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Tourism Review

ISSN : 1660-5373

Article publication date: 12 July 2022

Issue publication date: 27 October 2022

Protecting a nation’s heritage is an essential element for sustainable development. Heritage attracts tourism and drives tourist income, as well as bringing wider economic, social and environmental benefits. This study aims to improve understanding of the relationship between heritage protection spending in countries and economic development via tourism revenues via economic logic and the Kuznets curve.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies economic modelling to test for the presence of a Kuznets curve. This study uses rare available matched data on heritage protection spending from UNESCO and on travel and tourism total contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) from the World Travel and Tourism Council.

This paper finds evidence of a negative quadratic relationship between heritage protection spending per capita and tourism GDP per capita, whereby increases in heritage spending initially lead to more tourism income (typically less developed nations), but then tourism spending increases more rapidly for smaller increases heritage spending on top of this initial investment (typically more developed nations). No countries are yet at the stage where they reap high tourism income from much lower levels of heritage spending.

Research limitations/implications

The findings suggest that the future of heritage tourism will be very different to that of today; future tourism is likely to develop significantly through innovations in management approach and advanced technologies to manage the balance between demand and heritage degradation.

Practical implications

The predictive model allows us to plot future possibilities for heritage tourism, which in turn enables more informed decision-making regarding the planning and management of future heritage resources and tourism demand. Tourism heritage institutions and their benefactors should further plan and invest in innovations (such as technologies and management practices) to advanced economically and move along the tourism heritage Kuznets curve.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper formally tests, for the first time, for the presence of a Kuznets curve in the relationship between heritage protection spending and tourism income. It provides original evidence of the value of applying the underlying theory of the Kuznets curve in a tourism context.

遗产保护工作是实现可持续发展的基本要素。作为重要的旅游吸引物, 遗产资源可以推动旅游业增收, 同时也会带来更广泛的经济、社会和环境效益。借由经济学逻辑和库兹涅茨曲线, 本研究开拓性地剖析了国家遗产保护支出和旅游财政收入带来的经济增长之间的关系。

本研究运用经济模型来检验库兹涅茨曲线的存在。研究所用相匹配的遗产保护支出和旅游业对GDP总贡献的珍贵数据分别来自联合国教科文组织和世界旅游理事会。

结果显示人均遗产保护支出与人均旅游GDP之间存在负曲线关系, 即最初增加遗产保护支出会带来相应的旅游收入增长（特别对于欠发达国家而言）, 然而有了最初的投资积累之后, 后续较小幅度的遗产保护支出增长便能带来较大的旅游收入增长（特别对于较发达国家而言）。目前还没有国家达到以较低的遗产支出水平获得高额旅游收入的阶段。

本文首次正式验证了遗产保护支出与旅游收入之间存在库兹涅茨曲线, 由此支持了库兹涅茨曲线基本理论在旅游情境中的应用价值。

研究结果表明, 未来的遗产旅游将与今天截然不同。通过创新管理方法和应用先进技术以协调旅游需求与遗产资源退化之间的关系, 未来的遗产旅游可能会得到显著发展。

通过预测模型, 我们能够描绘出遗产旅游可能的未来, 这反过来又使我们能够就未来遗产资源和遗产旅游需求的规划与管理做出更明智的决策。旅游遗产机构及其赞助者应进一步做好驱动创新的规划和投资（如技术和管理实践）, 以实现经济繁荣, 并使遗产旅游实践沿着库兹涅茨曲线的方向发展。

La protección del patrimonio de una nación es un elemento esencial para el desarrollo sostenible. El patrimonio atrae al turismo e impulsa los ingresos turísticos, además de aportar mayores beneficios económicos, sociales y ambientales. Este estudio realiza una contribución original mediante el análisis de la relación entre el gasto en protección del patrimonio en los países y el desarrollo económico a través de los ingresos del turismo basándose en la lógica económica y la curva de Kuznets.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

El estudio aplica modelos económicos para contrastar la presencia de una curva de Kuznets. El estudio utiliza datos combinados disponibles sobre el gasto en protección del patrimonio de la UNESCO y sobre la contribución total de los viajes y el turismo al PIB del Consejo Mundial de Viajes y Turismo.

El trabajo evidencia una relación cuadrática negativa entre el gasto en protección del patrimonio per cápita y el PIB turístico per cápita, de forma que inicialmente, los aumentos en el gasto en patrimonio conducen a más ingresos por turismo (generalmente en naciones menos desarrolladas), pero el gasto turístico aumenta más rápidamente ante pequeños aumentos del gasto en patrimonio además de esta inversión inicial (generalmente en naciones más desarrolladas). Ningún país se encuentra en la etapa donde se alcance altos ingresos por turismo a partir de niveles inferiores de gasto en patrimonio.

Originalidad

Este trabajo prueba formalmente, por primera vez, la presencia de una curva de Kuznets en la relación entre el gasto en protección del patrimonio y los ingresos del turismo. Proporciona evidencia original del valor de aplicar la teoría subyacente de la curva de Kuznets en un contexto turístico.

Implicaciones de investigación

Los resultados sugieren que el futuro del turismo patrimonial será muy diferente al de hoy; es probable que el turismo futuro se desarrolle significativamente a través de innovaciones en el enfoque de gestión y tecnologías avanzadas para gestionar el equilibrio entre la demanda y la degradación del patrimonio.

Implicaciones prácticas

El modelo predictivo nos permite trazar las posibilidades futuras para el turismo patrimonial, lo que a su vez permite una toma de decisiones más informada sobre la planificación y gestión de los recursos patrimoniales futuros y la demanda turística. Las instituciones de patrimonio turístico y sus benefactores deben planificar e invertir aún más en innovaciones (como tecnologías y prácticas de gestión) para avanzar económicamente y moverse a lo largo de la curva de Kuznets del patrimonio turístico.

• Heritage protection
• Kuznets curve
• Economic development
• Protección del patrimonio
• Curva de Kuznets
• Desarrollo económico

Acknowledgements

Authorship reportThis is a single authored paper. All aspects of research were completed by the author.

Barnes, S.J. (2022), "Heritage protection and tourism income: the tourism heritage Kuznets curve", Tourism Review , Vol. 77 No. 6, pp. 1455-1471. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-03-2022-0125

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Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

Each year, millions of travelers visit America’s historic places. The National Trust for Historic Preservation defines heritage tourism as “traveling to experience the places, artifacts, and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present.”  A high percentage of domestic and international travelers participate in cultural and/or heritage activities while traveling, and those that do stay longer, spend more, and travel more often. Heritage tourism creates jobs and business opportunities, helps protect resources, and often improves the quality of life for local residents.

The ACHP has encouraged national travel and tourism policies that promote the international marketing of America’s historic sites as tourism destinations. The ACHP also engages in ongoing efforts to build a more inclusive preservation program, reaching out to diverse communities and groups and engaging them in dialogue about what parts of our national legacy should be more fully recognized, preserved, and shared. 

The ACHP developed Preserve America , a national initiative to encourage and support community efforts for the preservation and enjoyment of America’s cultural and natural heritage. In partnership with other federal agencies, the initiative has encouraged the use of historic assets for economic development and community revitalization, as well as enabling people to experience and appreciate local historic resources through heritage tourism and education programs. These goals have been advanced by an Executive Order directing federal agencies to support such efforts, a community designation program, and a recognition program for outstanding stewardship of historic resources by volunteers.

From 2004-2016, over 900 Preserve America Communities   were designated in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and two territories, as well as nearly 60 Preserve America Stewards . Many Preserve America Communities are featured in “Discover Our Shared Heritage” National Register on-line travel itineraries . From 2006 through 2010, the National Park Service (in partnership with the ACHP) awarded more than $21 million in Preserve America Grants   to support sustainable historic resource management strategies, with a focus on heritage tourism. 

These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; if they are not ACHP links, they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by the ACHP of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. The ACHP bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Please contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content, including its privacy policies.

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Balancing Tourism and Heritage Conservation: A World Heritage Context

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Tourism and World Heritage form a complex relationship: natural and cultural World Heritage sites benefit from tourism, and visitors enjoy experiencing the diversity, significance and Outstanding Universal Value for which the sites have been recognized globally. A substantive increase in international tourism in the past decades, however, coined the term “overtourism” and has had a considerable impact on World Heritage properties. The 2017 Montreal Round Table Balancing Tourism and Heritage Conservation : a World Heritage Context discussed mass tourism and its impact on World Heritage conservation. It also examined pertinent case studies. Possible ways forward include an integrative approach towards sustainable tourism, an open dialogue among stakeholders as well as best practice in site interpretation to assist visitors to fully understand the significance of these special places.

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About this chapter

Rössler, M. (2023). Balancing Tourism and Heritage Conservation: A World Heritage Context. In: Cameron, C. (eds) Evolving Heritage Conservation Practice in the 21st Century. Creativity, Heritage and the City, vol 5. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-2123-2_13

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Heritage travel.

What is it that inspires our zeal for travel? And how do our explorations by planes, trains, and automobiles affect the planet?

Heritage travel (sometimes called cultural tourism) sparks our curiosity. The National Trust for Historic Preservation describes it as “traveling to experience the places, artifacts and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present.” 1 In other words, we seek new places to learn about the past and each other.

Travel can be a big step in understanding different cultures, which in turn builds empathy and connects us to our global community. 1.“[Preservation Glossary] Today’s Word: Heritage Tourism,” National Trust for Historic Preservation, https://savingplaces.org/stories/preservation-glossary-todays-word-heritage-tourism#.YJftArVKhPY

The Role of Curiosity

Our curiosity plays a big part in fueling our desire to travel. Many of us continually seek out new information and experiences – a desire fulfilled by heritage travel. Curiosity and exploration are intertwined. In fact, according to the 2017 Curio Collection (a scientific study funded by Hilton Hotels about what drives travel trends), 73% of adults claimed that travel was their preferred method of expressing their curiosity.

When we give ourselves permission to indulge our curious mind, our brains feel pleasure and happiness. When we explore, we often experience joy and learn through the process.

Virtual Travel

Can we recreate this zest for exploration through virtual travel? And why should we consider taking more virtual “trips”? You could explore even more!

Think about a historic place you’ve visited. How did it change your perspective about the past? The present? Having a broader awareness of how important these places are can help us all to preserve these places. But what about places we’ve never been to? Not everyone will visit Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence. However, most of us would agree that the building should be preserved. We can recognize the intrinsic historic and cultural value of a place without having to visit in person.

Virtual travel comes in handy when we recognize we might not ever visit a place. While some of us are committed to visiting every National Park and Historic Site ( kudos to you folks! ), the rest of us might not get around to it all, considering there are over 400 units of the National Park Service! Most of us face the very real constraints of time and money, yet that doesn’t impede dour love for historic places. Virtual travel is a way to feed our heads and hearts without emptying our pocketbooks.

Virtual travel also will help you reduce your carbon footprint. Our choices make a difference. Every individual has opportunities to work toward a more sustainable future. Get involved! If you want a fun way to think about this, check out this Carbon Footprint Activity .

Exploring online can be an ideal way to learn feed our curiosity. Here we offer a few ways for you to do just that! Below you’ll find a few ways to explore. To think more deeply about a specific place important to you and how it’s changed over time, check out the Discovery Journal If you’re interested in traveling in the footsteps of great American figures, discover our “Places of…” series. You’ll also find featured travel itineraries to virtually explore by geographic region and theme.

Walk in the (virtual) footsteps of important American figures and discover places associated with their lives.

Give in to your curiosity and delve more deeply into a place.

Heritage Travel Itineraries

Travel historic sites in Detroit and learn about the city's music history.

Explore stories, places, and people of the Amana Colonies - an American Utopia.

Discover more itineraries based on geographic region and theme.

Last updated: July 14, 2021

Real Places, Real World

UNESCO and Seabourn partnership for World Heritage protection and sustainable tourism

UNESCO and cruise operator Seabourn today announced a six-year, $1 million partnership agreement aimed at reinforcing protection for World Heritage and promoting sustainable tourism.

The partnership will work to foster wider support and understanding in the travel industry and among travelers, for UNESCO’s mission of identifying, safeguarding and promoting World Heritage sites. Seabourn has committed to providing $1 million for UNESCO as part of this agreement, in support of the UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme.

Under the new  alliance, Seabourn will offer passengers visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites deeper insight and behind-the-scenes information about these properties, and exclusive enhanced content on World Heritage. In addition, fares for Seabourn excursions that include World Heritage sites will include a donation to UNESCO’s World Heritage Fund. 

“With this partnership, UNESCO and Seabourn truly demonstrate our shared commitment in safeguarding World Heritage by promoting sustainable tourism at these iconic destinations,” said Irina Bokova, Director-general of UNESCO. “The partnership enables us to reach the travelling public with our conservation message, which is universal in scope and so important to the dialogue and mutual understanding that are needed to nurture a culture of peace.”

“Seabourn is proud to be partnering with UNESCO to promote and support sustainable tourism,” said Seabourn President Richard D. Meadows. “Through this partnership we are committed to providing our guests  with a deeper appreciation and understanding  of the many World Heritage sites we visit around the world and the important work UNESCO is doing.”

Seabourn currently includes over 150 World Heritage sites in its itineraries.

                                                   ****

• More information about Seabourn
• More information on UNESCO’s World heritage and Sustainable Tourism programme
• More information on UNESCO's World heritage partnerships here.

Media Contact Sue Williams Tel: +33 6 1592 93 62;  s.williams(at)unesco.org

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Sustainable Tourism

UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme

The UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme represents a new approach based on dialogue and stakeholder cooperation where planning for tourism and heritage management is integrated at a destination level, the natural and cultural assets are valued and protected, and appropriate tourism developed.

World Heritage and tourism stakeholders share responsibility for conservation of our common cultural and natural heritage of Outstanding Universal Value and for sustainable development through appropriate tourism management.

Facilitate the management and development of sustainable tourism at World Heritage properties through fostering increased awareness, capacity and balanced participation of all stakeholders in order to protect the properties and their Outstanding Universal Value.

Focus Areas

Policy & Strategy

Sustainable tourism policy and strategy development.

Tools & Guidance

Sustainable tourism tools

Capacity Building

Capacity building activities.

Heritage Journeys

Creation of thematic routes to foster heritage based sustainable tourism development

A key goal of the UNESCO WH+ST Programme is to strengthen the enabling environment by advocating policies and frameworks that support sustainable tourism as an important vehicle for managing cultural and natural heritage. Developing strategies through broad stakeholder engagement for the planning, development and management of sustainable tourism that follows a destination approach and focuses on empowering local communities is central to UNESCO’s approach.

Supporting Sustainable Tourism Recovery

Enhancing capacity and resilience in 10 World Heritage communities

Supported by BMZ, and implemented by UNESCO in collaboration with GIZ, this 2 million euro tourism recovery project worked to enhance capacity building in local communities, improve resilience and safeguard heritage.

Policy orientations

Defining the relationship between world heritage and sustainable tourism

Based on the report of the international workshop on Advancing Sustainable Tourism at Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites (Mogao, China, September 2009), the World Heritage Committee at its 34th session adopted the policy orientations which define the relationship between World Heritage and sustainable tourism ( Decision 34 COM 5F.2 ).

World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate

Providing an overview of the increasing vulnerability of World Heritage sites to climate change impacts and the potential implications for and of global tourism.

Sustainable Tourism Tools

Manage tourism efficiently, responsibly and sustainably based on the local context and needs

People Protecting Places is the public exchange platform for the World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme, providing education and information, encouraging support, engaging in social and community dialogue

The ' How-To ' guides offer direction and guidance to managers of World Heritage tourism destinations and other stakeholders to help identify the most suitable solutions for circumstances in their local environments and aid in developing general know-how.

English French Russian

Helping site managers and other tourism stakeholders to manage tourism more sustainably

Capacity Building in 4 Africa Nature Sites

A series of practical training and workshops were organized in four priority natural World Heritage sites in Africa (Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe) with the aim of providing capacity building tools and strategies for site managers to help them manage tourism at their sites more sustainably.

Learn more →

15 Pilot Sites in Nordic-Baltic Region

The project Towards a Nordic-Baltic pilot region for World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism (2012-2014) was initiated by the Nordic World Heritage Foundation (NWHF). With a practical approach, the project has contributed to tools for assessing and developing sustainable World Heritage tourism strategies with stakeholder involvement and cooperation.

Supporting Community-Based Management and Sustainable Tourism at World Heritage sites in South-East Asia

Entitled “The Power of Culture: Supporting Community-Based Management and Sustainable Tourism at World Heritage sites in South-East Asia", the UNESCO Office in Jakarta with the technical assistance of the UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme and the support from the Government of Malaysia is spearheading the first regional effort in Southeast Asia to introduce a new approach to sustainable tourism management at World Heritage sites in Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Cultural tourism is one of the largest and fastest-growing global tourism markets. Culture and creative industries are increasingly being used to promote destinations and enhance their competitiveness and attractiveness.

Many locations are now actively developing their cultural assets as a means of developing comparative advantages in an increasingly competitive tourism marketplace, and to create local distinctiveness in the face of globalization.

UNESCO will endeavour to create networks of key stakeholders to coordinate the destination management and marketing associated with the different heritage routes to promote and coordinate high-quality, unique experiences based on UNESCO recognized heritage. The goal is to promote sustainable development based on heritage values and create added tourist value for the sites.

UNESCO World Heritage Journeys of the EU

Creating heritage-based tourism that spurs investment in culture and the creative industries that are community-centered and offer sustainable and high-quality products that play on Europe's comparative advantages and diversity of its cultural assets.

World Heritage Journeys of Buddhist Heritage Sites

UNESCO is currently implementing a project to develop a unique Buddhist Heritage Route for Sustainable Tourism Development in South Asia with the support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). South Asia is host to rich Buddhist heritage that is exemplified in the World Heritage properties across the region.

Programme Background

In 2011 UNESCO embarked on developing a new World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme.

The aim was to create an international framework for the cooperative and coordinated achievement of shared and sustainable outcomes related to tourism at World Heritage properties.

The preparatory work undertaken in developing the Programme responded to the decision 34 COM 5F.2 of the World Heritage Committee at its 34th session in Brasilia in 2010, which requested

“the World Heritage Centre to convene a new and inclusive programme on World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism, with a steering group comprising interested States Parties and other relevant stakeholders, and also requests the World Heritage Centre to outline the objectives and approach to the implementation of this programme".

The Steering Group was comprised of States Parties representatives from the six UNESCO Electoral Groups (Germany (I), Slovenia (II), Argentina (III), China (IV), Tanzania (Va), and Lebanon (Vb)), the Director of the World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies (IUCN, ICOMOS and ICCROM), the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Swiss Government as the donor agency.

The Government of Switzerland has provided financial support for specific actions to be undertaken by the Steering Group. To coordinate and support the process, the World Heritage Centre has formed a small Working Group with the support of the Nordic World Heritage Foundation, the Government of Switzerland and the mandated external consulting firm MartinJenkins.

The World Heritage Committee directed that the Programme take into account:

• the recommendations of the evaluation of the concluded tourism programme ( WHC-10/34.COM/INF.5F.3 )
• the policy orientation which defines the relationship between World Heritage and sustainable tourism that emerged from the workshop Advancing Sustainable Tourism at Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites (Mogao, China, September 2009) ( WHC-10/34.COM/INF.5F.1 )

Overarching and strategic processes that the new World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme will be aligned with include the Strategic Objectives of the World Heritage Convention (the five C's) ( Budapest Declaration 2002 ), the ongoing Reflections on the Future of the World Heritage Convention ( WHC-11/35.COM/12A ) and the Strategic Action Plan for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention 2012-2022 ( WHC-11/18.GA/11 ), the Relationship between the World Heritage Convention and Sustainable Development (WHC-10/34.COM/5D), the World Heritage Capacity Building Strategy ( WHC-10/34.COM/5D ), the Global Strategy for a Representative, Balanced and Credible World Heritage List (1994), and the Evaluation of the Global Strategy and PACT initiative ( WHC-11/18.GA/8 - 2011 ).

In addition, the programme development process has been enriched by an outreach to representatives from the main stakeholder groups including the tourism sector, national and local governments, site practitioners and local communities. The programme design was further developed at an Expert Meeting in Sils/Engadine, Switzerland October 2011. In this meeting over 40 experts from 23 countries, representing the relevant stakeholder groups, worked together to identify the overall strategic approach and a prioritised set of key objectives and activities. The proposed Programme was adopted by the World Heritage Committee in 2012 at its 36th session in St Petersburg, Russian Federation .

International Instruments

International Instruments Relating to Sustainable Development and Tourism.

Resolutions adopted by the United Nations, charters adopted by ICOMOS, decisions adopted by the World Heritage Committee, legal instruments adopted by UNESCO on heritage preservation.

Resolutions adopted by the United Nations

• Report by the Department of Economics and Social Affairs: Tourism and Sustainable Development: The Global Importance of Tourism at the United Nations’ Commission on Sustainable Development 7th Session (1999)
• Resolution A/RES/56/212 and the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism adopted by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (1999)

Charters adopted by ICOMOS

• The ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Charter (1999)
• The ICOMOS Charter for the Interpretation and Presentation of Cultural Heritage Sites (2008)

Decisions adopted by the World Heritage Committee

• Decision (XVII.4-XVII.12) adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 25th Session in Helsinki (2001)
• Decision 33 COM 5A adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 30th Session in Seville (2009)
• Decision 34 COM 5F.2 adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 34th Session in Brasilia (2010)
• Decision 36 COM 5E adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 36th Session in Saint Petersburg (2012)

Legal instruments adopted by UNESCO on heritage preservation in chronological order

• Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (1970)
• The Recommendation for the Protection of Movable Cultural Property (1978)
• The Recommendation on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore (1989)
• The Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural heritage (2001)
• The Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005)

Other instruments

• Other instruments OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2012 (French forthcoming)
• Programme on Sustainable Consumption and Production (In English)
• Siem Reap Declaration on Tourism and Culture 2015 – Building a New Partnership Model

Decisions / Resolutions (5)

The World Heritage Committee,

• Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/5A,
• Recalling Decision 41 COM 5A adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017) and Decision 40 COM 5D adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), General:
• Takes note with appreciation of the activities undertaken by the World Heritage Centre over the past year in pursuit of the Expected Result to ensure that “tangible heritage is identified, protected, monitored and sustainably managed by Member States, in particular through the effective implementation of the 1972 Convention ”, and the five strategic objectives as presented in Document WHC/18/42.COM/5A; 
• Welcomes the proactive role of the Secretariat for enhancing synergies between the World Heritage Convention and the other Culture and Biodiversity-related Conventions, particularly the integration of relevant synergies aspects in the revised Periodic Reporting Format and the launch of a synergy-related web page on the Centre’s website;
• Also welcomes the increased collaboration among the Biodiversity-related Conventions through the Biodiversity Liaison Group and focused activities, including workshops, joint statements and awareness-raising;
• Takes note of the Thematic studies on the recognition of associative values using World Heritage criterion (vi) and on interpretation of sites of memory, funded respectively by Germany and the Republic of Korea and encourages all States Parties to take on board their findings and recommendations, in the framework of the identification of sites, as well as management and interpretation of World Heritage properties;
• Noting the discussion paper by ICOMOS on Evaluations of World Heritage Nominations related to Sites Associated with Memories of Recent Conflicts, decides to convene an Expert Meeting on sites associated with memories of recent conflicts to allow for both philosophical and practical reflections on the nature of memorialization, the value of evolving memories, the inter-relationship between material and immaterial attributes in relation to memory, and the issue of stakeholder consultation; and to develop guidance on whether and how these sites might relate to the purpose and scope of the World Heritage Convention , provided that extra-budgetary funding is available and invites the States Parties to contribute financially to this end;
• Also invites the States Parties to support the activities carried out by the World Heritage Centre for the implementation of the Convention ;
• Requests the World Heritage Centre to present, at its 43rd session, a report on its activities. Thematic Programmes:
• Welcomes  the progress report on the implementation of the World Heritage Thematic Programmes and Initiatives,  notes  their important contribution towards implementation of the Global Strategy for representative World Heritage List, and  thanks  all States Parties, donors and other organizations for having contributed to achieving their objectives;
• Acknowledges  the results achieved by the World Heritage Cities Programme and calls States Parties and other stakeholders to provide human and financial resources ensuring the continuation of this Programme in view of its crucial importance for the conservation of the urban heritage inscribed on the World Heritage List, for the implementation of the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape and its contribution to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals related to cities as well as for its contribution to the preparation of the New Urban Agenda, and further thanks to China and Croatia for their support for the implementation of the Programme;
• Also acknowledges the results achieved of the World Heritage Marine Programme, also thanks Flanders, France and the Annenberg Foundation for their support, notes the increased focus of the Programme on a global managers network, climate change adaptation strategies and sustainable fisheries, and  invites  States Parties, the World Heritage Centre and other stakeholders to continue to provide human and financial resources to support for the implementation of the Programme;
• Further acknowledges the results achieved in the implementation of the World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Programme, in particular the development of the Sustainable Tourism and Visitor Management Assessment tool and encourages States Parties to participate in the pilot testing of the tool, expresses  appreciation for the funding provided by the European Commission and  further thanks the Republic of Korea, Norway, and Seabourn Cruise Line for their support in the implementation of the Programme’’s activities;
• Further notes the progress in the implementation of the Small Island Developing States Programme, its importance for a representative, credible and balanced World Heritage List and building capacity of site managers and stakeholders to implement the World Heritage Convention , thanks furthermore Japan and the Netherlands for their support as well as the International Centre on Space Technology for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) and  the World Heritage Institute of Training & Research for the Asia & the Pacific Region (WHITRAP) as Category 2 Centres for their technical and financial supports and also requests the States Parties and other stakeholders to continue to provide human, financial and technical resources for the implementation of the Programme;
• Takes note of the activities implemented jointly by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and ICOMOS under the institutional guidance of the World Heritage Centre, in line with its Decision 40 COM 5D, further requests the World Heritage Centre to disseminate among the States Parties the second volume of the IAU/ICOMOS Thematic Study on Astronomical Heritage and renames this initiative as Initiative on Heritage of Astronomy, Science and Technology;
• Also takes note of the progress report on the Initiative on Heritage of Religious Interest, endorses the recommendations of the Thematic Expert Consultation meetings focused on Mediterranean and South-Eastern Europe (UNESCO, 2016), Asia-Pacific (Thailand, 2017) and Eastern Europe (Armenia, 2018), thanks the States Parties for their generous contribution and reiterates its invitation to States Parties and other stakeholders to continue to support this Initiative, as well as its associated Marketplace projects developed by the World Heritage Centre;
• Takes note of the activities implemented by CRATerre in the framework of the World Heritage Earthen Architecture Programme, under the overall institutional guidance of the World Heritage Centre, and of the lines of action proposed for the future, if funding is available;
• Invites  States Parties, international organizations and donors to contribute financially to the Thematic Programmes and Initiatives as the implementation of thematic priorities is no longer feasible without extra-budgetary funding;
• Requests furthermore  the World Heritage Centre to submit an updated result-based report on Thematic Programmes and Initiatives, under Item 5A: Report of the World Heritage Centre on its activities, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020.

1.   Having examined document WHC-12/36.COM/5E,

2.  Recalling Decision 34 COM 5F.2 adopted at its 34th session (Brasilia, 2010),

3.  Welcomes the finalization of the new and inclusive Programme on World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism and notes with appreciation the participatory process for its development, objectives and approach towards implementation;

4.  Also welcomes the contribution of the Steering Group comprised of States Parties representatives from the UNESCO Electoral Groups, the World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies (IUCN, ICOMOS, ICCROM), Switzerland and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in the elaboration of the Programme;

5.   Thanks the Government of Switzerland, the United Nations Foundation and the Nordic World Heritage Foundation for their technical and financial support to the elaboration of the Programme;

6.   Notes with appreciation the contribution provided by the States Parties and other consulted stakeholders during the consultation phase of the Programme;

7.   Takes note of the results of the Expert Meeting in Sils/Engadin (Switzerland), from 18 to 22 October 2011 contributing to the Programme, and further thanks the Government of Switzerland for hosting the Expert Meeting;

8.   Adopts the World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme;

9.   Requests the World Heritage Centre to refine the Draft Action Plan 2013-2015 in an Annex to the present document and to implement the Programme with a Steering  Group comprised of representatives of the UNESCO Electoral Groups, donor agencies, the Advisory Bodies, UNWTO and in collaboration with interested stakeholders;

10.   Notes that financial resources for the coordination and implementation of the Programme do not exist and also requests States Parties to support the implementation of the World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme;

11.  Further requests the World Heritage Centre to report biennially on the progress of the implementation of the Programme;

12.   Notes with appreciation the launch of the Programme foreseen at the 40th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention event in Kyoto, Japan, in November 2012

1. Having examined Document WHC-10/34.COM/INF.5F.1 and WHC-10/34.COM/INF.5F.3,

2. Highlighting that the global tourism sector is large and rapidly growing, is diverse and dynamic in its business models and structures, and the relationship between World Heritage and tourism is two way: tourism, if managed well, offers benefits to World Heritage properties and can contribute to cross-cultural exchange but, if not managed well, poses challenges to these properties and recognizing the increasing challenges and opportunities relating to tourism;

3. Expresses its appreciation to the States Parties of Australia, China, France, India, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and to the United Nations Foundation and the Nordic World Heritage Foundation for the financial and technical support to the World Heritage Tourism Programme since its establishment in 2001;

4. Welcomes the report of the international workshop on Advancing Sustainable Tourism at Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites (Mogao, China, September 2009) and adopts the policy orientation which defines the relationship between World Heritage and sustainable tourism ( Attachment A );

5. Takes note of the evaluation of the World Heritage Tourism Programme by the UN Foundation, and encourages the World Heritage Centre to take fully into account the eight programme elements recommended in the draft final report in any future work on tourism ( Attachment B );

6. Decides to conclude the World Heritage Tourism Programme and requests the World Heritage Centre to convene a new and inclusive programme on World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism, with a steering group comprising interested States Parties and other relevant stakeholders, and also requests the World Heritage Centre to outline the objectives and approach to implementation of this programme, drawing on the directions established in the reports identified in Paragraphs 4 and 5 above, for consideration at the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee (2011);

7. Also welcomes the offer of the Government of Switzerland to provide financial and technical support to specific activities supporting the steering group; further welcomes the offer of the Governments of Sweden, Norway and Denmark to organize a Nordic-Baltic regional workshop in Visby, Gotland, Sweden in October 2010 on World Heritage and sustainable tourism; and also encourages States Parties to support the new programme on World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism including through regional events and the publication of materials identifying good practices;

8. Based upon the experience gained under the World Heritage Convention of issues related to tourism, invites the Director General of UNESCO to consider the feasibility of a Recommendation on the relationship between heritage conservation and sustainable tourism. 

Attachment A

Recommendations of the international workshop

on Advancing Sustainable Tourism at Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites  

Policy orientations: defining the relationship between World Heritage and tourism

1. The tourism sector

The global tourism sector is large and rapidly growing, is diverse and dynamic in its business models and structures.

Tourists/visitors are diverse in terms of cultural background, interests, behaviour, economy, impact, awareness and expectations of World Heritage.

There is no one single way for the World Heritage Convention , or World Heritage properties, to engage with the tourism sector or with tourists/visitors.

2. The relationship between World Heritage and tourism

The relationship between World Heritage and tourism is two-way:

a. World Heritage offers tourists/visitors and the tourism sector destinations

b. Tourism offers World Heritage the ability to meet the requirement in the Convention to 'present' World Heritage properties, and also a means to realise community and economic benefits through sustainable use.

Tourism is critical for World Heritage:

a. For States Parties and their individual properties,

i. to meet the requirement in the Convention to 'present' World Heritage

ii. to realise community and economic benefits

b. For the World Heritage Convention as a whole, as the means by which World Heritage properties are experienced by visitors travelling nationally and internationally

c. As a major means by which the performance of World Heritage properties, and therefore the standing of the Convention , is judged,

i. many World Heritage properties do not identify themselves as such, or do not adequately present their Outstanding Universal Value

ii. it would be beneficial to develop indicators of the quality of presentation, and the representation of the World Heritage brand

d. As a credibility issue in relation to: i. the potential for tourism infrastructure to damage Outstanding Universal Value

i. the threat that World Heritage properties may be unsustainably managed in relation to their adjoining communities

ii. sustaining the conservation objectives of the Convention whilst engaging with economic development

iii. realistic aspirations that World Heritage can attract tourism.

World Heritage is a major resource for the tourism sector:

a. Almost all individual World Heritage properties are significant tourism destinations

b. The World Heritage brand can attract tourists/visitors,

i. the World Heritage brand has more impact upon tourism to lesser known properties than to iconic properties.

Tourism, if managed well, offers benefits to World Heritage properties:

a. to meet the requirement in Article 4 of the Convention to present World Heritage to current and future generations

b. to realise economic benefits.

Tourism, if not managed well, poses threats to World Heritage properties.

3. The responses of World Heritage to tourism

The impact of tourism, and the management response, is different for each World Heritage property: World Heritage properties have many options to manage the impacts of tourism.

The management responses of World Heritage properties need to:

a. work closely with the tourism sector

b. be informed by the experiences of tourists/visitors to the visitation of the property

c. include local communities in the planning and management of all aspects of properties, including tourism.

While there are many excellent examples of World Heritage properties successfully managing their relationship to tourism, it is also clear that many properties could improve:

a. the prevention and management of tourism threats and impacts

b. their relationship to the tourism sector inside and outside the property

c. their interaction with local communities inside and outside the property

d. their presentation of Outstanding Universal Value and focus upon the experience of tourists/visitors.

a. be based on the protection and conservation of the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, and its effective and authentic presentation

b. work closely with the tourism sector

c. be informed by the experiences of tourists/visitors to the visitation of the property

d. to include local communities in the planning and management of all aspects of properties, including tourism.

4. Responsibilities of different actors in relation to World Heritage and tourism

The World Heritage Convention (World Heritage Committee, World Heritage Centre, Advisory Bodies):

a. set frameworks and policy approaches

b. confirm that properties have adequate mechanisms to address tourism before they are inscribed on the World Heritage List

i. develop guidance on the expectations to be include in management plans

c. monitor the impact upon OUV of tourism activities at inscribed sites, including through indicators for state of conservation reporting

d. cooperate with other international organisations to enable:

i. other international organisations to integrate World Heritage considerations in their programs

ii. all parties involved in World Heritage to learn from the activities of other international organisations

e. assist State Parties and sites to access support and advice on good practices

f. reward best practice examples of World Heritage properties and businesses within the tourist/visitor sector

g. develop guidance on the use of the World Heritage emblem as part of site branding.

Individual States Parties:

a. develop national policies for protection

b. develop national policies for promotion

c. engage with their sites to provide and enable support, and to ensure that the promotion and the tourism objectives respect Outstanding Universal Value and are appropriate and sustainable

d. ensure that individual World Heritage properties within their territory do not have their OUV negatively affected by tourism.

Individual property managers:

a. manage the impact of tourism upon the OUV of properties

i. common tools at properties include fees, charges, schedules of opening and restrictions on access

b. lead onsite presentation and provide meaningful visitor experiences

c. work with the tourist/visitor sector, and be aware of the needs and experiences of tourists/visitors, to best protect the property

i. the best point of engagement between the World Heritage Convention and the tourism sector as a whole is at the direct site level, or within countries

d. engage with communities and business on conservation and development.

Tourism sector:

a. work with World Heritage property managers to help protect Outstanding Universal Value

b. recognize and engage in shared responsibility to sustain World Heritage properties as tourism resources

c. work on authentic presentation and quality experiences.

Individual tourists/visitors with the assistance of World Heritage property managers and the tourism sector, can be helped to appreciate and protect the OUV of World Heritage properties.  

Attachment B

Programme elements recommended by the Draft Final Report of the Evaluation of the World Heritage Tourism Programme by the UN Foundation:

1. Adopt and disseminate standards and principles relating to sustainable tourism at World Heritage sites;

 2. Support the incorporation of appropriate tourism management into the workings of the Convention ;

 3. Collation of evidence to support sustainable tourism programme design, and to support targeting;

 4. Contribution of a World Heritage perspective to cross agency sustainable tourism policy initiatives;

 5. Strategic support for the dissemination of lessons learned;

 6. Strategic support for the development of training and guidance materials for national policy agencies and site managers;

 7. Provision of advice on the cost benefit impact of World Heritage inscription;

 8. Provision of advice on UNESCO World Heritage branding.

1. Having examined Documents WHC-09/33.COM/5A, WHC- 09/33.COM/INF.5A.1, WHC-09/33.COM/INF.5A.2, and WHC-09/33.COM/INF.5A.3 ,

2. Recalling Decision 32 COM 5 adopted at its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008),

3. Takes note with appreciation of the activities undertaken by the World Heritage Centre over the past year in pursuit of the Committee's five Strategic Objectives;

4. Takes also note of the findings of the study undertaken by UNESCO's Internal Oversight Service on the mapping of the workload of the World Heritage Centre presented in Document WHC-09/33.COM/INF.5A.3;

5. Notes with satisfaction that the World Heritage Centre is working with the secretariats of intergovernmental committees of related conventions such as the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage , and the Convention for the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage-2001 and recommends that such cooperation be encouraged as this would further strengthen the work of the Centre;

6. Requests the World Heritage Centre to prepare a document on the World Heritage Convention and its cooperation and exchange with other conventions and programmes in the field of cultural heritage for discussion at the 34th session of the World Heritage Committee (2010);

7. Also requests the World Heritage Centre, in future reports on activities undertaken, to further strengthen the information and analysis available to States Parties by:

a) Retaining the current format to report activities and including an update on progress with implementing the Committee's decisions,

b) Describing the criteria by which the World Heritage Centre makes decisions as to which activities under the Convention it undertakes,

c) And including, on a discretionary basis, analysis of strategic issues and new directions;

8. Further requests the World Heritage Centre to produce, on an experimental basis, an indexed audio verbatim recording of the proceedings of the 33rd Session in addition to the standard summary records (as produced since the 26th session of the World Heritage Committee);

9. Notes the outline provided by the World Heritage Centre of its roles and the roles of the Advisory Bodies and agrees that this topic be further discussed at the 34th session of the Committee in 2010 under a separate agenda item;

10. Requests furthermore the World Heritage Centre to outline the forward direction of the World Heritage thematic programmes and initiatives, to enable an understanding of how these themes connect with and integrate into general programmes, and how they might be resourced;

11. Notes that the Centre already proactively engages women in its Heritage Programmes in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean as part of its gender balance policy and the provision of equal opportunity to all, and recommends that gender balance and community involvement be prioritized in the Centre's programmes;

12. Adopts the World Heritage Thematic Programme on Prehistory presented in Annex 1 of document WHC-09/33.COM/5A ;

13. Requests the World Heritage Centre to reconsider the term "prehistory", to better recognize the continuing cultures of indigenous communities, to ensure global representation in the identification and conservation of related properties, and to present a report on progress in developing an Action Plan on Prehistory and World Heritage at its 34th session in 2010;

14. Notes with concern the ongoing destruction of some of these fragile sites, including the recent destruction of the Rock Art sites of Tardrat Acacus in Libya, and requests the State Party to take immediate action and other measures as necessary to address the problem in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and to invite a joint World Heritage Centre / ICOMOS mission;

15. Expresses its gratitude to the Governments of Bahrain, South Africa and Spain for the financial and technical support for the various international scientific encounters, and recognizes the proposal of the Government of Spain in establishing a centre for the research of Prehistory;

16. Recalling the Decision of the World Heritage Committee 31 COM.21C to carry out a programme of sustainable development concerning the conservation of earthen architecture, thanks the Governments of Italy and France for their support of the programme on earthen architecture in Africa and the Arab States in particular, and requests the potential financial donors and the States Parties to support the implementation of activities and further requests the World Heritage Centre to submit a progress report at its 35th session in 2011;

17. Takes note of the progress report on the World Heritage Tourism Programme;

18. Thanks the Governments of Australia, China, France, India, Switzerland and United Kingdom, who have worked in close collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, the World Tourism Organization and other partners, for contributing to the Initiative of Sustainable Tourism;

19. Expresses its gratitude to the Governments of Australia and China for the organization of a workshop on sustainable tourism at the World Heritage site, Mogao Caves, China, in September-October 2009 and requests that the following elements be submitted to the Committee for examination at its 34th session in 2010:

a) A report on the workshop,

b) The subsequent recommendations of the workshop regarding the adoption of best practices policy guidance, and concerning the changes proposed for the Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention ,

c) A document concerning the progress of the World Heritage Programme on Tourism;

20. Finally requests the Director of the World Heritage Centre to identify supplementary sources of funding to put into place a sufficient number of staff and resources at the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in order to continue to efficiently contribute to the resolution of problems related to World Heritage conservation.

XVII.8 The Secretariat provided the following justifications for the selection: 

• Tourism - growing threats on World Heritage sites from tourism which, if sustainably managed could offer socio-economic development opportunities;
• Forests - since close to 60 of the natural sites on the World Heritage List are forests and that the lessons being learned from the large-scale UNESCO-UN Foundation projects in the tropical forest sites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo can serve as case studies to enrich the programme;
• Cities - since close to 200 of the cultural sites on the List are historic centres or entire cities, and because 20% of the Fund's international assistance have served to address the challenge of urban heritage conservation;
• Earthen structures - since some 30 of the cultural sites on the List are included in this category, and due to the particularity of conservation of earthen heritage, and threats.

XVII.10 The Committee expressed its appreciation for the clarity of the presentation and the justifications provided. Indicating strong support for the overall programming approach, the Committee however indicated the need for the programme to respond to the priorities established by the Committee and to create strong links with the results of the Global Strategy actions and Periodic Reporting. The Committee approved the four proposed themes of the programmes in this first series of initiatives and authorized the Centre to proceed in their development.

• Trắc Nghiệm Trực Tuyến
• Phòng tự học
• Sách Ôn Thi Điểm 10

DÀNH CHO MỌI LỚP 6 ĐẾN 12

Read the following passage and mark the letter A B C or D on

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

Tourism and Heritage Protection

Travelling is a great thing to do. It helps us learn about different people and different places. Some people travel because they want to see nature. Others travel because they want to make friends and try great food. Of course, a lot of tourists are interested in traditional culture.

Tourism can be very good for traditional cultures. This is because when people travel to another country, they often want to learn more about that country’s traditions, such as music, food, and history. Therefore, the local people in that country will keep their traditional culture alive. They will wear traditional clothing, and sell traditional food. They will also have shows for tourists. These shows can be dances, concerts, plays, or something else.

Tourism also helps people respect each other. If you understand another culture well, you will probably respect that culture much more. You will probably want to protect that culture as well.

However, tourism is not always good for traditional culture. Many people say that tourism creates “ fake traditional culture”. This means that the local people wear traditional costumes, and do traditional dances only for tourists, but that is not their real lifestyle. Their real lifestyles are similar to the tourists’ lifestyle. They are just pretending because they want to make money.

Why do local people want tourism?

Đáp án đúng: A

Lời giải của tự học 365.

Dịch câu hỏi: Tại sao người dân địa phương thích dịch vụ du lịch?

A. Khách du lịch mang tiền.

B. Khách du lịch giúp dạy người dân địa phương.

C. Khách du lịch nói với người dân địa phương về kinh doanh.

D. Khách du lịch phá hủy văn hóa truyền thống.

Thông tin ở đoạn cuối: “Most local people want more tourism because tourists bring money and help local businesses.” (Hầu hết người dân địa phương muốn phát triển du lịch bởi khách du lịch mang theo tiền và giúp cho các doanh nghiệp địa phương).

Ý kiến của bạn Hủy

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• Cách tự học

Câu hỏi liên quan

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.

There has been growing public concern about the use of chemicals in food recently.

The higher the cost of living is, .

Peter bought a car as a present for his wife two weeks ago.

A lot of research in medical science has been to improve human health.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word that differs from the other three in the position of primary stress in each of the following questions.

Harmful environmental factors can the development of certain diseases.

The dog my father gave me is very lovely.

The success of the company in such a market is remarkable.

Last week, we an interesting film about the animal world.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part differs from the other three in pronunciation in each of the following questions.

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How Tourism Can Protect Cultural Heritage

Written by Solimar International on August 3, 2021 . Posted in Uncategorized .

At Solimar, we value tourism for the economic and social development that it brings to communities all over the world. Protecting cultural heritage is one of our utmost priorities as well as a core development objective in all of our projects. When done right, building a strong tourism economy is a great way for local residents of any region to nurture their own cultural heritage and also provide meaningful educational experiences to visitors. Today’s travelers are looking for more than just pretty views and fancy dinners; they want the authenticity that comes from diving into an entirely new culture. From rural communities in Armenia to World Heritage Sites in Portugal , learn more about how tourism can protect cultural heritage. 

Community Building and Empowerment

One of the most impactful ways that tourism can protect cultural heritage is through community empowerment. This occurs when tourists are educated about the history and traditions of the local community, and in turn that community feels a stronger cohesion and sense of pride in that cultural history. Additionally, tourism based around cultural assets encourages locals to continue to pass on traditions and practices that are embedded in their history. The process of teaching other community members about these traditional methods creates a sense of unity through history. The feeling of community allyship is strengthened when tourists visit a place specifically to experience the culture. 

Having people from all over the world know about the importance of a community’s history and cultural heritage is something to be proud of, and community members will embrace their heritage more and more as that pride grows and spreads. In Atauro (a small island in Timor-Leste ), tourists are encouraged to visit the local arts and crafts markets . Rising popularity of the markets encourages locals to continue crafting and creating goods that reflect their culture. When tourists appreciate local markets such as these, it sparks pride in the community and allows them to continue doing work that is culturally significant. In order for this to occur, Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) and local governments must ensure that community stakeholders are present and involved in tourism development.

Tourism as a Cultural Teaching Tool

When looking at tourism as a tool to protect and inform cultural heritage, it can also be seen as a teaching tool. Tourism can be viewed as a process: money is exchanged, parts of a community are engaged through a tourist’s stay, and the tourist walks away with memories and feelings for the location. However, when the tourist is engaged with an itinerary that focuses on heritage tourism, the takeaways or “post-visit behaviors” are likely to be more significant. This is for two main reasons: 1) Someone who seeks out cultural heritage tourism is more likely to be motivated to learn something on their trip. (Check out this awesome study by Indonesia University of Education to learn more about what their study revealed) and  2) The nature of cultural heritage tourism allows for an extra layer of a destination to be revealed. 

For example, let’s say a tourist visits a beach to watch the sunset at a particular destination. They walk away with an impression of the beauty of the location. What if it was framed through cultural heritage? Instead of just watching the sunset, the tourist gets to watch the sunset while engaging in a traditional feast that honors the island and all that it gives and includes a local folktale of what the sunset means to local culture. Now, that sunset experience has more significance for the tourist whose motivations resided in seeking knowledge. A large part of tourism is the intentions that motivate tourist behavior, and engaging with cultural heritage tourism allows a tourist to expand their horizons and connect more deeply with the people and the destination.

UNESCO World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Toolkit

The universal recognition and classification for the world heritage sites were adopted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1972, originated in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Their mission is to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of the valuable cultural and natural heritage sites to humanity around the world, regardless of the boundary limitations. 

To help site managers, national/local authorities, local/international tourism industry, or even visitors and residents fully understand the essence of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and sustainable tourism, a toolkit is provided by the UNESCO with the holistic guideline for managing heritage sites in destinations. Step by step guidance from understanding, strategic planning, governance to stakeholder engagement are available on the website with real case studies are available on the website. 

Building on this work, Solimar recently launched its World Heritage Journeys of the Silk Road , a 10-week virtual training program for tourism and cultural heritage authorities in Central Asia. This program builds on the results from the sustainable tourism planning and management capacity building workshop that brought together tourism stakeholders from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The workshop introduced participants to UNESCO’s World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme and the tools necessary to conserve cultural and natural heritage of Outstanding Universal Value. This Virtual Training program will build on these learnings by reuniting World Heritage and tourism authorities from the participating countries to work together to learn how to better manage sustainable tourism, how to recover and prepare for the return of tourism in the era of COVID-19, and to develop a series of cross-border itineraries that are hosted on UNESCO sustainable tourism platform – World Heritage Journeys .

As a specialist consulting and marketing firm in sustainable tourism, it is always our mission to ensure that sustainability underlies everything we do. We must work to ensure that the cultural and natural resources are protected in the development process, which leads to the long-term success for destinations. By building a sustainable tourism environment, empowering local communities, and preserving cultural values and heritage boosts the understanding and collaboration between stakeholders in different sectors. Working with local communities, we can help more destinations realize how tourism can protect cultural heritage and cherish our shared history of place.

Interested in learning more about how your destination can improve its cultural heritage offerings? Contact us today .

This blog was written by Gabby Whittaker, Kevin Lewicki, and Kuanlin Lu in July 2021

Tags: cultural heritage , sustainable tourism , unesco

How Heritage Tourism Helps People Unlock the Past

Heritage tourism provides a great way to learn about the past, but what exactly is it? Check out this guide to learn about this new travel trend!

Throughout the past decade or so, people have begun to look at travel in a completely different way. Experiential travel has become a new buzzword to describe travel with that little extra something to it. This new way of traveling looks different for everyone whether you prefer outdoor activities, cultural exchanges, history, or a bit of everything!

This travel revolution means there are more and more opportunities to shape a trip around your particular interests. History buffs will be happy to know that heritage tourism has emerged as one of the new types of travel, and many different destinations and private organizations are focusing on creating their own heritage tourism programs to help cater to this growing tourism market!

Take a step back in time with Let’s Roam .

Here at Let’s Roam, we have no shortage of history buffs on our staff! Our knowledgeable team has created a range of exciting scavenger hunts that will help you explore the biggest tourist attractions and the hidden gems in a destination. These are all accessible via our handy Let’s Roam app . Plus, the Let’s Roam Explorer blog features hundreds of articles to help make trip planning easy!

Exploring the Past through Heritage Tourism 

Below you’ll find a guide to heritage tourism and how it can help you unlock the past. We’ve included a description of what heritage tourism is and how it helps local communities. In addition, we’ve included a short list of some of our favorite heritage travel destinations!

What is heritage tourism?

The term heritage tourism has become a bit of a buzzword in recent years. However, you may find yourself wondering what exactly heritage tourism is. According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, heritage tourism is “traveling to experience the places, artifacts, and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present.” This means spending time visiting historic places, museums, and archeological attractions. 

However, heritage tourism is more than simply visiting an attraction and checking it off a long to-do list. It means taking the time to truly understand what you’re seeing as well as the impact it has on people. Who lived or worked there? What did their daily lives look like? How did they interact with others?

Heritage tourism is often linked with sustainability since it conveys a more conscious way of traveling. This type of travel generally goes hand in hand with using fewer natural resources. It can also be a great opportunity for tourism development in off-the-beaten-track destinations. This can then be a major contributor to broader economic development and a higher quality of life. Since this type of travel is generally different than mass travel, it also helps promote sustainable development and caring responsibly for cultural resources, historic resources, and natural resources.

What is the purpose of heritage tourism?

 In the words of George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Heritage tourism serves as a way to connect us to the past. It helps us understand how people lived, loved, and laughed. Knowing this can help us better understand the world that we are currently living in. It can also help us analyze why certain things happened in history and how we can learn from it.

On a more personal level, heritage tourism can help people more closely identify with their own ancestors and heritage. There are many different tour operators that offer itineraries full of cultivated experiences that have a special emphasis on culture and history. A good example of this is Birthright, the program that sends young Jewish people to Israel to learn more about Judaism. 

However, you don’t need to go on an organized tour for this. Instead, you can shape your own itinerary so that it incorporates certain aspects that you want to learn more about. For instance, as an American of German and British descent, I’ve made many trips to Germany and the United Kingdom to learn more about my family background. 

How does heritage tourism impact destinations?

When placed under the stewardship of ethical institutions, nonprofit organizations, and partnerships with key stakeholders, heritage tourism has a much gentler approach than other types of tourism. It can offer many economic benefits to destinations. Case studies have shown that heritage tourists tend to stay longer in a destination. They also spend more money while they’re there. This means the economic impact of heritage tourists is greater than other types of tourists.

One of the most obvious economic benefits is that heritage tourism provides employment opportunities. These could range from historians to tour guides as well as support employees at the heritage sites. The tourism industry has one of the lowest barriers to entry when it comes to employment. Heritage tourism can create jobs that are likely to go to the local population. This means that the money stays in the local communities that need it most. 

This, in turn, helps the local economy in numerous ways by allowing more money to be spent at local businesses. In some parts of the world, this could mean the difference between someone being able to stay in their hometown with their friends and family vs. having to go to a big city and look for work. This usually ensures that people have a wider support network nearby which is crucial to their well-being. 

The money generated from tickets can also help preserve the monuments, artifacts, and heritage sites that you’re seeing. This is an incredibly important aspect of conservation. Many of the world’s most important historic sites are falling into disrepair due to unstable economies, civil wars, and other domestic issues. The revenue from ticket sales could make a huge difference in the upkeep and maintenance of the monuments. 

What are some tips and tricks for heritage tourism?

If you’re trying to learn more about the past when visiting historic sites, make sure that you have at least a rough idea as to why the site is important. Although most places will provide enough information to piece together a basic idea, spending the time to read up on it before you go will make your experience much more fulfilling. 

It’s also important to allow yourself plenty of time at each destination. This is the only way that you can truly immerse yourself in it. Also, try to avoid going to historic sites during peak travel hours. Having fewer tourists around makes it much easier to imagine what the places would have looked like. 

What are some of the best destinations for heritage tourism?

Below you’ll find a list of some of our favorite heritage tourism destinations. While this list is in no way exhaustive, it does give you an idea of what types of things fall under the umbrella of heritage tourism. We’ve also included a short section on important things that you should know when visiting any of these destinations.

As one of the oldest civilizations in the world, India has a slew of heritage sites. These can give a comprehensive look into how it transformed from the Indus Valley civilization to the livable, chaotic country we know and love today. The country is full of UNESCO World Heritage sites so this is a good place to start your planning.

Where to go? 

Most visitors begin their trip in Delhi. This is perfect for history buffs. Not only is Delhi the capital of India, but it’s also the location of many previous ancient cities. You can still find vestiges of these in the many forts and tombs in South Delhi as well as the winding streets of Old Delhi. 

Old Delhi was designed by Shah Jahan of Taj Mahal fame. As you wander through the tiny streets crammed full of shops, eateries, and chai-wallahs, it feels like little has changed in the past few centuries. From Delhi, you can easily get on a train to Agra to see the Taj Mahal or Jaipur within a few hours. If you’re interested in religious history, you should also check out Amritsar in the northern state of Punjab. This is the heart of Sikhism and is the home of the breathtaking Golden Temple. 

Alternatively, an overnight train ride will get you to the lakeside city of Udaipur or the spiritual capital of Varanasi where people deposit the bodies or ashes of their deceased family members in the holy Ganges River.

If you’re willing to brave the overnight bus, you can also head to Rishikesh. Sitting in the foothills of the Himalayas, Rishikesh was the birthplace of yoga and a very popular destination for spiritual and yoga-oriented retreats. 

A short flight from Delhi will get you to Mumbai or Calcutta. These two cities were important economic and political centers for the British Raj. This is where you’ll find many colonial-era buildings that look like they could be straight out of London. 

Important things to know . 

The history of India is very long and complex. As you travel, it’s a good idea to jot things down as you go. This is particularly useful for keeping track of Hinduism’s most important gods and kings.  

Also, India can be an extremely stressful and uncomfortable country to travel through. Virtually everywhere you go will be crowded, and it will feel like half of the population is trying to get a photo with you. Rather than stressing out about it, just try and take a deep breath and learn to enjoy the chaos. It will make your experience there much more enjoyable. With a more laid-back attitude, you’re also more likely to see how incredibly kind and welcoming most Indians are and what a great sense of humor they have. 

Why go?  

When it comes to tourist destinations, Thailand has pretty much everything you could possibly want. With the beaches of Koh Samui, the vibrant nightlife of Bangkok, and the green rolling hills of Chiang Mai, there is something for everyone here. Best of all, it’s full of amazing heritage sites that give a fascinating look into Thailand’s history and culture.

As one of the only countries in Southeast Asia that was never colonized, Thailand doesn’t really have the same European-style architecture that you find in neighboring countries. Bangkok is a vibrant capital city that is as sparkly as they come. The city is also home to incredible palaces and temples, including the famous Wat Pho which holds an enormous reclining Buddha. While you’re there, make sure not to miss the vibrant Grand Palace. We guarantee it’s not like any palace you have ever seen before!

Lying just a short train ride from Bangkok, the former capital city of Ayutthaya. It was once one of the biggest cities in the world with a population of nearly one million people. Today, you’ll find it mostly destroyed but even in its current state, it’s still breathtaking. The complex is famous for its 67 temples and ruins.

In the northern section of the country, Chiang Mai is famous for its myriad of temples. These tell an important story of the impact that Buddhism has had on the local population. This bustling city is the largest urban area in northern Thailand and has been a hub for remote workers and backpackers for decades. It’s a great place to base yourself if you want to enjoy some of Thailand’s gorgeous natural landscapes or visit one of the local hill tribes.

Important things to know.

In the late 90s and early 2000s, Thailand basically exploded onto the tourism scene. This huge influx of mass tourism brought with it a few problems. Sex tourism has become very prevalent and can sometimes include underage people. It also comes with drugs and other social issues. When you travel there, it’s best to avoid any of these things. This not only keeps you out of possible trouble but also shows respect for Thai culture. 

New Zealand

New Zealand has long been famous for its beautiful scenery and outdoor activities. Despite its location in the middle of nowhere, they have also managed to develop into one of the world’s bucket list destinations. 

There are many reasons to visit the Land of the Long White Cloud. Perhaps one of the world leaders when it comes to cultural heritage tourism, New Zealand proudly embraces its Maori culture, and the government has created many initiatives to help educate people on the country’s history. You will be greeted with a hearty Kia Ora from the moment your flight lands at Auckland Airport, and the opportunities to learn more about the indigenous population are endless. 

Where to go?

Most long-haul flights fly into the city of Auckland on New Zealand’s North Island. Although there’s little in the way of historic sites here, a quick visit to the imposing Auckland Museum will teach you some important aspects of Maori culture. 

From Auckland, you can take a bus or rent a car to visit various Maori sites located across the North Island. These include the Te Pā Tū Māori Village , the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where one of New Zealand’s founding documents was signed, and the Waipoua Forest, one of the oldest forests in New Zealand which plays an important role in Maori culture.

New Zealand is an amazing destination to visit but it can be painfully expensive to travel through. If you’re traveling on a budget, we highly recommend renting a campervan that you can sleep in. This can help save a lot of money rather than staying in expensive hotel rooms. 

It’s hard to think of heritage tourism and not imagine Italy. The ancient ruins of the Coliseum and the Roman Forum stand testament to an advanced society that thrived over two millennia ago. Meanwhile, the Duomo and Uffizi Museum in Florence holds some of the world’s most spectacular art. 

One of the great things about traveling through Italy is that it has a little bit of everything. And everything they have is magical. From small towns lined with cobblestone streets that have barely changed for hundreds of years to bustling metropolises that have historic sites hidden behind every corner, there is always something interesting for history buffs to explore. As the icing on the cake, the gastronomic scene is incomparable. 

The major cities of Rome, Venice, and Florence should be the first stop on a heritage tourism tour. If you want to focus on smaller towns and villages, you can always visit the spell-binding villages of Cinque Terre National Park or hang around some of the smaller towns of Tuscany. Italy has heritage sites virtually everywhere so you really can’t go wrong! Find out more about exploring this beautiful country on our detailed guide of how to spend a week in Italy !

Italy is full of tourists all year round. However, it’s literally bursting at the seams during the high season. Try to avoid going in the summer if you can. It will make your overall trip much more enjoyable since you won’t be battling crowds or wasting precious vacation time standing in lines. 

What other places should you go?

While we’ve provided just a short list of great destinations for heritage tourism, there are still many more! Mexico , Egypt, Morocco, Japan, the Czech Republic, Sudan, and Iran are also all great options. They’re all full of cultural heritage sites that are sure to wow even the most jaded history buff!

Are you ready to roam?

We hope this guide to heritage tourism has left you inspired to take a step back into the past! As always, we would love to hear your feedback, and please let us know of any tips, tricks, or destinations we may have missed! 

If you’d like to find more information about these destinations mentioned above, make sure to check out the Let’s Roam Explorer blog . Here you’ll find hundreds of destination guides, must-see lists, and travel blogs that will help make your vacation planning easier. Don’t forget to download the Let’s Roam app before you go. This gives you access to all of our great scavenger hunts , ghost walks, art tours, and pub crawls. 

Frequently Asked Questions

The purpose of heritage tourism is to explore the past by visiting archeological sites, museums, and historic attractions. Read more about heritage tourism at the Let’s Roam Explorer blog !

Activities normally associated with heritage tourism could be visiting the ancient ruins of Rome or Mexico , going to a local museum, or even going on a walking tour focusing on unique architecture.

Heritage tourism is different than tourism because it focuses on activities and attractions that are dedicated to preserving the past.

Understanding our heritage is important because it’s easier to understand the world around us. Heritage tourism can play a key role in unlocking the past and bringing it back to life.

If you’re looking for a fascinating heritage tourism destination , look no further than India, Thailand, Italy , New Zealand, Mexico, Morocco, or Egypt!

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• Published: 31 August 2024

What kind of UGA is effective for heritage tourism marketing? Matching effects of human elements and review types

• Youcheng Chen   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9323-7386 1   na1 ,
• Sunbowen Zhang 1   na1 ,
• Wenqi Ruan   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8744-4488 2 ,
• Yongqiang Ma 1 ,
• Meiyu Wang 2 , 3 &
• Yan Zhou 2  

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications volume  11 , Article number:  1114 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

• Business and management

User-generated advertising (UGA) is critical to heritage tourism marketing. However, there is a research gap on the impact mechanism of UGA essential elements. Through three scenario experiments, this study explored the matching effects between human elements and review types in UGA of heritage sites and discussed these effects on potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours. The findings revealed that (1) graphics with human elements are more effective when paired with subjective experience reviews, while graphics without human elements are better suited for cultural attribute reviews. (2) Matching effects positively influence potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours, and psychological distance and awe play mediating roles in this influencing process. Our work provides significant insights for heritage tourism advertising marketing and contributes to the tourism advertising research framework and the marketing competitiveness of heritage sites.

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Introduction.

Heritage tourism plays a crucial role in preserving history, culture, and ancient wisdom (Lee et al. 2016 ). Currently, it has attracted great interest due to its rich cultural connotation and distinctive characteristics (Zhang et al. 2023b ). Heritage tourism revolves around the exploration and appreciation of distinctive historical structures, religious customs, traditional cuisine, and other cultural attributes. By October 2023, a total of 1199 World Heritage sites have been recognised and designated in 168 different countries around the world (UNESCO 2023 ). However, as tourism evolves and advances, heritage tourism is encountering mounting market competition (Wu et al. 2017 ). In particular, heritage tourism is not easily accepted due to its unique cultural attributes and characteristics, and it faces great challenges in tourism advertising and marketing (Zhang et al. 2023c ), which are posing new obstacles to ongoing heritage tourism (Miao et al. 2021 ). Hence, as the internet grows, it is critical to devise effective strategies to encourage tourists to engage in online interactive activities such as sharing and reviewing marketing advertisements (Bigne et al. 2019 ).

Tourism advertising contributes to promoting tourist attractions (Miao et al. 2021 ). In the heritage tourism context, tourists present dual roles as passive recipients of tourism marketing information and actively create and share cultural heritage information (Zhang et al. 2020 ). With tourists’ empowerment to share information online, heritage tourism companies are increasingly leveraging user-generated content (UGC) for marketing purposes. Therefore, tourists create user-generated advertising (UGA), where they share past experiences as the main content, which attracts tourists to engage and enhances the effectiveness of heritage tourism advertising (Wang et al. 2022 ). In particular, UGA combined with images and texts is a critical source for tourists to search for heritage tourism information and is widely respected by tourists in practice (Wang and Chen 2018 ).

Although current research on UGA and heritage tourism has yielded many theoretical findings, there are limitations to it. UGA research examines different advertisement types through internet-based methods and in-depth interviews (Ertimur and Gilly 2012 ), and UGA motivations and their impacts on audiences’ behavioural intentions (Guo and Wu 2023 ; Martinez-Navarro and Bigne 2022 ; Wang et al. 2022 ). However, academia has scarce comprehensive studies on the visual components and their impact on UGA. It is difficult to reveal the theoretical consequences of the correlation between the alignment of graphic text in UGC and its impact on advertising effectiveness. Moreover, existing heritage tourism research has adopted the resident and tourist perspectives (Zhang et al. 2023d ), which involve residents’ cognitive and behavioural intentions towards heritage sites (Liu et al. 2022 ; Yin et al. 2023 ). Simultaneously, scholars have directed their attention towards heritage tourism marketing and delved into tourists’ perceptions, attitudes, and behavioural intentions when visiting various heritage sites (Lee 2024 ; Zou et al. 2023 ). Specific marketing content that is used in heritage tourism advertising is limited (Miao et al. 2021 ). Researchers have conducted some studies on the influence of advertising visual imagery on tourists’ attitudes towards visiting heritage sites. However, these studies have not explored how the presence of human elements and different types of reviews in user-generated advertising can impact potential tourist behaviour.

Mobile social media has changed the way of information transmission in the traditional cultural tourism industry, and the Internet information transmission based on user experience is gradually becoming the main carrier of tourism products and information transmission. As the important information of user-generated advertisements, pictures and text are pointed out by schema theory that there is a significant interaction between them (Xu et al. 2008 ). The fine processing possibility model (ELM) further indicates that potential tourists will choose the degree of information processing according to factors such as UGA information content and their own information processing ability. When the combination of graphic and text information matches, the emotion generation of potential tourists will be promoted and positive behaviours will be formed (Wang and Chen 2018 ). Within advertising marketing realms, marketing organisations recognise the significance of incorporating human elements in visuals as the means to establish a distinct ambiance and narrative (Zhang et al. 2023b ). Similarly, review types that are expressed through written words serve as an effective method for conveying tourists’ evaluations and experiences when visiting historical sites (Yan et al. 2020 ). Among them, human elements in pictures can trigger emotional resonance, while text comments play the role of information transmission and interpretation. The matching effect between them can make advertising content more vivid and close to users’ psychological needs, and improve users’ trust and participation in advertising content (Wang and Chen 2018 ; Shahin et al. 2020 ). For heritage tourism marketers, they often need to use mobile social media organisations to attract tourists’ travel interest through high-quality user-generated graphic advertisements, so as to realise the marketing and promotion of heritage tourism destinations. However, there is less research on the relationships between human elements and review types in UGA. In particular, the impact of the online interaction behaviour of potential tourists has rarely been explored. Thus, this study aims to investigate how UGA influences potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours at heritage sites. We examine the matching of graphic-text UGA from different perspectives to solve the following issues: (1) How do human elements match review types to better inspire potential tourists’ online interactions? (2) Is there a specific intermediary mechanism of the adjustment?

This research objective is to investigate how the alignment of human elements and types of reviews in UGA at heritage sites affects potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours through three scenario experiments. Theoretically, our study enhances the understanding of potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours in the heritage tourism context by incorporating UGA into the research framework. Furthermore, this study contributes to developing the theoretical system of heritage tourism research (Zou et al. 2023 ) and offers guidance for tourism advertising marketing. Additionally, it focuses on two specific components: human elements and review types, which also contribute to the existing UGA research by providing further enrichments (Wang et al. 2022 ). In practice, we propose the most effective advertising and marketing strategies based on unique heritage tourism circumstances, which guide heritage tourism sustainability.

Literature review

Elaboration likelihood model (elm).

Elaboration likelihood model (ELM) is proposed by Petty and Cacioppo ( 1986 ). This theory is a dual-path model of individual persuasion effectiveness and attitude formation and change. According to the model, the change of individual attitude is mainly affected by two information processing paths: the central path and the edge path. Among them, on the central path, individual motivation is to process information within the scope of their ability to influence their behavioural willingness by considering information arguments and evaluating the attributes of arguments. However, individuals who process information through the edge path pay less attention to the quality of the information itself, and pay more attention to the environmental characteristics of the information in order to judge and evaluate the target (Sanford 2006 ). At the moment, ELM has been widely used in the field of research information technology (Shahin et al. 2020 ), advertising (Deng et al. 2021 ) and social media (Lam et al. 2022 ), and the field of e-commerce (Balakrishnan et al. 2023 ). ELM can explain the influence mechanism of different information clues on users’ attitudes, and help managers better formulate effective strategies (Wei and Lu 2013 ). Therefore, this study believes that ELM can better understand the user-generated graphic advertisements, so as to explore the matching effect of human elements and comment types on the online interaction behaviour of potential tourists.

User-generated advertising (UGA)

Online tourism advertising is a crucial means for tourists to gather information about various tourism destinations and potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours. As tourists use online platforms on a daily basis, UGA plays a significant role in effectively promoting tourism destinations and enticing potential tourists. UGA refers to the travel experience evaluation generated and shared by text, pictures, and videos on online platforms, such as online travel recommendations, tourism destination evaluations, and tourist reviews (Wang et al. 2022 ). Different from traditional tourism advertising, UGA is generated by tourists. Its information source is unique and more authentic and credible than traditional advertising types (Wang et al. 2022 ).

Most UGA studies have explored the different types of advertising, production motivations, influencing factors and mechanisms, and overall impacts on audiences. First, UGA can be categorised into three levels, ranging from low to high: consumption, contribution, and creation (Muntinga et al. 2011 ). Meanwhile, consumers can be divided into two categories according to their engagement: consumers motivated by recommendations and rewards and self-driven consumers (Berthon et al. 2008 ). Furthermore, motivation and influencing factors research has pointed out that UGA motivation can be categorised into intrinsic, extrinsic, rational and emotional motivations (Martinez-Navarro and Bigne 2022 ). Inner satisfaction, personal growth, and a desire to challenge existing ideas drive UGA. Users participate in the cocreation process with the brand to enhance their motivations (Shulga et al. 2023 ). Previous studies have indicated that UGA can increase consumer loyalty and trust (Busser and Shulga 2019 ) and enhance potential consumer participation behaviour (Guo and Jiang 2023 ; Lu et al. 2020 ; Wang et al. 2022 ).

In heritage tourism research, UGA can have multiple benefits. First, it can greatly increase potential tourists’ desires to travel (Gursoy et al. 2022 ; Mehmood et al. 2018 ). Additionally, UGA contributes to enhancing tourists’ positive emotions and realises the effective promotion of heritage tourism projects (Vu et al. 2018 ). Based on this, UGA produces many achievements. However, existing research primarily focuses on UGA advantages but lacks exploration of the effects of UGA content elements and structures. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct research on UGA content expression and marketing formats to enhance UGA marketing effectiveness. Additionally, images and texts are considered important pieces of information for UGA, with human elements being a tool to create a specific atmosphere (Herath et al. 2020 ; Wijesinghe et al. 2020 ). The review types can express tourists’ evaluation of heritage sites (Yan et al. 2020 ). However, research analysing the matching effect between human elements and review types in UGA from the perspective of potential tourists is limited. Thus, this study examines the interactive effects of human elements and review types on potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours in heritage tourism to further address the research gaps from the perspective of graphic-text matching.

Heritage tourism

Cultural heritage is the precious wealth left by human ancestors to future generations, carrying the genes and blood of human civilisation (Lee et al. 2016 ). With the upgrading of global tourism consumption, more and more heritage sites carry out heritage tourism activities, thereby creating more regional tourism experiences (Gardiner and Scott 2018 ). Heritage tourism refers to the tourism form that utilises the unique cultural assets of a destination (e.g., architecture, religion, and cuisine) to transform historical and cultural assets into commodities to attract tourists (Zhang et al. 2023b ). The total number of global tourists will reach 12.673 billion, and the global tourism revenue will reach 5.54 trillion US dollars, and tourism modes such as heritage tourism and rural tourism are becoming an important driving force for global economic growth. Meanwhile, as a significant form of cultural heritage conservation, heritage tourism has gradually become an essential component of the global tourism industry and has received significant attention from scholars (Ji et al. 2023 ). Research has shown that the behaviours and concepts of tourists and residents, as important participants in heritage tourism, are the focus of current research in this field (Ji et al. 2023 ; Liang et al. 2023 ; Luo et al. 2022 ; Zhang et al. 2023b ). With the deepening of research on heritage tourism, its economic, cultural, and social value has received widespread attention, bringing cultural heritage conservation and tourism development research into the mainstream (Ancuta and Jucu 2023 ; Guo and Jiang 2023 ; Zhang et al. 2023b ).

Heritage tourism as an important form of tourism, its marketing strategy is different from that of traditional tourism, which needs to pay more attention to culture, history and regional characteristics. Therefore, accurate advertising marketing is an important way to promote the sustainable development of heritage tourism (Miao et al. 2021 ). The existing research on heritage tourism marketing can be divided into the following three aspects. (1) Intelligent technology and experiential marketing. The development of intelligent technology has brought new opportunities for the experiential marketing of heritage tourism. Exploring the mechanism of AR technology on tourists’ immersive experience is an important part of current research on heritage tourism marketing (Cranmer et al. 2023 ). (2) Sustainable development and brand building. In the marketing of heritage tourism, tourism destinations often need to pay attention to the protection and management of cultural heritage, and enhance their image and reputation in the eyes of tourists through brand building. Therefore, research on heritage tourism brand building is helpful to improve tourists’ experience and increase the popularity and attractiveness of destinations (Qiu and Zuo 2023 ). (3) Social media and digital marketing. Tourism agencies and destination managers use social media platforms to showcase historical sites, cultural attractions and local activities to attract more visitors’ attention and participation (Lin and Rasoolimanesh 2023 ). At present, more and more heritage sites encourage visitors to share tourism information on various mobile social media such as Facebook, Little Red Book, Dianping and Hornet’s Nest, which is gradually becoming a must-read travel material for many potential tourists to choose tourist destinations (Gursoy et al. 2022 ). However, from the perspective of theoretical research, the relevant researches on social media and digital marketing are not deep enough, especially the researches on the graphic elements and matching effects of existing user-generated advertisements are still few, which is difficult to meet the realistic demand of revealing the influence of graphic matching on the marketing effect of heritage tourism advertising from the theoretical level. Therefore, user-generated advertising marketing can open new ways to explore potential visitors’ perceptions of heritage tourism experiences (Basaraba 2022 ; Gursoy et al. 2022 ), and further highlight the unique features of heritage sites through the graphic features of advertisements.

The impact of human elements and review types on online interactive behaviours

In the realm of UGA heritage tourism, online interactive behaviours, as a special kind of participation behaviour, refer to user-generated graphic-text advertising and other types of information released by enterprises through social media. Potential tourists can interact with tourism companies through reviews, reposts and likes (Basaraba 2022 ; Gursoy et al. 2022 ). Meanwhile, some scholars have found that the more informative online advertising is and the more accurate it is in describing and displaying products or brands, the more users can establish a positive attitude and obtain users’ likes and comments (Labrecque 2014 ). As a new online media marketing method, different types of graphic-text UGA trigger different imagination and behavioural intentions of potential tourists (Wang and Chen 2018 ). As important visual content in pictures, human elements are considered to be an important tool marketing organisations use to create specific atmospheres and myths. Human elements include 2 categories: with and without human elements (Zhang et al. 2023b ). The text review types effectively reflect tourists’ evaluation and experience sharing of the heritage site (Yan et al. 2020 ). This is because user reviews are tourists’ evaluation of heritage tourism culture and their sharing of heritage tourism experience. Therefore, this study divides the review types into cultural attributes and subjective experiences (Huang et al. 2013 ; Luan et al. 2016 ).

Schema theory believes that there is a significant interaction between images and text (Xu et al. 2008 ). The visual properties of graphics and related text processing can interfere with or promote each other (Stroop 1992 ). Meanwhile, according to the elaboration likelihood model (ELM), the user information processing modes include central routes and peripheral routes (Petty and Cacioppo 1986 ). In the central route, users can mobilise their rational thinking and be convinced by the specific attribute information the product provides. In the peripheral route, users are more affected by factors other than specific attribute information, such as the style and format of the message and recipient mood (Zhou et al. 2023 ). When potential tourists come into contact with UGA, they choose the degree of information processing based on factors such as their information content and their own information processing ability. When the text combination and text information match, it elevates potential tourists’ emotions and then forms positive behaviours (Wang and Chen 2018 ).

For graphics with human elements, potential tourists show stronger online interaction behaviour for subjective experience text review types than for cultural attribute text review types. Graphics of human elements contain richer experiential information (Alamäki et al. 2022 ; Joe et al. 2021 ). Subjective experience reviews refer to tourists’ subjective or emotional evaluation of heritage tourism and other experience information, which reflects tourists’ overall evaluation of heritage tourism (Huang et al. 2013 ). Based on the ELM, edge routes are heuristic cues that are obvious to individuals (Shiau et al. 2022 ). Therefore, graphics with human elements and subjective experience text reviews convey the description of experience information about heritage tourism sites. The peripheral route can stimulate the audience to think about the information content and stimulate potential tourists’ interests (Yan et al. 2024 ), thereby improving user assessment and actively promoting their behaviours.

For graphics without human elements, potential tourists showed stronger interactive behaviours with cultural attribute text reviews than with subjective experience text reviews. Graphics without human elements can better convey the specific attributes of heritage tourism sites (Alamäki et al. 2022 ; Joe et al. 2021 ). The cultural attribute text review introduces tourists to the cultural connotation and other attribute information of heritage tourism, which reflects tourists’ cultural heritage evaluation. Based on the fine processing possibility model, the central path is a parameter and cue that requires the user’s careful consideration and requires that the information receiver invest more cognitive energy (Shiau et al. 2022 ). Therefore, the matching of graphics without human elements and cultural attribute text reviews can enable users to think about graphic information through the central route. It is conducive to stimulating the rational thinking of the audience, thus strengthening the processing fluency of the audience and improving user evaluation (Song and Schwarz 2009 ). The following hypotheses are proposed:

H1: Matching human elements and review types in user-generated graphic-text advertising prompts tourists to have higher online interactive behaviours.

H1a: For UGA with human elements in the graphics, subjective experience (vs. cultural attribute) text reviews lead to higher online interactive behaviours.

H1b: For UGA graphics without human elements, cultural attribute text reviews (vs. subjective experience text reviews) lead to higher online interactive behaviours.

The mediating roles of psychological distance and awe

UGA can trigger emotional and cognitive responses from the audience (Wang et al. 2022 ), while scholars consider psychological distance and awe to be important emotional factors that affect tourists’ behaviour in heritage tourism (Massara and Severino 2013 ; Su et al. 2020a ). Therefore, from cognitive and emotive perspectives, this study speculates that psychological distance and awe can mediate graphic-text UGA between external stimuli and online interactive behaviours.

Psychological distance is based on individual psychology and can be used to judge the subjective feeling of distance between things and oneself (Massara and Severino 2013 ; Trope et al. 2007 ). When human elements and subjective experience text reviews appear in user-generated advertising, they can present the specific subjective experience process of heritage tourism to the audience. By taking the peripheral route, it is helpful for potential tourists to comprehend graphical information content. This strengthens the processing fluency of the audience, effectively reducing the user’s reaction time (Yan et al. 2024 ). Ultimately, the psychological distance from the destination is narrowed (Kim and Song 2019 ). It is conducive to improving users’ sharing behaviour by narrowing the psychological distance between potential tourists and heritage sites, thus affecting advertising effects (Tan and Hsu 2023 ). Therefore, this study finds that the review type of pictures with human elements is compared with that of cultural attribute text reviews. The review type of potential tourists’ subjective experience text reviews can affect their online interactive behaviours through psychological distance. The following hypotheses are proposed:

H2: For UGA with human elements in the graphic, the effect of subjective experience text reviews on online interactive behaviours is positively mediated by psychological distance.

Moreover, awe is the sense of surprise one experiences in the face of something broad, grand, and beyond the scope of current understanding. Cultural heritage fully embodies the infinite wisdom of ancient people and often looks majestic to tourists. When tourists appreciate ancient cultural heritage, people feel humble, small and in awe (Tan and Hsu 2023 ). Therefore, when UGA graphics without human elements are matched with cultural attribute text reviews, historical information about cultural heritage is conveyed. This fully shows the core cultural features of heritage tourism. External cultural heritage can stimulate tourists, make them realise the insignificance of human beings and give them a sense of awe (Gursoy et al. 2022 ), and promote the generation of user behaviour (Su et al. 2020a ). Existing studies have proven that when users feel the awe brought about by heritage tourism, they can improve the positive behavioural intentions of potential tourists (Lu et al. 2015 ). It may stimulate their behaviour involving forwarding, reviewing or liking heritage tourism attribute information. Therefore, we find that for pictures without human elements, compared with the subjective experience text review type, the review type of cultural attribute text reviews of potential tourists influences their online interactive behaviours through the mediating role of awe. Thus, this study proposes the following hypotheses.

H3: For UGA without human elements in the graphic, the effect of cultural attribute text reviews on online interactive behaviours is positively mediated by awe.

This study selected 3 Chinese World Heritage sites in Quanzhou, Fujian: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China and the Kaiyuan Temple, Qingjing Mosque, and Chengqi Earth Building in Fujian Tulou as the research scenarios. We used three scenario experiments to test the hypotheses. Studies 1 and 2 tested the matching effect of human elements and review types in UGA and its impacts on potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours. We conducted two experiments to strengthen the experiments’ external validity. Study 3 aims to examine the mediating effects of psychological distance and awe. Its research objects were recruited from the Credamo platform ( https://www.credamo.com/ ). Figure 1 presents the theoretical model of this study.

Theoretical model of this study.

Experimental design and stimulus selection

Study 1 verified the matching effect of UGA human elements and review types on potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours in the heritage tourism context (H1a and H1b).

Case selection

Kaiyuan Temple embodies the representative heritage elements of the diverse community of the World Maritime Trade Center. The economic and multicultural relics of the Kaiyuan Temple reflect the economic prosperity and cultural coexistence brought to Quanzhou by maritime trade in the Song and Yuan Dynasties. In recent years, Kaiyuan Temple, with the rise of tourism, has become a must-visit spot for tourists in Quanzhou. Therefore, given that Kaiyuan Temple has important historical and cultural attributes, we used it as the sample location of Study 1.

Experimental control materials

In the experiment, the UGA manipulative materials include 2 parts. In the design of human elements, we refer to the relevant suggestions of scholars such as Magnini and Kim ( 2016 ) on human elements and make corresponding improvements. Specifically, there were 2–5 tourists in the picture materials of the subjects with human elements, while there were no tourists in the picture materials of the subjects without human elements. Meanwhile, the back and sides of the head and face of humans were selected in this experiment to avoid the influence of microexpressions and human body images (Zhang et al. 2023a ). Moreover, review types mention the methods of scholars such as Huang et al. ( 2017 ) to check the rationality of review type operations and make corresponding improvements. Specifically, cultural attribute text reviews describe Kaiyuan Temple from an objective perspective based on the cultural characteristics of Kaiyuan Temple, the world heritage, with emphasis on the cultural heritage and customs of Kaiyuan Temple. Subjective experience text reviews describe the subjective experience text reviews from the tourists’ perspective, highlighting the tourists’ psychological feelings of awe towards the Kaiyuan Temple during the experience.

Simulation of the experimental situation

The subjects read the experimental instructions. ‘Suppose you plan a trip to a heritage destination in the near future; when browsing the information on the official microblog of a tourism platform, we found the high-quality graphic reviews of tourists on heritage tourism destinations published by the tourism platform.’ Afterwards, participants were randomly assigned to 4 different types of UGA conditions (Appendix 1 ). Additionally, the title and other presentation elements were kept consistent, which gave respondents a clear picture of the experiment.

Variable measurement

The participants’ online interactive behaviours with different types of user-generated graphic-text advertising were measured. The measurement of human elements was checked by referring to the methods suggested by scholars such as Magnini and Kim ( 2016 ). The measurement of review type was evaluated by referring to the methods proposed by Huang et al. ( 2017 ). For the measurement of online interactive behaviours, refer to Su et al. ( 2020b ) and Liu and Chen ( 2023 ). In addition, this study measures the readability (Klare 1974 ), fluency (Lee and Aaker 2004 ), and review valence (Cheung et al. 2009 ) of UGA. Finally, the subjects completed the measurement of demographic variables.

Data processing and experimental results

Preliminary experiment.

The preexperiment used the Credamo platform for data recovery. After examination, this study recovered 135 valid questionnaires (40% male; 60% female). When the respondents answered the questionnaires, among the stimulus materials, the judgement accuracy of human elements reached 100%, indicating that the design of stimulus materials about human elements met the requirements. Second, an independent samples T test was used to test data validity. In cultural attribute reviews, the perceived attribute component was stronger than the perceived experience component, with M perceived attribute component  = 6.26 vs. M perceived experience component  = 2.44, t (66) = −17.645, p  < 0.001. In the subjective experience of the evaluation of the question and answer, M perception attribute component  = 3.42 vs. M perception experience component  = 5.97. The subjective experience reviews are stronger than the cultural attribute reviews, t (69) = −9.817, p  < 0.001. Thus, this operation is successful for review types.

Formal experiment

Participants and procedure.

In order to ensure that the data volume meets the requirements, the sample size of the experimental data was calculated by G*Power 3.1, and the relevant parameter values were set according to the values suggested by Trevor and Hanna ( 2017 ). The calculation results show that, a total sample size of 128 is considered acceptable ( n 1 = 32, n 2 = 32, n 3 = 32, n 4 = 32). In the end, a total of 300 adult subjects were recruited through the Credamo platform, 29 invalid samples (failed attention test, abnormal response time) were eliminated, and 271 valid subjects were retained for hypothesis testing (37.6% male, 62.4% female).

Manipulation check

The independent samples t- test results show that in the condition of cultural attribute reviews, the subjects were more likely to judge the review type as cultural attribute reviews ( M perceived attribute component  = 5.81 vs. M perceived experience component  = 3.85, t (133) = −9.962, p  < 0.001). In contrast, in the subjective experience reviews context, the results were in line with expectations ( M perceived attribute component  = 4.38 vs. M perceived experience component  = 5.48, t (138) = −5.086, p  < 0.001). Thus, the manipulation of review types and human elements was successful. In addition, in the review type control variable test, the review valence of cultural attribute reviews and subjective experience reviews ( M cultural attribute reviews  = 6.32 vs. M subjective experience reviews  = 6.13, F (1,269) = 3.808, p  > 0.05), readability ( M cultural attribute reviews  = 5.89 vs. M subjective experience reviews  = 6.07, F (1,269) = 2.784, p  > 0.05), and fluency ( M cultural attribute reviews  = 5.86 vs. M subjective experience reviews  = 5.99, F (1,269) = 1.883, p  > 0.05) passed the inspection. This study eliminated the interference of review valence, readability and fluency variables.

Dependent measures

To examine the matching effects of human elements and review types, formal experiments were conducted using one-way ANOVA with a 2 (human element: with vs. without) × 2 (review type: cultural attribute reviews vs. subjective experience reviews) experimental design for analysis. The results are shown in Fig. 2 . The interaction effects of human elements and review types on tourists’ online interactive behaviours were significant ( F (3,267) = 30.736, p  < 0.001). Further simple effect analysis showed that in the context of cultural attribute text reviews, graphics (with vs. without) of human elements promote higher online interactive behaviours ( M with human elements  = 5.05 vs. M without human elements  = 5.85, F (1,131) = 29.827, p  < 0.001). For subjective experience text reviews, compared with graphics without human elements, graphics with human elements can promote tourists to have higher online interactive behaviours ( M with human elements  = 6.09 vs. M without human elements  = 5.79, F (1,136) = 4.959, p  < 0.05). Overall, H1a and H1b are verified.

Matching effect of human elements and review types (Study 1).

Study 1 proved the matching effects of human elements and review types. With subjective experience text reviews, potential tourists are more willing to interact with UGA with human elements in the pictures. In the context of cultural attribute text reviews, potential tourists tend to interact with UGA without human elements in the pictures. Although the survey of Kaiyuan Temple-related UGA is conducive to improving the conclusion’s external validity, the singularity of the heritage site restricts the conclusion’s internal validity. Accordingly, Study 2 selected the Qingjing Mosque for experiments to further test the matching effects of human elements and review types.

Study 2 aims to verify the matching effect of human elements and review types in UGA on potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours in the context of heritage tourism to strengthen the reliability of the conclusion.

Case selection and experimental manipulation

Qingjing Mosque embodies the representative heritage elements of the diverse community of the World Maritime Trade Center and is one of the oldest surviving Islamic monasteries in China. In addition, Qingjing Mosque is also one of the attractions that domestic and foreign tourists will definitely visit when they come to Quanzhou. Therefore, considering the important historical and cultural attributes and experience, we selected Qingjing Mosque as the context of Study 2. Moreover, in this experiment, both human elements and review types were manipulated as in Study 1.

Simulated experimental situation and variable measurement

The experimental situation design was the same as in Study 1. Participants were then randomly assigned to 4 different types of UGA conditions (Appendix 2 ). In addition, the variable measurement methods were the same as those in Study 1.

To ensure that human elements and review types were effectively manipulated, in the preexperiment, data were recovered by the Credamo platform. After review, a total of 163 valid questionnaires were recovered (39.9% male; 60.1% female). When the participants watched the stimulus material, they correctly judged the human element 100% of the time. Second, among the 163 valid samples obtained, 78 are cultural attribute reviews and 85 are subjective experience text reviews. T test results showed that in the question and answer of cultural attribute text reviews, M perception attribute component  = 5.74 vs. M perception experience component  = 3.37. In cultural attribute text reviews, the perceived attribute component was stronger than the experiential component, t (78) = −9.982, p  < 0.001. In the subjective experience text reviews, M perception attribute component  = 3.86 vs. M perception experience component  = 5.79. The subjective experience text reviews are stronger than the subjective experience text reviews, t (85) = 9.436, p  < 0.001. Based on this, the operation is successful for this review type.

In order to ensure that the data volume meets the requirements, the sample size of the experimental data was calculated by G*Power 3.1, and the relevant parameter values were set according to the values suggested by Trevor and Hanna ( 2017 ). The calculation results show that, a total sample size of 128 is considered acceptable ( n 1 = 32, n 2 = 32, n 3 = 32, n 4 = 32). In the end, A total of 480 questionnaires were distributed through the Credamo platform. After eliminating 52 invalid samples (failed attention test, abnormal response time), a total of 429 valid subjects (44.4% male; 55.6% female) were randomly assigned to one of the conditions.

Independent samples t- test results show that in the context of cultural attribute reviews, subjects were more inclined to judge review types as cultural attribute reviews ( M perceived attribute component  = 5.87 vs. M perceived experience component  = 3.55, t (213) = 16.496, p  < 0.001). In contrast, in the subjective experience review context, subjects were more inclined to judge review types as subjective experience reviews ( M perception attribute component  = 3.25 vs. M perception experience component  = 5.30, t (216) = −14.971, p  < 0.01). In summary, the manipulation of review types is successful. At the same time, the manipulation of human elements was also successful. In addition, in the control variable test of review types, review valence of cultural attribute reviews and subjective experience reviews ( M cultural attribute reviews  = 6.08 vs. M subjective experience reviews  = 6.09, F (1,427) = 0.002, p  > 0.05), readability ( M cultural attribute reviews  = 5.85 vs. M subjective experience reviews  = 5.94, F (1,427) = 1.039, p  > 0.05), and fluency ( M cultural attribute reviews  = 5.82 vs. M subjective experience reviews  = 5.78, F (1,427) = 0.252, p  > 0.05) passed the inspection. Our study eliminated the interference of review valence, readability and fluency variables.

The matching effects of human elements and review types are shown in Fig. 3 . The interaction effect of human elements and review types on tourists’ online interactive behaviours was significant ( F (3,425) = 148.775, p  < 0.001). Further analysis shows that in the context of cultural attribute text reviews, compared with graphics with human elements, graphics without human elements can promote tourists to have higher online interactive behaviours ( M with human elements  = 4.91 vs. M without human elements  = 5.65, F (1,211) = 38.888, p  < 0.001). Thus, H1a is verified. For subjective experience text review situations, compared with graphics without human elements, graphics with human elements can promote tourists to have higher online interactive behaviours ( M with human elements  = 5.83 vs. M without human elements  = 4.18, F (1,214) = 112.617, p  < 0.001). Then, H1b is verified.

Matching effect of human elements and review types (Study 2).

Study 2 again proved the matching effect of human elements and review types. The conclusion internal validity can be improved through the multiple heritage sites experiment.

Study 3 aims to verify the mediating role of psychological distance and awe, that is, to test Hypotheses H2 and H3.

Chengqi Earth Building is one of the representative heritage sites in Fujian Tulou. Currently, it is also known as ‘a king of Tulou’, as one of the most unique residential buildings in the world, and contains the cultural legend of the Hakka family. Today, the simple and magnificent Chengqi Earth Building attracts tourists in an endless stream. Therefore, due to the important historical attributes and experience of the Chengqi Earth Building, we chose it as the background of Study 3. In addition, Study 1 manipulation was used for both human elements and review types in this experiment.

Simulated experimental situation

The experimental scenario design of Study 3 is the same as that of Experiment 1. Participants were randomly assigned to four different types of UGA conditions (Appendix 3 ).

In addition, the measurement of psychological distance in Study 3 refers to Mi et al. ( 2020 ). Other research processes and variable measurement methods are basically the same as in Experiment 1.

We ensured that human elements and review types were effectively manipulated. In the preexperiment, data were recovered by the Credamo platform. After the audit, this study recovered 165 valid questionnaires (38.2% male; 61.8% female). Similar to Study 1, Study 3 created short descriptions for each scenario, and then the respondents answered the human elements and review type-related items. Of the 165 valid data points obtained, 78 are cultural attribute reviews and 87 are subjective experience reviews.

Independent sample t- test results show that in the questions and answers of cultural attribute reviews, M perception attribute component  = 5.29 vs. M perception experience component  = 3.37. In cultural attribute reviews, the perceived attribute component was stronger than the experiential component, t (78) = −6.003, p  < 0.05. In the subjective experience reviews, M perception attribute component  = 3.59 vs. M perception experience component  = 5.71. The subjective experience reviews are stronger than the subjective experience reviews, t (87) = −8.090, p  < 0.001. Accordingly, the operation of review types is successful.

In order to ensure that the data volume meets the requirements, the sample size of the experimental data was calculated by G*Power 3.1, and the relevant parameter values were set according to the values suggested by Trevor and Hanna ( 2017 ). The calculation results show that, a total sample size of 128 is considered acceptable ( n 1 = 32, n 2 = 32, n 3 = 32, n 4 = 32). In the end, a total of 520 questionnaires were distributed through the Credamo platform. After excluding 78 invalid samples (failed attention test and abnormal response time), a total of 442 valid subjects (45.2% male; 54.8% female) were randomly assigned to one of 4 conditions.

Independent samples t- test results show that in the context of cultural attribute reviews, subjects are more inclined to judge the review type as a cultural attribute type ( M perceived attribute component  = 6.16 vs. M perceived experience component  = 3.11, t (223) = 22.002, p  < 0.001). In contrast, in the subjective experience review context, subjects are more inclined to judge reviews as subjective experience reviews ( M perception attribute component  = 3.63 vs. M perception experience component  = 6.17, t (219) = −16.579, p  < 0.001). Overall, the manipulation of review types is successful. Meanwhile, the manipulation of human elements was also successful. The results show that the responses were consistent with the situation set by the stimulus material, indicating that the experimental results had high external validity. In addition, in the control variable test of review types, review of cultural attribute reviews and subjective experience review valence ( M cultural attribute reviews  = 6.07 vs. M subjective experience reviews  = 6.00, F (1,440) = 0.547, p  > 0.05), readability ( M cultural attribute reviews  = 5.98 vs. M subjective experience reviews  = 6.07, F (1,440) = 1.068, p  > 0.05), and fluency ( M cultural attribute reviews  = 5.97, M subjective experience reviews  = 6.05, F (1,440) = 1.580, p  > 0.05) passed the inspection. We eliminated the interference of review valence, reading ability and fluency variables.

We tested the matching effect of human elements and review types. The results are shown in Fig. 4 . The interaction effect of human elements and review types on tourists’ online interactive behaviours was significant ( F (3,438) = 9.840, p  < 0.01). Further analysis showed that for cultural text attribute reviews, compared with pictures with human elements, pictures without human elements can promote tourists to have higher online interactive behaviours ( M with human elements  = 5.82, M without human elements  = 6.07; F (1,221) = 5.589, p  < 0.05). For subjective experience text review situations, compared with pictures without human elements, pictures with human elements can promote tourists to have higher online interactive behaviours ( M with human elements  = 5.98, M without human elements  = 5.75; F (1,217) = 4.316, p  < 0.05). Thus, H3 is verified.

Matching effect of human elements and review types (Study 3).

Mediation effect

First, the interaction effect of human elements and review types on psychological distance was tested. The ANOVA results show that the above interactions are significant ( F psychological distance (3,438) = 5.192, p  < 0.05). In the subjective experience of text comments, compared with the graphics without human factors, the graphics with human factors are more likely to cause a higher psychological distance ( M with human elements  = 6.06 vs. M without human elements  = 5.91, F (1,217) = 5.068, p  < 0.05). When making cultural attribute text reviews, there was no significant difference in psychological distance between graphics with and without human elements ( M with human elements  = 6.02 vs. M without human elements  = 6.10; F (1,221) = 1.129, p  > 0.05). Second, the interaction effect of human elements and review types on awe was significant ( F awe (3,438) = 7.073, p  < 0.01). When placed in cultural attribute text reviews, the graphics without (vs. with) human elements were more likely to arouse the subjects’ higher awe ( M with human elements  = 6.06 vs. M without human elements  = 6.20, F (1,221) = 4.968, p  < 0.05). When giving the subjective experience text reviews, there was no significant difference in awe when using pictures with and without human elements ( M with human elements  = 6.06 vs. M without human elements  = 5.89, F (1,217) = 2.881, p  > 0.05).

Third, bootstrapping was used to test the mediating roles of psychological distance and awe (PROCESS, Model 8, 5000 samples) (Hayes 2013 ). For psychological distance, mediation was significant in the context of subjective experience reviews ( β  = −0.1307, 95% confidence interval LLCI = −0.2460, ULCI = −0.0159). However, the mediating effect was not significant in the context of cultural attribute reviews ( β  = 0.0706, 95% confidence interval LLCI = −0.0553, ULCI = 0.2023). Mediation was not significant in the context of subjective experience reviews ( β  = −0.0324, 95% CI: LLCI = −0.0935, ULCI = 0.0039). However, its mediating effect was significant in the context of cultural attribute reviews ( β  = 0.0285, 95% confidence interval LLCI = 0.0034, ULCI = 0.0779). Above all, we assume that the data of H2 and H3 are valid in Fig. 5 .

* p  < 0.05; ** p  < 0.01; and *** p  < 0.001; ns means p  > 0.05.

In Study 3, the matching effect of human elements and review types (H1) was again verified for Chengqi Earth Building, China. It further reveals that psychological distance and awe play mediating roles in the matching effect of human elements and review types on online interactive behaviours (H2 and H3).

Conclusions and discussion

Conclusions.

Through three scenario experiments, this study analysed the matching effect of human elements and review types in the UGA of heritage sites. It further reveals the influence mechanism of user-generated graphic-text advertising on the online interactive behaviour of potential tourists against the background of heritage tourism.

The human elements and review types of UGA have matching effects, which can impact potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours

Specifically, graphics with human elements in user-generated graphic-text advertising are more consistent with subjective experience text reviews. Graphics without human elements are more compatible with cultural attribute text reviews, both of which can improve potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours. Hypotheses H1a and H1b were verified.

There are dual mediating mechanisms in the interaction effects of human elements and review types of user-generated graphic-text advertising on potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours

For UGA with a human element in the graphics, subjective experience comments (as opposed to cultural attribute reviews) can also improve potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours through psychological distance. For UGA with no human elements in the picture, cultural attribute reviews (as opposed to subjective experience reviews) can also improve potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours through awe.

Theoretical implications

Our research extends the research of uga to the field of heritage tourism and broadens the application of advertising marketing theory in the field of heritage tourism.

UGA and heritage tourism research has produced rich theoretical results (Guo and Jiang 2023 ; Martinez-Navarro and Bigne 2022 ; Liu et al. 2022 ; Yin et al. 2023 ). However, at present, there is still a lack of comprehensive research on the advertising content of heritage tourism, and few scholars have discussed the influence of advertising graphics on tourists’ behaviour in the context of heritage tourism (Miao et al. 2021 ). The research on heritage tourism marketing from graphic and text content composition of UGA has been ignored. In addition, heritage tourism is a form of tourism with strong cultural attributes and characteristics. Therefore, more heritage tourism destinations use UGA for marketing publicity to attract tourists to participate in the interaction and improve the advertising effect (Wang et al. 2022 ). In particular, UGA is a source for tourists to search for heritage tourism information (Wang et al. 2022 ). In conclusion, by focusing on the interactive influence of user-generated graphic-text advertising on potential tourists of heritage tourism, our study realises the theoretical echo and continuation of advertising marketing research. It also further reveals the formation process of potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours in the heritage tourism marketing context and provides theoretical explanations for heritage tourism advertising marketing.

Our study reveals the matching effect and internal mechanism of human elements and review types in UGA, which strengthens the understanding and application of schema theory

Previous studies have explored the influence of UGA graphic elements, mainly focusing on the comparison of the influence of graphic elements on user attraction (Pickering et al. 2020 ). However, as important graphic information in UGA, the matching effect of human elements and review types of UGA from the perspective of potential tourists has not been analysed. Therefore, this study reveals that graphics with human elements in user-generated advertising are more compatible with subjective experience text reviews. Graphics without cultural elements are more in line with cultural attributes, and text comments can improve the online interaction behaviour of potential tourists. Then, our findings reveal the mechanism of graphic matching in the UGA marketing of heritage tourism from the matching perspective. In addition, schema theory points out the interaction between images and texts (Xu et al. 2008 ), and relevant studies focus on the matching of images and texts (Wang and Chen 2018 ). Based on the existing research, by exploring the matching effect between human elements in pictures and types of text comments in specific UGA situations, we can further understand the applicability of schema theory in different environments or situations, and its performance in predicting different outcomes. This will help concretise the application of schema theory and provide feasible guidance for future schema theory research and graphic marketing practice.

Our study confirms that the matching effect of human elements and review type in user-generated advertising can be conducted through psychological distance and awe. The study systematically reveals the process black box of the influence of heritage tourism UGA on potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours

Previous studies have emphasised the roles of psychological distance and awe in UGA and tourist behaviour areas, important links that influence heritage tourist behaviour (Gursoy et al. 2022 ; Phillips et al. 2020 ; Wu and Lai 2023 ). However, the roles of psychological distance and awe in the relationship between UGA graphic content and users’ online interactive behaviours are rarely discussed. Therefore, our study introduced psychological distance and awe as mediating variables, which deepens people’s understanding of the mechanism of user-generated graphic-text advertising in heritage tourism and expands the theoretical applications of psychological distance and awe.

Managerial implications

Heritage tourism marketers should pay attention to uga image matching strategies to improve potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours in heritage tourism.

The results showed that the matching of human elements and review types of user-generated graphic-text advertising can improve potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours. Therefore, in the advertising and marketing of heritage tourism, tourists’ subjective experience text reviews matching pictures with human elements can be selected for advertising and marketing, which helps improve potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours. For pictures without human elements, matching cultural attribute text reviews should be selected for marketing promotion.

Moreover, heritage tourism marketers should pay attention to tourists’ psychological reactions and implement accurate marketing strategies

The results reveal that psychological distance and awe are critical factors for potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours. When conducting UGA marketing, our research can enrich the experiential expression of characters and words in pictures. UGA with more experience and presence is designed to narrow the psychological distance of potential tourists and promote their online interactive behaviours, thereby improving the advertising and marketing effect when religions, mausoleums and sites have their own solemn and awe-inspiring heritage tourism places (Yan et al. 2024 ). UGA design should reduce the appearance of character images and use more solemn sentences to enrich the advertising content (Jiang et al. 2022 ). The sense of seriousness and awe of cultural heritage sites can be established and help to improve the psychological cognition of tourists in this way, and potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours can be promoted to achieve better advertising and marketing.

Research limitations and future research directions

This study discusses the interactive effects of human elements and review type in UGA on potential tourists’ online interactive behaviours. However, we overlook the possible effects on variables such as experience intention and participation behaviour. Additionally, the study discusses the matching effect of human elements and review types and subdivides graphic elements according to graphic types such as human elements and review types. Some studies also subdivide according to variables such as brightness and colour. In the future, our studies can incorporate dynamic forms such as video and animation to broaden the extensibility of research conclusions. Finally, our study adopts the scenario experiment method to explore the internal causality. In the future, the conclusion can obtain cross-veridiction by analysing and tracking the reaction and behaviour data of internet platform users to heritage tourism destinations (Zhang et al. 2023b ).

Data availability

The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/Supplementary Material (Data Sets), further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Social Science Foundation of China (No. 23BGL320): The influence mechanism and realisation path of agricultural heritage activation on rural residents’ well-being.

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These authors contributed equally: Youcheng Chen, Sunbowen Zhang.

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College of Digital Economy, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Quanzhou, 362400, Fujian, China

Youcheng Chen, Sunbowen Zhang & Yongqiang Ma

College of Tourism, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou, 362021, Fujian, China

Wenqi Ruan, Meiyu Wang & Yan Zhou

International School of Cultural Tourism, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, 310015, Zhejiang, China

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Conceptualisation: YM and SZ; methodology: YZ, SZ and YC; software: MW; validation: YM, SZ and YC; formal analysis: WR and SZ; investigation: SZ; resources: YC and YM; data curation: YM and SZ; writing—original draft preparation: WR and YM; writing—review and editing: YM and MW; supervision: YC and SZ; project administration: WR and YM; funding acquisition: YM and WR. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Chen, Y., Zhang, S., Ruan, W. et al. What kind of UGA is effective for heritage tourism marketing? Matching effects of human elements and review types. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 11 , 1114 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03613-1

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03613-1

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Shanghai rolls out selected travel routes for inbound tourists

The inbound tourism of Shanghai has shown a speedy recovery, welcoming over 3 million international visitors in the first half of this year, a 140 percent increase over the same period last year.

The tourism boom has been driven by the resumption of international flights after the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of visitor-friendly policies such as visa-free transit.

To meet the diverse needs of inbound tourists, the city has introduced 121 selected travel routes , according to Zhong Xiaomin, director of the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism.

The itineraries range from half-day mini tours to six-day in-depth tours and cover a variety of themes such as culture, leisure, and urban attractions.

Half-day tours such as the Huangpu River Night Cruise and the Suzhou Creek Hike are designed for time-poor visitors who want to quickly experience Shanghai's special attractions.

One-day tours cover themes such as architecture, intangible cultural heritage, strolls in ancient towns, and riverside excursions.

Three-day city tours offer routes such as "New Trends in Old Shanghai" and "Exploring the Classic and Riverside Charm of Shanghai".

In addition, four, five, and six-day itineraries have been introduced to allow visitors to experience the appeal of everyday life and appreciate the historical charms of the metropolis through neighborhood visits, city walks, gourmet tours, and cultural activities.

To better serve foreign tourists, the city has produced an English-language traveler's guide that addresses frequently asked questions regarding payment, transportation, communication, visas and other issues.

Source: Shanghai Observer

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