The development of heritage tourism based on selected examples in Poland

Authors

  • Kamila Ziółkowska-Weiss Pedagogical University of Cracow, Institute of Geography, Department of Tourism and Regional Research
  • Marcin Popiel Jagiellonian University, Institute of Geography and Spatial Management

Keywords:

heritage tourism, cultural tourism, castles, sustainable development

Abstract

Currently tourism is an important sector of the national economy. For many countries and regions it is one of the objectives of economic activity, and also one of the measures of socio-economic development. Therefore, to present potential and tourist offer to attract tourists, one must organize, promote and introduce travel products. History and tradition are considered most interesting for tourists. Therefore, cultural travels, or those related to heritage, are based on the longing for the past and the desire to experience a variety of landscapes. The tourists themselves wish to create their experiences through personal contact with historical value of particular region or place. Castles have always attracted tourists and were the first objects considered as the largest tourist attractions. There are 416 castles in Poland. Some of them have been successfully restored, but some are slowly falling into disrepair. The tourism sector provides visitors with a unique opportunity to experience history by coming into direct contact with it. This is made possible by introducing innovative solutions and transforming the castles into hotels and conference venues. This is followed by a sustainable development and balance between the past and the modernity, as the tourism sector saves old monuments, giving them new features. The purpose of this article is to present the development of heritage tourism and its benefits from the point of view of culture; tradition and tourism; local community; and economy. Polish castles transformed into hotels and conference venues are used in this article as examples of great innovations and restoration of historic buildings.

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Strony internetowe:

http://www.nid.pl/pl/Informacje_ogolne/Zabytki_w_Polsce/Ewidencja_zabytkow/ (2014.04.25)

http://www.unwto.org (2014.04.05)

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Published

2014-10-01

Issue

Vol. 7

Section

Articles

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