven- families with young children, predominantly from tiveness, and variety. Like the results, the processes Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, Austria, and the Neth- itage: from pre-Roman and Roman to medieval and The projects address a wide range of cultural her- snowing postponing 3D digital capture, late spring postponing 360-degree video filming), short time modern, from housing to industrial, from large-scale frame (8 months for the whole project from start to to small-scale, and from multi-location to one-loca- launch), and many stakeholders with decision-mak- tion … Although some initially feared that all the pro- ing powers. The development processes involved jects would focus on similar objects and stories (cas- various stakeholders, both from the public (various nical knowledge, local stakeholders’ interest and in- The main challenges in the development process volvement, and the complexity of the idea. were posed by the weather (cold winter with regular behind them also vary, depending on clients’ tech- erlands. tles and knights), the diversity of topics is immense. museums, development agencies, municipalities) and Example: The Castles of Posavje private (Terme Čatež spa resort), and the implemen- For example, the Regional Development Agency tation team (storytellers and copywriters, 3D digital Posavje project aimed to digitalise the cultural her- capture experts, filmmakers, hardware developers, in- itage of the Castles of Posavje and position Čatež & terior designers, 3D animators and artists, sound art- Posavje in the national and international space as a ists…) which required much coordination in a very unique tourist destination. The castles subject to dig- condensed time frame. italisation are Rajhenburg Castle, Brežice Castle, the See trailer (in Slovenian): https://youtu.be/KNC former Cistercian monastery Kostanjevica na Krki, -Ohlmt3U 124 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Urška Starc Peceny, Tomi Ilijaš Matevž Straus Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage Example: The Šalek Valley al reality. The village was 3D reconstructed according Another example worth mentioning is the project of to old photos, maps and memories of former inhabit- the Šalek Valley Tourist Board. The central premise of ants, and it visualises the village for the first time. this project was to present and interpret a heritage lost The experience ends with a culinary conclusion to an artificial lake and, in a site- and heritage-specif- featuring selected local treats and a view over the lake. ic way, bring to the forefront the story of ‘Slovenian Here, guests can reflect on the bitter-sweet story of Atlantis’. Šalek Valley. The ongoing coal mining activities have defined Contrary to the examples of Posavje and Izola, the Šalek Valley. Besides the mining heritage, indus- this experience is available only upon appointment trial buildings, mining culture and traditions, another and payment. Due to its boutique nature, it is part element stands out – the artificial lakes formed due to of a marketing theme connecting the destination’s coal excavation. In forming new lakes, several villag- past (mining) and present (recreation and activities ers had to relocate, and several villages were partially at the lake). The experience can be understood as a demolished, submerged and lost. ‘showroom’ of the destination’s offer, combining sev- The ‘Mysteries of Submerged Villages’ tourist ex- eral experiences that can be and some already are also perience is a 4-hour exploration of this story, combin- commercialised individually. Thus, the experience is ing guided tours, culinary experiences, picturesque mainly suitable for business partners, small boutique views and digital media. It takes participants on a organised groups and protocolar activities. journey where they help a descendant of the Velenje The main challenges in the development of this miners, who mined one of the thickest layers of coal experience were posed by the several involved stake- in the world and turned fertile fields into lakes, find a holders (the mine – management, the mine–tourist precious item under the water’s surface. mine, the museum, the tourist board, a former mine The experience description captures it: ‘Where employee with several data, and a boat operator …), once were villages, now are lakes. What happened to each responsible for only parts of the finally unified the houses, schools, and churches? Why did they sink, and coherent programme which exemplifies the in- and where did the villagers go? What secrets can be terdisciplinary nature of such projects and especially uncovered in the depths of the lake? Discover the bit- the importance of coordinating the contractor’s role ter-sweet life stories of the villagers, miners, and Ve- in partnership with the client. (See 3D reconstruc- lenje people. For their bright future, they mined coal tion: https://youtu.be/u0_4CdUafto ) but sank their past.’ The experience begins with an authentic tour of Beyond Immediate Results The Coal Mining Museum of Slovenia in Velenje with We have generally witnessed an increased under- heirs of mining, where the elevator lowers the visitors standing of the topics and skills among the DMO staff. into 160-metre-deep tunnels. The mine visit is en- Through the workshops and training and primarily hanced by a short movie showcasing the lakes’ forma- through hands-on implementation, the staff has ac- tion. A 3D animation projects a century of the valley’s quired skills in the use of technology (familiarity with history in a few minutes, highlighting the stark con- technological solutions – e.g. distinguishing between trast between the past and the present. Moreover, the interactive and non-interactive media; understanding 3D animation continues and showcases the planned the technical conditions for the use of technology – future expansion of the lakes. e.g. challenges with lightning and humidity; handling The visit to the mine is followed by a walk to Ve- different hardware – e.g. setting up VR glasses; un- lenje Lake, where the visitors board a boat and ride derstanding the functioning of different media – e.g. toward the underwater village of Škale. Above the old 360-degree image vs holographic projection). Second- Škale, visitors experience a virtual dive into the lost ly, product development skills (user-centred develop- village – using VR glasses, one finds oneself in a virtu- ment, user experience, marketing and storytelling, Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 125 Urška Starc Peceny, Tomi Ilijaš Matevž Straus Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage content management, team collaboration, stakeholder tional to a developmental focus in tourism destina- management …) have been upgraded, while many of tion development. As discussed at the third training the staff have been, for the first time, involved in de- and workshop, digital interpretation projects alter the veloping and launching a partially technological solu- position of DMOs from channel-oriented (managing tion. Similarly, digital interpretation skills have been channels) to content-oriented (creating content). This significantly improved, especially in cultural heritage shift recognises a broader societal change toward the interpretation. To develop the skills mentioned earlier mass creation of engaging, authentic and personal further, continuous use of these skills is crucial – new content (e.g., influencers and micro-influencers…). projects and processes where skills can be put into ac- tion and further upgraded pose an essential element Awards and Prizes in developing sectors’ development capacities. At the 14th European Cultural Tourism Network con- Another benefit beyond immediate deliverables ference in Athens under the central theme ‘Regenerat- has been established collaborations. Newly or signif- ing European Tourism through Culture, Heritage and icantly strengthened collaborations have formed be- Creativity, ‘ the Ministry of Economic Development tween tourism destination managers, tourism provid- and Technology of Slovenia received the ECTN award ers and technology providers, tourism and heritage for its digital innovation project in cultural heritage. sectors, and tourism and creative industries (digital The Ministry was also awarded second place in the artists and designers, interior designers, and sound Digitalisation in Sustainable Cultural Tourism to- artists…). Moreover, many civil society stakeholders, wards Smart Destinations category. such as local associations, have contributed content The Award enhances the visibility of European and ideas to the projects. In the future, such collabo- cultural tourism destinations, creates a platform for rations could be further intensified – primarily when sharing experience and knowledge, and promotes enough time for collaboration is allocated in the time- networking between destinations. Still, it confirms line, enabling structured involvement and equal con- the ambitious path toward bridging the gap between sideration of all inputs by various organisations. tourism and cultural heritage through digital technol- One of the foremost collaborations is between ogies. the tourism and cultural heritage sectors. We believe this collaboration has planted a seed of mutual – yet Conclusion and Way(s) Forward sometimes still conflictual – understanding between Although initially too ambitious and uncharted, the the sectors. On the one hand, the potential of cultural Ministry of Economic Development and Technology’s heritage (its stories, universal values, emotions, and initiative to introduce ‘digital innovation of cultural relationships) has been stressed and, to some degree, heritage’ to the work of leading tourist destinations accepted by the DMOs. Intertwining heritage stories and their DMOs proved to be a bold and visionary step. and values with tourism offered a creative spring- The initiative produced engaging experiences board for novel experiences and narratives. On the and attractive digital materials on Slovenian cultural other hand, the cultural heritage sector was given a heritage. It paved the path for further collaboration clear and, in most cases, honest invitation to co-cre- at the crossroads of tourism, cultural heritage and ate and co-develop tourism narratives and offers. Al- digital technologies. Digital innovation projects have though somehow necessary, GLAM organisations in often started with technology scepticism and the wish many destinations have not taken part, nor were they for ‘regular ways of doing things’. However, through honestly involved in destination development until workshops and training, primarily through hands-on these projects. work at the local level and producing engaging and Strategically, projects and processes initiated by attractive results, scepticism has turned into enthusi- them are essential precursors for tourism destination asm. Learning about digital technologies and the rich management – they signal an upgrade from a promo- resources of stories and narratives within the cultural 126 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference Urška Starc Peceny, Tomi Ilijaš Matevž Straus Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage heritage, DMO staff has come to perceive the vast area ment, humanities and social sciences, and informatics of (economic, social, cultural and symbolic) possibili- design and engineering. As the last three years have ties collaboration at the intersection offers. proved, genuinely successful projects are interdiscipli- However, the public call of 2019 has only set the nary and often domain-bending. Luckily, in Slovenia, first stones – now, other actions need to follow. A pro- innovation does not happen only in sterile laborato- active stance is needed to prevent this initiative and ries and away from the ordinary people but across achievements from withering away. We wish to point the country, inspired by the generations of men and out some of the necessary activities, starting with women working hard to make their lives and their further developing the skill-set and building capac- children’s lives brighter and happier. ities, which should be done through regular annual workshops and training – for tourism and cultural References international exchanges of practices and knowledge, status of research in museums. Museum Management and Curatorship, 20 (4), 297–311. and transfer of Slovenian knowledge and experiences heritage workers, but also technology companies –, Anderson, R. G. (2005). To thrive or survive? The state and abroad. Skill-set needs to be developed both regard- Alcaraz, C., Hume, M., & Mort, G. S. (2009). 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