Levuka,Fiji: Contested Heritage

The complex links between heritage and tourism, and the ways in which attitudes towards historical built environments vary over time and place, are demonstrated in a study of Levuka, on the small island of Ovalau, Fiji. The town was founded by traders of European origin, and for a few years was Fiji's first colonial capital. Since the late 1800s, however, it has remained undeveloped, despite periodic efforts by tourism interests, resident expatriates and some government departments, to raise its profile and conserve its buildings and ambience through the development of tourism. Over the past decade, these attempts have crystallised in moves to nominate the municipality for listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This paper describes Levuka's origins and its continued association with the colonial past, discusses the impetus within Fiji to nominate it, analyses UNESCO's role in supporting Levuka's case, and indicates the variety of perceptions to 'heritage' in the town, across Ovalau, and more widely in the Fiji Islands.     

The Meanings and Effectiveness of World Heritage Designation in the USA

The USA played a pivotal role in developing the idea of the World Heritage Convention just over 30 years ago. This paper begins by examining the history of the World Heritage Convention's practical application in the USA and goes on to discuss the Convention's present-day application at Yellowstone National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the national scale. It may be concluded that although there is a high level of compliance with the requirements of the World Heritage Convention, numerous issues need to be resolved to ensure that World Heritage Site designation remains an effective protection tool for sites of international importance.     

Valuing natural heritage: park visitors' values related to World Heritage sites in the USA

The World Heritage Convention rests on the assumption that World Heritage sites hold value for people globally and that these values promote protection of sites. This study focuses on natural sites, selected for environmental significance. All World Heritage sites are also supposed to be of ‘outstanding universal value’, with a variety of values attributed to them in World Heritage and other documents, including aesthetic, cultural and spiritual values. This study investigates via a survey whether such values are recognized by visitors to natural sites in the USA, and how useful they are for generating support for sites. Most visitors appreciated sites primarily for their environmental importance; a minority recognized other values listed in World Heritage documents, even though most visitors had little understanding of the Convention itself. In general, recognition of World Heritage status did not translate into greater protection or support for sites beyond what they already receive as national parks, even though most visitors and park personnel were supportive of World Heritage goals. For a minority of visitors, the global framework in which the World Heritage Convention operates had negative connotations, owing to questions of how ultimate responsibility for sites should be divided between national and international scales.     

Symbolic,Experiential and Functional Consumptions of Heritage Tourism Destinations: The Case of Angkor World Heritage Site,Cambodia

This study empirically investigates the effects of three destination consumptions (namely symbolic, experiential and functional) on tourists' destination attachment and satisfaction, and further on destination loyalty at a heritage tourism destinations. Using a sample of 512 international tourists visiting Angkor, Cambodia, results reveal that all three types of consumptions have significantly positive effects on destination attachment and satisfaction, which in turn positively affect destination loyalty. However, the effects of symbolic consumption and experiential consumption are greater than that of functional consumption. The results also support the importance of the role of destination attachment in the quality–satisfaction–loyalty relationship. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Exploring the Shared Use of World Heritage Sites: Residents and Domestic Tourists' Use and Perceptions of the Summer Palace in Beijing

Many heritage sites are shared by tourists and local residents, who may have different motivations, preferences and experiences. These common areas offer a setting for understanding how the host and guest populations utilize, interact and perceive a heritage site. Results show that residents and domestic tourists differ in their use patterns but generally share motivations, perceptions and experiences at the Summer Palace. Use conflicts and interplay are examined in relation to their behaviours, perceptions and experiences. Practical implications are generated to inform management and planning decisions for the study site and other heritage sites shared by local users and tourists. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Community Participation in Tourism at a World Heritage Site: Mutianyu Great Wall,Beijing, China

Community participation is crucial for successful heritage tourism and community development. Levels and ways of participation vary, depending on nature and context of heritage sites. This paper explores community participation in tourism at Mutianyu Great Wall, China. General positive perceptions toward World Heritage, tourism development and tourism impacts are held by different groups of the local community. Between‐group differences indicate that local opinions are influenced by different levels of impacts from and participation in tourism. Community members receive benefits with minimal participation in decision making. This study provokes reflections on community participation theory and management practices in the Chinese context. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multi-agency management of a World Heritage Site: Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area,China

Involving a variety of stakeholders, heritage tourism management requires a collaborative multi-actor approach. Due to the current grid management system, shared management among multiple agencies is not rare in heritage sites in China; however limited research has addressed this situation. A multi-agency management model is thus proposed to highlight the roles of a coordination agency and a collaboration mechanism. Taking Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area as an example, this paper compares the management status and assesses management collaboration between its two main management bodies. Semi-structured interviews with management staff are used as the primary research method. It is revealed that shared management has resulted in the inefficient use of human and financial resources, and inconsistency in the application of management measures and standards due to the lack of an efficient coordination agency and collaboration mechanism. Suggestions are made to facilitate collaboration and enhance management efficiency in this multi-agency management context.     

Tour guides' interpretation of the Historic Center of Macao as a World Cultural Heritage site

Literature review suggests that little attention is paid to the interpretation of a World Cultural Heritage (WCH) ensemble such as the Historic Center of Macao (HCM). The present study aims to investigate tour guides' interpretation of the HCM and how their interpretation affects tourists' appreciation and understanding of a visited heritage site within the HCM, as well as tourists' interest in other under-used HCM sites. Methodologies include in-depth interviews with tour guides, on-site observations of tour guides and surveys of package group tourists. The findings indicate that tour guides tended to interpret an HCM heritage site as an independent WCH site. In turn, this results in tourists' misunderstanding of Macao's WCH and a lower level of authentic experience at the visited heritage site. It is advocated that the interpretation of any one heritage site of the HCM should connect to the HCM ensemble and other heritage sites within the HCM. The inter-cultural relationship among the heritage sites should be further explored and highlighted in narratives.     

An Observation Station for Culture and Tourism in Vietnam: A Forum for World Heritage and Public Participation

World Heritage is increasingly approached in an international context and it seems appropriate for the protection of World Heritage sites in our globalised world. However, we should question whether or not the global aspects are not over-emphasised, leaving behind local and national interests. Increasing the number of stakeholders in the selection process of World Heritage sites, especially those mostly excluded from any decision-making process, seems to be a promising approach. It enlarges the debate and facilitates consensus at all levels on how to promote and to protect World Heritage. The creation of an observation station, together with a new local selection system of cultural heritage sites, a kind of participatory budget of cultural heritage, would be an important step in integrating more civic perception into World Heritage policy.     

Wunderkammer 02 : An Exhibition of Art,Craft and Souvenirs from World Heritage Sites in Tasmania and Far North Queensland

With its focus on the regions of Tasmania and Far North Queensland, this exhibition (30 August – 20 September 2002) examines the objects and artworks collected today in the tradition of the Wunderkammer. It brings together artists and craft people who, in some way, have engaged with the tourist aesthetic and economy of souvenirs. Central to this project is a study of the representation of place culture and heritage through the agency of tourist art and souvenirs.     

Post-colonial Politics and Resurgent Heritage: The Development of Kyrgyzstan's Heritage Tourism Product

In 1991 the Kyrgyz Republic secured its political autonomy from the USSR and set out on the road to cultural and economic independence. Tourism was high on the development agenda, not least because of the country's abundance of natural assets, its experience with health and recreational tourism during the Soviet period and its lack of viable alternatives. During the post-colonial period, tourist activity has been based mainly on the country's mountains and lakes. More recently attempts to develop a heritage tourism product have mirrored the resurgence of ethnic Kyrgyz nationalism and Turkic culture throughout Central Asia. The paper identifies ethnic diversity and nationalist revivalism as potential constraints to the development of heritage tourism in Kyrgyzstan. Moreover, the issue of dissonant interest groups in the protection of the heritage of Kyrgyzstan is addressed. Much of the international interest in Kyrgyz heritage has been directed at the epos of the nomads of the Steppes and it is their protection, rather than that of tangible heritage sites, that has attracted sponsorship from UNESCO and other bodies. Additionally, the tangible heritage sites that have been proposed by the Kyrgyz government for World Heritage status are of domestic and regional, rather than international interest. Implications for the strategic development of Kyrgyzstan's heritage tourism product are discussed, with specific reference to world heritage.     

Tourist Identities in Narratives of Unexpected Adventure in Madeira

This paper examines the shift that occurs in role identity, from a tourist to an adventurer, as travel bloggers construct an adventure narrative from their experiences of Madeira's ‘levada walk’. Travel blogs, as a naturally occurring data source, offer insight into both tourism experiences and tourists themselves. The research finds that, while bloggers have touristic motivations for visiting Madeira, they cast themselves in a heroic role as they construct an adventure narrative from their experience. The paper concludes that tourism has the potential to become an ‘adventure’ in which tourists overcome challenges and discover themselves in the process. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Research Note: Resolving Contested Notions of Tourism Sustainability on Western Australia's 'Turquoise Coast': The Squatter Settlements

Squatter's shacks, or informal holiday homes, have been a feature of sections of Western Austalia's coastline for many years. However, population growth and improved accessibility have brought pressure on government to deal with the problems they present. This paper outlines the procedures being used to address the squatter situation, while also suggesting that many of the characteristics of the squatter communities might be used to advantage in the development of new holiday-based settlements.     

Profiling the Heritage Experience in Macao's Historic Center

This paper applies Pine and Gilmore's four realms of experience – Esthetic, Escapism, Entertainment and Education – to investigate Macao's Historic Center in terms of the experience value attached to different heritage sites by tourists, with implications for understanding the experience profile of heritage tourism sites in general. The research is based on a survey of 700 tourists. Dominant experience profiles for the sites, which differ from that of the Historic Center as a whole, are identified and discussed, as are the implications of specific synergies identified between different dimensions of the experience of these heritage sites. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Heritage transformation and the sociocultural impact of tourism in Umm Qais

Using the heritage site of Umm Qais as a case study, this article argues that tourism could radically shape or reshape the intangible and tangible heritage of the hosts’ communities at tourism destinations. Findings reveal that local culture and tangible heritage of Umm Qais were not resilient enough to absorb the changes brought about by tourism development. Although tourism transformed the residents of Umm Qais from agriculturalists to urbanites, and led to significant changes in traditions and the responsibilities of each individual within the society, there was no impact concerning the moral values such as increase of alcoholism, illicit drug use, and prostitution. Results also indicate that residents’ attitudes, whether negative or positive, are basically homogeneous about tourists, heritage, and tourism and its sociocultural impacts.     

Introduction to the special issue: Air transport in the Global South

Research on the development and impacts of air transport has hitherto focused mainly on developed countries in the Global North, and relatively little on less developed countries in the Global South. The seven papers of this Special Issue of the Journal of Transport Geography aim to address this imbalance and encourage further research on air transport development in the Global South. In recent years, the Global South has witnessed significant changes in air transport networks and policies, with implications for economic growth, spatial development and airline business models. This Special Issue explores some challenges to air transport development in the Global South for countries in Africa, South America, the Middle East and Asia, including links between air transport and economic development, the evolution and key drivers of air transport growth and the spatial distribution of passenger airline networks, and the development and impact of low-cost carriers. It also identifies opportunities for future research in this growing area.     

Including the Outsiders: The Contribution of Guides to Integrated Heritage Tourism Management in Cusco,Southern Peru

Over the last decade many archaeological sites in Peru have become important tourist attractions. However, despite the growth in tourism, visitor management and interpretation at the sites are limited and, at times, non-existent. The mainstay of interpretative supply in Peru is the tour guide, and three types of guide were identified in this research: those with university degrees, others with vocational training, and untrained 'local guides' from the local indigenous population living near the archaeological sites. All three types of guide were present at the Cusco region case study sites of Raqchi and Ollantaytambo. Recommendations focus on ways that local guides could be brought into the tourist system to enable their participation, both economic and social, in the tourism developing on their doorstep.