Cultural Tourism's Impacts on Rural Landscapes: The Opportunities and Challenges and how these can be addressed in the 1999 Cultural Tourism Charter Review

Abstract

The knowledge cafe session will focus on the sustainability implications of cultural tourism development on rural landscapes and resulting impacts for tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Specifically, the session would focus on the relationship between rural heritage and tourism and how issues can be addressed in the updating of the ICOMOS Cultural Tourism Charter, and relate to the tourism-focused Sustainable Development Goal Targets.

Full text

RURAL HERITAGE- LANDSCAPES AND BEYOND
PATRIMOINE RURAL - PAYSAGES ET AU-DELÀ
ICOMOS Advisory Committee Scientific Symposium
Symposium scientifique du Conseil consultatif de l’ICOMOS
17 October 2019 at Marrakesh, Morocco
17 octobre 2019 à Marrakech, Maroc
Cultural Tourism's Impacts on Rural Landscapes:
The Opportunities and Challenges and how these can be addressed in
the 1999 Cultural Tourism Charter Review
Fergus Tyler Maclaren (ICOMOS ICTC), Celia Martínez Yañez (University of Granada),
Ivan Henares (University of the Philippines)

Presentation Outline
•Brief presentation of the 1999 Charter review process (Martínez).
•Tourism degrees of impact (positive and negative) on rural
landscapes (Henares).
•Tourism, climate change and the SDGs on rural landscapes
(Maclaren).
•Charter Renewal Discussion (All plus audience)
•Conclusions (Martínez)
Rural Heritage- Landscapes and Beyond 17-Oct-2019 Patrimoine Rural - Paysages et Au-Delà Maclaren, Martínez and Henares

ICOMOS’ Long Involvement in Tourism
Rural Heritage- Landscapes and Beyond 17-Oct-2019 Patrimoine Rural - Paysages et Au-Delà Maclaren, Martínez and Henares
Set up of the ISC on Cultural Tourism (ICTC) in 1970s.
Evaluation and monitoring the conservation status of
UNESCO WH cultural properties, including tourism impacts.
Involvement in UN programmes and crucial publications.
First International Cultural Tourism Charter (1976) and
revised International Cultural Tourism Charter - Managing
Tourism at Places of Heritage Significance (1999).

1999 Cultural Tourism Charter Background
Incorporated a holistic vision of the diverse sustainability
implications.
Applied an approach especially focused on communities.
Adopted by ICOMOS at the 12th GA in Mexico, October 1999.
Rural Heritage- Landscapes and Beyond 17-Oct-2019 Patrimoine Rural - Paysages et Au-Delà Maclaren, Martínez and Henares

Initiating the Charter Renewal Process
"Cultural Heritage Conservation & Sustainable Tourism -
International Cultural Tourism Charter Review +20" held in
Florence in May 2017.
Creation of Florence Declaration on Cultural Heritage
Conservation and Sustainable Tourism for Development.
Adopted at ICOMOS 19th GA in Delhi as Res. 19GA 2017/20.
Rural Heritage- Landscapes and Beyond 17-Oct-2019 Patrimoine Rural - Paysages et Au-Delà Maclaren, Martínez and Henares

Cultural Tourism Charter Review Goal 1
Include current trends in heritage identification, protection,
dissemination and sustainable and participative development
among its principles.
Rural Heritage- Landscapes and Beyond 17-Oct-2019 Patrimoine Rural - Paysages et Au-Delà Maclaren, Martínez and Henares

Cultural Tourism Charter Review Goal 2 and 3
Raise awareness of the degrees of tourism’s impact (positive and
negative) on heritage properties.
Encourage all ICOMOS ISC involvement in process, as thematic
areas are impacted by tourism.
Rural Heritage- Landscapes and Beyond 17-Oct-2019 Patrimoine Rural - Paysages et Au-Delà Maclaren, Martínez and Henares

Cultural Tourism Charter Review Goal 4
Support and empower ICOMOS members in tourism
management efforts, support wider ICOMOS integration and
alignment in new document, and achieve a better understanding
of current tourism problematics within ICOMOS and beyond.
Rural Heritage- Landscapes and Beyond 17-Oct-2019 Patrimoine Rural - Paysages et Au-Delà Maclaren, Martínez and Henares

Cultural Tourism Charter Review Goal 5
Produce an updated doctrinal document which will be able to:
Confront the several complex and multi-layered facets of heritage
preservation and destination/visitor management.
Enhance ICOMOS/ICTC credibility and relevance in a tourism and
conservation scenario that has changed dramatically this century.
Rural Heritage- Landscapes and Beyond 17-Oct-2019 Patrimoine Rural - Paysages et Au-Delà Maclaren, Martínez and Henares

Cultural Landscape and Tourism Opportunities
Possible laboratories of sustainable tourism practices.
Sustainable tourism can enhance communities’ life quality and
identity: diversifying local economies, protecting rural tangible
and intangible heritage and reducing rural exodus.
Rural Heritage- Landscapes and Beyond 17-Oct-2019 Patrimoine Rural - Paysages et Au-Delà Authors Family Name-Nom de famille des auteurs

Cultural Landscape and Tourism Challenges
Scarce examples of carrying capacity indicators in rural and
cultural landscapes
Ethical and conservation issues: human and traditional activities
recognition and support is crucial to maintain and preserve rural
landscapes. How will tourism impact on them?
Rural Heritage- Landscapes and Beyond 17-Oct-2019 Patrimoine Rural - Paysages et Au-Delà Maclaren, Martínez and Henares

Useful Cultural Landscape/Tourism References
ICOMOS-IFLA Principles Concerning Rural Landscapes as Heritage
(2017).
Charter of Baeza on Agrarian Heritage (PAGO Project 2003).
Rural Heritage- Landscapes and Beyond 17-Oct-2019 Patrimoine Rural - Paysages et Au-Delà Maclaren, Martínez and Henares

Next Steps
Align draft with ICOMOS’ and other relevant organizations’
principles (i.e., SDGs, UNESCO and UNWTO doctrinal docs,
UNESCO WHST Programme and VMAT).
Present draft to 2019 ICOMOS AGA, Board, ADCOM, SC and
Scientific Symposium and open the review process to all ICOMOS
ISCs, National Committees, and individual members.
Present final draft for adoption at ICOMOS 2020 GA in Sydney.
Rural Heritage- Landscapes and Beyond 17-Oct-2019 Patrimoine Rural - Paysages et Au-Delà Maclaren, Martínez and Henares

Charter Renewal Discussion
What recommendations would you make regarding cultural tourism
and the following operational additions:
Equitable gender participation
Reinforcing support for indigenous groups
Climate change and SDGs
Carrying capacity
Professionalization of heritage dissemination and
interpretation
Conservation awareness among the tourism sector
Rural Heritage- Landscapes and Beyond 17-Oct-2019 Patrimoine Rural - Paysages et Au-Delà Maclaren, Martínez and Henares

Conclusions
Knowledge Café session wrap-up, key points, new information.
For further input, please contact:
Fergus Maclaren – ftmaclaren@gmail.com
Celia Martínez Yañez - celiayanez78@yahoo.es
Ivan Henares - ivanhenares@up.edu.ph
Rural Heritage- Landscapes and Beyond 17-Oct-2019 Patrimoine Rural - Paysages et Au-Delà Maclaren, Martínez and Henares