Journal of Heritage Tourism

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Cultural and heritage tourism: an introduction

Deepak Chhabra

To cite this article: Deepak Chhabra (2021): Cultural and heritage tourism: an introduction, Journal
of Heritage Tourism, DOI: 10.1080/1743873X.2021.1942622

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Published online: 24 Jun 2021.

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BOOK REVIEW

Cultural and heritage tourism: an introduction, by Dallen J. Timothy, Bristol, UK, Channel
View Publications, 2020, 576 pp., $149.95 (hardback), ISBN: 978184541771

Cultural and heritage tourism continues to boom as one of the most prevalent and popular forms of
tourism today. In recent decades, a proliferation of articles and books have appeared on the horizon
to inspect its various meanings, expressions, and practical applications. Albeit, there still appear to
be very few books that examine the total breadth of this phenomenon. The successful launch of the
first edition of Cultural and Heritage Tourism by Dallen J. Timothy in 2011 is a testament to the
author’s timely recognition of the need for a useful reference for academics in pursuit of knowledge
and practitioners seeking effective heritage management strategies. Almost a decade later, the
second edition by the author is a much-needed updated version with new and fresh insights on
a multitude of pathways that can be explored to overcome barriers in the understanding and man-
agement of this niche form of tourism. The book is divided into two sections. The first section
(comprising thirteen chapters) deliberates on a multitude of concepts, perspectives, theories, and
paradigms associated with the cultural/heritage tourism phenomenon, while also pondering on
management issues associated with different cultural/heritage expressions and resources. The
second section (with chapters 14–22) delves into the complexities, paradoxes, and/or contradictions
associated with both popular and emerging heritage expressions. It demonstrates well the signifi-
cance of scrutinizing the marriage between culture/heritage and tourism from the standpoint of
sustainability and economic dynamics.
The first two chapters delineate between serious and casual heritage tourists, illuminate manifold
aspects of heritage demand and experiences, and offer notable insights on how cultural heritage
shapes global trends. The third chapter turns attention to heritage supply and informs of the
breadth of heritage resources while demarcating them into attractions and services. The fourth
chapter offers a deep conceptual dialogue on how locations and places shape the demand and
supply dynamics of heritage tourism. Chapter five underlines the complex and fluid nature of auth-
enticity and discusses its significance in heritage tourism. Undoubtedly, authenticity has been
recognized both as a conservation tool and as a marketing gimmick. The aim is to propagate gen-
uineness behind the showcasing of heritage, while at the same time justifying its commodification
for edutainment and revenue. Authenticity undeniably has become a powerful trend, with over-
bearing/enticing muscle as more and more people seek experiences that are not just a niche part
of their pulsating world but also epitomize a break from the disenchantment with daily life (Leo-
nard, 2011; MacCannell, 1973). Whether it creates a heresy from the real, authenticity continues
to captivate and gain the attention of scholars. An onward path in the unfolding Covid-19 pan-
demic calls for a deeper probe into this phenomenon, from the standpoint of moral solving, to
mindfully inculcate sustainable and ethical values into the heritage production and consumption
processes (Bright et al., 2021; Chhabra, 2021).
One chapter (six) examines the politics of heritage and offers insights into how some pasts and
heritages are appropriated or excluded. It deliberates on the politics behind societal amnesia, heri-
tage dissonance, and the telling of preferred histories. Notable insights are shared about how war
and political upheavals disrupt the functioning, stature, and management of cultural/heritage
resources. Chapters seven through nine devote attention to conservation, impacts of tourism,
national laws, and conservation organizations across the globe. The icing on the cake here is a
piece offering insights on the role of cross-border cooperation in conserving culture and heritage.
Chapter ten exemplifies the importance of interpretation and telling of stories in an edutaining
2 BOOK REVIEW

manner. Chapter eleven stresses the role of effective planning to counter social and environmental
pressures, as demand for cultural/heritage experiences continues to soar, while chapter twelve illus-
trates the significance of marketing in cultural/heritage tourism and offers detailed insights on how
marketing can aid in the sustainable development of tourism. It considers the uniqueness of a cul-
tural heritage product mix for tourism purposes and warns against the practice of developing de-
marketing strategies to manage visitors and impacts at historic sites. Furthermore, deliberations are
offered (in chapter thirteen) on funding issues and the potential use of revenue management as a
tool to manage visitors and sustained use of a heritage site and its resources.
The first section offers ample information on a range of important topics and sets the stage for
more critical probes into the cultural/heritage tourism phenomena in section two. Among its var-
ious gems includes a remarkable discourse on authenticity, politics and societal amnesia, and sus-
tainable marketing of heritage. The authenticity debate, indeed, is recognized for its anomalies and
the political use of heritage has been a topic for deliberation for a long time, albeit the context and
settings have shifted (Fortenberry, 2021). Sustainable marketing is often touted as a panacea to tone
down dissonant representations as it advocates for an equitable and viable serialization of cultural
resources. Critical dissection of heritage dissonance from a present-centered viewpoint (Chhabra &
Zhao, 2015) holds a guide to future pathways, as we transcend into the post-pandemic era, under-
scoring the advocacy of cultural intelligence and social capital. It can inspire a more nuanced under-
standing of the evolving relationships between heritage conservation and contemporary societies
with important implications for global heritage discourses and collaborative ventures spanning geo-
graphic spaces (Brasher, 2021; Mkono, 2020). This section segues into the second section and the
latter offers a broad spectrum of heritage expressions as a testing ground for various concepts and
theoretical standpoints presented in the first section. Every chapter sets an analytical tone to stimu-
late critical thinking. Real-world issues are drawn from museums, archaeological sites and ancient
monuments, elite versus ordinary landscapes, industrial attractions, religious/pilgrimage tourism,
and diaspora/personal heritage tourism.
Section two includes a chapter on living heritage, intangible culture, and indigenous people,
where deliberations are offered on the notion of cultural property rights. One chapter concentrates
on dark and thana tourism, sharing diagnostic insights on diverse types of human suffering and
death and their appeal to tourists. How war transforms from a repulsive space to a dark tourism
attraction is also discussed, in addition to a purview of management challenges associated with
this unique subset of heritage tourism. All chapters are well integrated as the subject matter circu-
lates contemporary and meaningful intersections between culture/heritage and tourism. Different
heritage attractions have different dynamics at play and appeal to unique target markets who
might have personal connections to the sites or might be seeking the ‘othered’ to escape from
the mundane daily life. The author closes the book (with chapter twenty-two) by revisiting key
points from sections one and two and furthers deliberations on emerging trends and challenges
associated with cultural/heritage tourism, using a variety of examples from across the globe, and
their possible solutions.
The task of compiling various conceptual and empirical studies into one book that provides fresh
perspectives on the subject is not easy. In compiling the second edition, Dallen J. Timothy success-
fully devotes space for emerging topics such as the sustainable use of cultural/heritage resources and
technology. As a textbook, it will be a valuable resource for educators and serve as an important
reference guide for students. Overall, the author has designed a comprehensive book with a multi-
disciplinary approach. The book both epitomizes and celebrates the unique phenomenon of cul-
tural/heritage tourism, as interest in it continues to soar. Going forward, as the globe struggles
to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic, this new edition will conceptually and practically offer a hol-
istic platform for developing transformative/restorative heritage tourism, devoted to moral values,
replenishment, and the wellbeing of humanity, for better times, so that it can remain resilient and
thriving during catastrophic events. Akin to its first successful edition, it will be a useful addition to
 JOURNAL OF HERITAGE TOURISM 3

the collections of tertiary education, researchers, academics, and practitioners in the heritage con-
servation and tourism industry.

References
Brasher, J. P. (2021). Creating ‘Confederate pioneers’: a spatial narrative analysis of race, settler colonialism, and
heritage tourism at the Museu da Imigração, Santa Bárbara d’Oeste, São Paulo. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 16
(1), 20–42. doi:10.1080/1743873X.2020.1768262
Bright, C. F., Foster, K. N., Joyner, A., & Tanny, O. (2021). Heritage tourism, historic roadside markers and “just
representation” in Tennessee, USA. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 29(2-3), 427–446.
Chhabra, D., & Zhao, S. (2015). Present-centered dialogue with heritage representations. Annals of Tourism Research,
55, 94–109. doi:10.1016/[Link].2015.09.004
Chhabra, D. (2021). Wellbeing and moral orientations of existentialist authenticity. In D. Chhabra (Ed.), Authenticity
and authentication of heritage. Routledge.
Fortenberry, B. R. (2021). Heritage justice, conservation, and tourism in the greater Caribbean. Journal of Sustainable
Tourism, 29(2–3), 253–276. doi:10.1080/09669582.2020.1757684
Leonard, W. (2011). Challenging “extinction” through modern Miami language practices. American Indian Culture
and Research Journal, 35(2), 135–160. doi:10.17953/aicr.35.2.f3r173r46m261844
Mkono, M. (2020). Eco-hypocrisy and inauthenticity: Criticisms and confessions of the eco-conscious tourist/travel-
ler. Annals of Tourism Research, 84, 102967.
MacCannell, D. (1973). Staged authenticity: Arrangements of social space in tourist settings. American Journal of
Sociology, 79(3), 589–603. doi:10.1086/225585

Deepak Chhabra
School of Community Resources and Development, Arizona State University, 411 North Central
Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
[Link]@[Link]
© 2021 Deepak Chhabra
[Link]