TRV 295 - Cultural Heritage Tourism Chapter 2 – Community Role & Stakeholders Dr. T. Michael Gilley "TRV 295 - Chapter 2 - Community Role & Stakeholders" by Mike Gilley, CC BY 4.0.

What is cultural heritage and why does it exist? We learned in the first chapter that cultural heritage included the material objects as well as non-material elements of culture (Gilley, 2016; Timothy, 2001). It is our cultural heritage that in part defines our identities. Our cultural heritage bears witness to who we are and who our ancestors were. These objects and elements are valued by members of the group who keep and pass them on to future or new generations. Think about holidays and family gatherings and the foods you eat, the songs you sing, the games you play, now imagine having those holidays without your family or these traditional cultural objects and elements. What would you eat, sing, and play? How would you describe these holidays minus this cultural heritage? How would you define yourself? Cultural heritage is the glue that binds us together as a community.

Why is community so important to cultural heritage tourism? Each human being is part of one or more communities. I am a member of a community of people who are bound my genetics such as my family and ancestors, a racial group, or an ethnic group; a community of people who are bound by geography and residence as well as governments such as town, county, state, and nation; a community of people bound by religious beliefs, political systems, education, or occupation; a community of people bound by interests. Each of these communities hold specific beliefs and practices as well as products formed by these beliefs and practices. As long as these cultural beliefs, practices, and products remain valid to the community, the members of the community will keep them and pass them on to succeeding generations and new members. Each one of us is a bearer or holder and passer or sharer of cultural heritage which belongs to a community of others. The cultural heritage will be preserved and passed on as long as it remains valid to the members of the community.

What are the benefits of cultural heritage tourism for the community? defines the identity of a community, builds upon a longstanding tradition, binds a community of people together, instills pride in a community, provides a marketing brand for a community, supports entrepreneurships within the community, and provides a strong support system and well known product for stable local and regional economic development (Gilley, 2016).

Community Stakeholders and Cultural Heritage Tourism The cultural heritage of the community belongs to all of the community members so it is vital that all of the community work together to plan, develop, and market the tourism effort for the entire community. Leaving stakeholders out of any part of this process will weaken the community as well as the cultural heritage which could diminish the tourism product or event and the promotion and access to it. Even those members of the community who will not be directly involved with the promotion or sale of the cultural heritage product or event can support this economic development effort by providing supports services such as lodging, restaurants, food, convenience, and travel services for tourists. Do not leave anyone out of the planning, development, and evaluation of the cultural heritage tourism effort as all have a stake in it. Get the entire community involved!

Identify All Stakeholders & the Roles They Can Play Attendees, Community Leaders, Competing Events, Products, & Vendors, Contractual Service Providers, Detractors, Event Organizers, Media, Non-attendees, Paid Staff, Safety & Emergency Service Providers, Sponsors, Supporters, and Volunteers (deLisle, 2014).

Blue Ridge Folklife Festival, Case Study 1 Blue Ridge Folklife Festival invites artisans for traditional crafts, community churches and groups for traditional foods, traditional musicians and storytellers in and around the Ferrum area to participate in the festival to showcase the local citizens’ talents, give them a financial opportunity, and preserve the local cultural heritage. Blue Ridge Folklife Festival encourages participation of cultural heritage demonstrators for crafts, food ways, music, and storytelling by paying these participants and promoting these vendors to other festivals. Local businesses who are not directly connected to the cultural heritage products and services are promoted in the festival program guide and support the festival with their advertisements. College sponsorship and involvement opens the college campus to new people, including future students (Gilley, 2016).

Home Craft Days, Case Study 2 The community of college staff, faculty, students, and volunteers staff the festival information booth, festival souvenir booth, music sound systems, and clean the tables in the food court; building and grounds staff and volunteers such as the local boy scout troop take care of set up and take down, cleaning, maintenance, and trash; campus police along with community emergency services keep the festival goers safe, area agency for aging provides shuttle bus services from different areas in the community, and area hotels provide reduced rates for musicians and participants. Local governments and businesses support the festival with local funds, goods, services, and promotion. Local newspapers, motels, campgrounds, restaurants, other businesses, and towns promote the festival, provide visitors with accommodations, food, convenience and comfort items (Gilley, 2016).

Merle Fest, Case Study 3 Merle Fest allows community churches and civic organizations to submit applications to supply the festival food to ensure a variety of food products and keep down competition. College staff, faculty, and students assist with work during the festival. Volunteer workers receive reduced ticket prices depending upon the volunteer hours committed. The increased visitors for Merle Fest has supported the opening of new restaurants and motels along with supporting new and existing businesses with growth in the town. The economic development spurred by Merle Fest has had a ripple effect in the region, positively impacting all of northwest North Carolina. Local, regional, and national businesses sponsor the music stages at Merle Fest (Gilley, 2016).

Assignment for Week 2 In the Blackboard site for this class, create a thread and provide the following information about your chosen event after talking to your event coordinator(s): A description of the community in which this event is or will be held, including the name and location of the community, the population of the community, population demographics such as race/ethnic composition, educational levels, average family income, major businesses / employers, any other tourism or cultural heritage efforts and their dates. A list of the stakeholders for the chosen cultural heritage tourism event and their level of interest in the event. Your vision for the involvement of the community and various stakeholders in the cultural heritage tourism event.

Resources deLisle, L. J. (2014). Creating special events. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing. Gilley, T. M. (2016). Institutions of higher education and cultural heritage tourism: A case study of the Crooked Road, Virginia’s heritage music trail. Ann Arbor: ProQuest. Timothy, D. J. (2011). Cultural heritage and tourism: An introduction. Bristol: Channel View Publications.