Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Island Heritage-scape (IH-s) Tips


This month’s featured IH-s Tips: Shaping an Island Heritage (tourism) spectrum 

Island heritage (tourism) spectra seek to recognize, celebrate, promote, and develop the identity and way of life of island people. Points to consider:

Think outside the box: cultural heritage experience is boundless.

Be guided by the ‘identity’ and way of life of your island people.

Recognize social values of your island heritage above all else.

Respect those values. There are some heritage assets that are sacred and should never be ‘exposed’ to outside scrutiny; except in controlled settings.

That said, islands must also think ‘heritage business’ to be locally and globally relevant and competitive. Don’t be timid about exploiting your cultural resources; simply be responsible in your approach.

Be inclusive. Stakeholder collaborations are important for sustainability.

Be open to sustained heritage education. Basic heritage conservation and safeguarding skills is not to be frowned on. Engage your local heritage agencies for stakeholder training including local communities; schools; businesses. 

Finally, the world is at your finger tips. Make it both your stage to shine and market to conquer!

We welcome your thoughts, queries (box below) or email islandheritagescape@gmail.com.

No comments:

Post a Comment