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Heritage Tourism and the Complexities of Race

Ian McEwan

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Published in Heritage Tourism And Race: The Other Side Of Leisure (Heritage Tourism And Community)

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Heritage tourism is a form of tourism that focuses on the cultural and historical heritage of a place. It can include visits to museums, historical sites, and other places of cultural significance. Heritage tourism has the potential to promote understanding and reconciliation, but it can also perpetuate stereotypes and divisions.

Heritage, Tourism, and Race: The Other Side of Leisure (Heritage, Tourism, and Community)

by Antoinette T Jackson

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
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The relationship between heritage tourism and race is complex and multifaceted. Race can influence the development and interpretation of heritage sites, and the ways in which heritage tourism can impact race relations.

Race and the Development of Heritage Sites

The development of heritage sites is often influenced by the dominant racial narratives of the time. For example, in the United States, many historical sites related to the American Civil War were developed in the early 20th century, during a time of racial segregation. These sites often presented a whitewashed version of history, ignoring the experiences of African Americans.

Today, there is a growing movement to re-interpret heritage sites in a more inclusive way. This involves recognizing the experiences of all people who have contributed to the history of a place, regardless of their race or ethnicity.

Race and the Interpretation of Heritage Sites

The interpretation of heritage sites is also influenced by race. The ways in which tour guides and other interpreters present information about a place can shape the way that visitors understand its history.

For example, a tour guide at a plantation in the American South might focus on the grandeur of the plantation house and the wealth of the plantation owner, while downplaying the experiences of the enslaved people who worked the land.

A more inclusive interpretation would acknowledge the suffering and oppression that enslaved people endured, and the ways in which their labor contributed to the wealth of the plantation owner.

Race and the Impact of Heritage Tourism

Heritage tourism can have both positive and negative impacts on race relations. On the one hand, it can promote understanding and reconciliation by bringing people together to learn about the shared history of a place.

On the other hand, heritage tourism can also perpetuate stereotypes and divisions by presenting a one-sided or inaccurate view of history.

It is important to be aware of the complex relationship between heritage tourism and race, and to strive to create a more inclusive and accurate representation of history.

Heritage, Tourism, and Race: The Other Side of Leisure (Heritage, Tourism, and Community)

by Antoinette T Jackson

5 out of 5