The Intrinsic Value of Cultural Heritage and Its Relationship to Sustainable Tourism Development: The Contrasting Experiences of Jamaica and Japan

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The Intrinsic Value of Cultural Heritage and Its Relationship to Sustainable Tourism Development: The Contrasting Experiences of Jamaica and Japan

"....tourism has become the biggest industry in the world, and cultural heritage provides much of its life-blood" (Swedish International Development Agency [SIDA], 1998).

Introduction

It is an accepted fact that tourism is a dynamic element of national life. It is a phenomenon that societies cannot escape once they open their gateways to the world. The globally accepted definition for the term is presented by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) as, "the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes" (UNWTO, 2007). In recent decades the concept of tourism has broadened as the industry reacts to global changes such as developments in travel, and a more conscientious traveller who seeks a specific type and quality of vacation. The industry has therefore seen a slowing of mass tourism and the emergence of specialized markets including health and wellness tourism, sports tourism, religious tourism, rural tourism, event tourism, eco-tourism and cultural heritage tourism.

Cultural heritage tourism has perhaps been the most prominent of the emerging tourism niches and is viewed by industry players as the most successful specialized tourism market or niche. For example the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) acknowledges that tourism has for some time been accepted as the biggest industry in the world and has argued, "cultural heritage provides much of its lifeblood" (SIDA, 1998). Experts in the field also argue that heritage is responsible for the rejuvenation of a dying tourism product. "Heritage has been a key tool for bringing tourism into and regenerating declining urban and rural areas and bringing life to previously derelict industrial regions" (Timothy...

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