Culture and Tourism
Every society has its own distinct culture. The cradle of civilization
developing inside that society forms a certain set of beliefs and norms.
Today, most of the ancient cultures that are basically the foundation of the
modern civilization slowly become forgotten and extinct. This happens because
of the changing generations taking for granted these precious cultures. However,
due to the revolutionary movements concerned about preserving the past, they
had found the way in educating the people particularly the youth about a certain
culture in an interesting way. Culture suddenly becomes an associated word with
tourism.
Cultural tourism involves the immersion of tourists in a country or region’s
specific culture including its history, geographical areas, religion and other factors
that helped shaping the way of life of people. Cultural tourism usually showcases
the traditions and culture of indigenous communities particularly their lifestyle and
values. This form of tourism started to be popular in the recent years because
tourists spend substantially than the usual visits to other places. They do not only
enjoy seeing a different view of the world but they are also educated in another
way. Moreover, cultural tourism paves way for regional development throughout
the world.
However, one of the major advantages in developing cultural tourism in a
certain region is its economical impact. In Zimbabwe, community-based tourism
has the potential in filling the gap of the economic downturn the country has been
experiencing. Numerous rural tourist projects contribute to the economic
development improving the standards of living through employment creation and
building of infrastructures. Zimbabwe adopted the concept of Communal Areas
Management Program for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE) as a part of
efforts in encouraging rural communities in participating in managing and
conserving natural resources through utilization. Private interests operating
CAMPFIRE provide a diverse offering of cultural tourism varying to wilderness
experience, sport fishing, bird watching, hiking, cultural centers, cave paintings
and camp sites. Local inhabitants are assisted in managing their natural and
cultural resources in a sustainable manner deriving resources from the income in
cultural tourism packages. Local people should take the effort in preserving the
cultural resources not just to continue attracting tourists but also because it is
their own culture.
Moreover, the appeal of cultural tourism has a different impact on the
younger generations. While the relationship between culture, heritage, natural
environment and tourism has received a great amount of attention in various
parts of the world, people has yet to understand in defining common interests
and discovering ways in developing strong beneficial mutual relationship that
conserves natural, cultural and human resources. With the advancements of
technology in terms of communication, it is not the distance that separates the
world but the variation of cultural heritage. People participating in cultural tourism
are usually with a higher degree of knowledge. Most of them are interested in
seeing and understanding the natural environment and its wildlife in the context
of life of indigenous people. The approach in integrating cultural tourism with its
local people should be directed towards the respect of travelers into the host
community and its surrounding environment. Cultural heritage sums up the
community’s beliefs and values acquiring a shared behavior due to living in a
defined group and environment.
On the other hand, environmentalists and conservationists should
collaborate with officials developing cultural tourism to have mutual working
relationships that would benefit all parties. Environmentalists and
conservationists know more in preserving such resources, thus, they are the one
knowledgeable enough on which aspects travelers could interfere. People should
know that not only wildlife and natural environment are in the risk of irreversible
damage – human beings particularly indigenous people are under threat as well
dangerously in the verge of possible extinction. What the experts and
communities should do is to collaborate in utilizing cultural heritage while not
destroying it.
Cultural tourism undeniably brings a major impact in economic
development. But, without proper guidelines in utilizing cultural heritage
resources and communities of indigenous people, they will be largely affected
threatening their life and their habitat. Developing cultural tourism practices are
necessary in experiencing a different kind of immersion without damaging the
resources who give knowledge to the tourists in the first place.
References:
Community-based tourism growing in Zimbabwe, September 2006, http://english.peopledaily.com.cn
Tourism Vital for Economic Development, July 2009, http://allafrica.com
Zimbabwe go for cultural tourism, June 2009, http://www.afrol.com
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment