The path to preserving cultural heritage

“There may have been a time when preservation was about saving an old building here or there, but those days are gone. Preservation is in the business of saving communities and the values they embody.” – Richard Moe, National Trust for Historic Preservation

Each destination has an assortment of values, customs, traditions, and lifestyles that are open for visitor experience. Cultural heritage celebrates the people, places, and programs that help a place evolve into its current state and deepens a sense of identity, community, and unity among those who inhabit and visit. We take pride in acknowledging the persistent efforts by destinations like Ljubljana (Slovenia), Rogla-Pohorje (Slovenia), Berguedà County (Spain), and Vail (USA) towards the path to preserving cultural heritage through tourism.

Ljubljana, Slovenia

A landmark project developed by Ljubljana, as part of the European Region of Gastronomy 2021, combined not only the enhanced promotion of the country’s cuisine and gastronomy but also the creation of synergies with local environments and cultures. Gastronomy, being fundamental to Ljubljana’s cultural offerings, has been one of the major factors for the locals and foreigners to admire and enjoy the city. Therefore, the relevant stakeholders decided to develop a unique product to connect the culture and culinary experience in the city. Exclusive to Ljubljana is the moment when culture meets cuisine (called the KulKul moment); it leads to an unforgettable experience, where people can taste the culture in Ljubljana and discover the underlying stories behind the local cuisines. Discover more about the KulKul moment and its delightful stories here.

Rogla-Pohorje, Slovenia

The Municipalities of Oplotnica, Slovenske Konjice, Vitanje, and Zre?e were operating separately in the field of tourism. Each municipality was taking the development of tourism and promotional activities in its own direction. Tourism stakeholders were wondering how to promote a breakthrough in less-visited municipalities and to bring visitors/tourists from more crowded areas thereto, thus ensuring a more balanced distribution of visitors/tourists and providing the local population with the opportunity to earn additional income (concern for their welfare). In all of this, a Triple Bottom Line (TPL) model combining the environmental, economic and social aspects of tourism development was adapted. The joint forces of the municipalities eventually led to the sustainable management of Rogla-Pohorje Tourist Destination, a unified territory to proliferate tourism sustainably. Was the inception of Rogla-Pohorje Tourist Destination a success story for the Slovenian municipalities? Check it out here.

Berguedà County, Spain (Barcelona province)

Throughout the 20th century, the Berguedà region was one of the most affected areas of Europe by the industrial revolution in its society and landscape. In Berguedà, three museums have preserved and explained the collective memory that transformed European society: the Museum of the textile colony of Cal Vidal, the Museum of the mines in Cercs and the Museum of the cement factory in Castellar de n’Hug. These museums have demonstrated and explained how technological and social improvements have changed the lives of the locals; however, there was no real interaction between the museums and the local community that hosted them. To address this challenge, a project was initiated for the local community over 65 years old to engage in certain activities of the museum that were emotionally fulfilling for them. As a consequence, there has been an enhanced feeling of belongingness and connection with the common heritage and a need for its protection. Find out the full details of the project here.?

Vail, Colorado, United States of America

During Vail’s initial certification process to become a Sustainable Destination through the Mountain IDEAL standard, the Green Destinations auditor noted Vail was not fully compliant with criteria around cultural heritage preservation and provided a conditional certification requiring corrective actions for the related criteria. Celebrating and preserving the history and culture that shapes a destination is critical. Vail had a few cultural programs in place, such as the Art In Public Places. However, the Vail Destination did not have a formal overarching program in place to preserve, protect, and celebrate its overall tangible and intangible elements of cultural heritage. To build awareness, formalize a structure and path forward, and become fully compliant with the required criteria as a Sustainable Destination, Vail created the Cultural Heritage Committee. Get to know more about the committee, its structure, and key success factors here.

From the culinary tradition of Ljubljana to the collaboration among stakeholders in Rogla-Pohorje, and the preservation of collective memory and cultural heritage in Berguedà and Vail - these stories have demonstrated the importance of effective destination management practices to enrich and preserve the cultural heritage for both locals and tourists.

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