National Trust
Heritage Tourism Program
Five Principles for Successful and
Sustainable Cultural Heritage Tourism
How did it start?
The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Heritage Tourism Program coordinated a
three year “Heritage Tourism Initiative” with funding from the National Endowment
for Arts between 1990 and 1993. During that time, the Heritage Tourism Program
worked with 16 pilot areas in four states (Indiana, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin)
to see what it took to create heritage tourism programs that were both successful
and sustainable.
This initiative resulted in the development of the National Trust for Historic
Preservation's five guiding principles and four basic steps for getting started in
cultural heritage tourism. Over the years, these principles and steps have been
successfully used in cultural heritage tourism programs in rural and urban areas
across America as well as abroad.
Developing cultural heritage tourism is an incremental process, and communities will
repeat the four steps at each stage of development. Keep in mind that developing a
strong cultural heritage program will require an investment and a commitment—an
investment of financial resources and a commitment of human resources including
strong leadership.
Not every community can have a successful cultural heritage tourism program.
Communities that have lost too much of their heritage, or not nurtured their
cultural potential may not have the historic, cultural and natural resources it takes
to develop a program that will attract cultural heritage visitors.
This information is adapted from the book “Getting Started: How to Succeed in
Heritage Tourism.”
Principle One: Collaborate
A. Much more can be accomplished by working together than by working
alone. Successful cultural heritage tourism programs bring together
partners who may not have worked together in the past.
B. Building partnerships is essential, not just because they help develop
local support, but also because tourism demands resources that no
single organization can supply. Its success depends on the active
participation of political leaders, business leaders, operators of tourist
sites, artists and craftspeople, hotel/motel operators, and many other
people and groups.
C. Regional partnerships are also useful to cultural heritage tourism efforts.
Cooperating in a regional arrangement lets you develop regional
themes, pool resources, save money and expand your marketing
potential. Those resources include not only money for marketing
campaigns, for example, but also facilities (accommodations for
travelers, say) or expertise in tourism, preservation, the arts or another
area.
Advantages
1. Financial Incentives – Funding is at the top of everyone’s list these days, and
there never seems to be enough! Partnerships stretch limited budgets further.
2. Program Development – For example, an organization which owns a historic
home may not have the resources to develop extensive programming, but by
working with other attractions, thematic tours could be developed to tell a
broader story.
3. Increasing Product Offerings – New programs give visitors more to do, increasing
the chances that they will stay in your area longer and spend more money.
4. Define New Markets and New Tactics to Reach Those Markets – Marketing is
expensive, so sharing the costs of advertising, direct mail and promotions can
help reach new markets in a cost effective way.
5. Put a New Spin on an Old Product – Partnerships create opportunities for making
an established attraction “new” through packaging and programming.
6. Benefit from Your Partner’s Expertise and Reputation – Partnerships allow you to
share in the good name and quality reputation of another attraction or heritage
area, or share the expertise between partners.
7. Strengthen Relationships Between Industries – Working together on a successful
heritage tourism partnership paves the way and provides examples for others to
do the same.
8. Set the Stage for Future Partnerships – Success breeds success! Once you’ve
been involved in a successful partnership, you’ll welcome the opportunity for
more.
potential partners
Consider the needs of your project or promotion, and then consider what
partners are needed to make it a success. Potential partners might
include:
1. Businesses – Loaned executives and development of materials such as
newsletters and brochures, financial assistance and many other resources
can be cultivated through business collaborations.
2. Tourism Organizations – Pooling funds for advertising, regional promotions,
inclusion in local and regional marketing collateral pieces and sharing
expenses of programs such as hospitality training are just a few benefits of
working with your local and state tourism organizations.
3. Heritage sites and areas – Knowledge of the area’s history for publications
and press materials, shared consulting fees, and creating critical mass
(enough sites promoted jointly to make the destination worth the drive)
result from working with heritage sites and areas.
4. Cultural Organizations- Local visual and performing arts organizations can
help to enhance the visitor experience.
5. Other nonprofits – Nonprofits such as historical groups, schools and
churches have many of the same needs. Sharing resources such as
materials, event equipment and volunteers will benefit everyone.
Principle Two: Find the Fit between the Community & Tourism
Balancing the needs of residents and visitors is important to ensure that cultural heritage tourism
benefits everyone. It is important to understand the kind and amount of tourism that your
community can handle.
A. Local priorities vary. So do local capabilities. In other words, local circumstances determine what
your area needs to do and can do in cultural heritage tourism. Programs that succeed have
widespread local acceptance and meet recognized local needs. They are also realistic, based on
the talents of specific people as well as on specific attractions, accommodations, and sources of
support and enthusiasm.
B. One of the reasons cultural heritage tourism is on the rise in the United States is that travelers are
seeking out experiences that are distinctive, not homogenized. They want to get the feel of a very
particular place or time. You can supply that experience, and benefit in the process—but only if
your cultural heritage tourism program is firmly grounded in local circumstances.
C. Base your cultural heritage tourism program on what is appropriate and sustainable for your area.
1. Do the residents of your area want tourism?
2. Why do they want it?
3. Are there certain times of year or certain places they do NOT want to share?
4. How will tourism revenues improve life in your area and affect services such as fire and police
protection?
5. What is the maximum number of cars or buses your area can handle? On roads? In parking lots?
6. Can you accommodate group tours? Do sites accommodate at least forty people at once with
amenities such as restrooms, snacks, and a seating area?
7. Can you accommodate visitors with disabilities or special needs?
D. Cultural heritage tourism programs, when done right, make a community a better
place to live as well as a better place to visit.
E. Celebrating a community’s heritage also instills pride in residents. It is critical to
balance the needs of residents and visitors and respect the carrying capacity that a
community has to accommodate tourism so that everyone benefits.
F. Understanding the kind and amount of tourism that your community can handle is
the key to success in this principle. Among the benefits of finding the fit are:
1. A successful cultural heritage tourism program encourages additional investment
locally.
2. Residents provide a hospitable welcome to visitors.
3. Residents take pride in knowing about their community’s history and the
location of various attractions and sharing this information with visitors.
4. Knowing that a cultural heritage tourism program is being developed can
encourage a community to look at its historic resources with fresh eyes and result
in efforts to preserve and protect these irreplaceable treasures.
5. Residents can be among the first to benefit from a cultural heritage tourism
program with the creation of new jobs.
6. Residents can provide a pool of volunteers to get involved with heritage
attractions as tour guides, event organizers, board members or donors.
7. The program can dispel fears that a tourism program will be run by big
corporations or “outsiders” by continually soliciting the involvement of the
community.
G. Begin by talking to residents about their expectations and concerns about heritage
tourism.
Principle Three: Make Sites and Programs Come Alive
A. Competition for time is fierce. To attract visitors, you must be sure that the destination is worth the drive. The
human drama of history is what visitors want to discover, not just names and dates. Interpreting sites is
important, and so is making the message creative and exciting. Find ways to engage as many of the visitor’s five
senses as you can, as the more visitors are involved, the more they will retain.
B. On average, visitors will remember:
1. 10% of what they hear
2. 30% of what they read
3. 50% of what they see
4. 90% of what they do
C. As leisure time dwindles and competition continues to increase in the tourism industry, looking for creative ways
to bring your heritage or cultural attraction to life becomes even more important. Keep in mind that today’s
visitors are more sophisticated and well traveled than previous generations, adding to the challenge of drawing
visitors to your cultural or heritage attraction.
D. To attract visitors, the experience that you offer must be compelling and should engage as many of the visitor’s
five senses as possible.
E. Today’s travelers are looking for experiences that engage all five senses — At a minimum, provide opportunities
for visitors to ask questions and make comments about their own knowledge and experiences.
1. Demonstrations, or better yet, hands-on activities for visitors will ensure a memorable experience. Special
events can be a manageable way to provide experiences such as living history, reenactments, performances,
candlelight tours or other interactive activities at certain times of the year.
2. Reveal what happens “behind the scenes” — Who is the artist, and how do they create their art? What went
into designing the exhibit or performance? How was this historic building restored to its former glory?
3. Relate to their own personal experiences — When experiencing historic homes or areas, how does this
compare to the ways we live today? How is this area like (or different from) the area where the visitor lives? A
good tour guide will find out where visitors are from and what they are interested in and tailor the tour
experience accordingly.
4. Relate to a larger historical context — How does a heritage experience fit into the larger context of local,
regional or even national history?
5. Make them think— Rather than providing all the answers, use the experience to pose questions. What do
you think…? Can you imagine…? Can you find…?
Tips for Interpretative Planning
In today’s busy world, it is more challenging than ever to attract visitors. There are many things
competing for time, including:
1. Other cultural & heritage attractions
2. Other tourism attractions
3. Other leisure activities
4. Family and work obligations
G. Once you attract a visitor, it is important to meet their basic needs first. Even the best interpretive
programs will not be effective if visitors are thinking about:
1. Food
2. Restroom
3. Temperature
4. Comfort
5. Safety
6. Schedule/timetable
7. Ability to see/hear
H. When you tell your story, be sure to…
1. Include lots of visuals
2. Keep text short
3. Make visitors think
4. Encourage interaction
I. Choose Your Words Carefully
1. Use simple words
2. Use active language
3. Use references visitors can relate to consider different perceptions of the same word
Principle Four: Focus on Quality and Authenticity
Quality is an essential ingredient for all cultural heritage tourism, and
authenticity is critical whenever heritage or history is involved.
A. The true story of your area is the one worth telling. The story of the
authentic contributions previous generations have made to the history and
culture of where you live is the one that will interest visitors, because that is
what distinguishes your area from every other place on earth. It’s
authenticity that adds real value and appeal. Your area is unique, and its
special charm is what will draw visitors. By doing the job right—by focusing
on authenticity and quality—you give your area the edge.
B. There is an old saying that “truth is stranger than fiction.” In reference to
cultural and heritage sites, perhaps it would better be expressed as “truth is
more interesting than fiction.” Telling the real, authentic story ensures that
visitors will have a fuller understanding of your community, region, heritage
or cultural site. Visitors have a right to expect that they are being told the
truth when they travel for a heritage experience. Insisting on quality in
every area – from restoration to interpretation to collateral materials –
ensures that you are offering visitors the best possible experience.
C. Getting to the authentic story of a community or a heritage site requires
commitment and an investment of time. So how do you make sure your heritage
tourism program reflects authenticity and quality? Consider the following:
1. Research – Reviewing all available documents and photographs, conducting oral
history interviews, and examining a historic building’s structure are just a few kinds
of research to gather accurate information. Although volunteers can be helpful, it is
important to seek trained professionals whenever possible.
2. Training – Ongoing training of guides who interact with the public is essential.
Guides must learn to present the most accurate information available – and must
not editorialize.
3. Materials – Self-guided walking or driving tour publications, promotional
brochures, exhibit labels and other information presented to the public must be
checked and rechecked to ensure accuracy.
4. Interpretation – When planning a tour of a historic site or heritage area, many
decisions must be made. Will the interpreters be in costume? Will the tour be
presented in a living history format? Will there be demonstrations of daily activities
from an earlier time period? If the answer is yes, the research process begins again
to make sure that costumes are authentic and that interpreters are able to stay “in
character” and know how to utilize equipment or tools from previous eras.
5. Preservation – An authentic restoration is essential if you plan to interpret the
buildings as part of a heritage tourism program. As with research, it is critical to
seek professional assistance to ensure a quality restoration.
6. Presentation – Whether searching for furnishings of the appropriate period for a
historic site, or recruiting local artisans for a crafts show, keep in mind the need for
authenticity and quality in your decisions.
Lancaster County’s Authenticity Guidelines
1. The Role of Authenticity. Lancaster, Pennsylvania was one of the first U.S. destinations to create authenticity guidelines to
qualify heritage sites and attractions. The county defined an authentic resource as a site, service or event that reflects
a community’s (cultural) heritage. A resource shows evidence of authenticity through the survival of features that
existed during its period of significance, and through its association with historic events, persons, architectural or
engineering design, or technology. It is not necessary for a resource to retain all of the features that it had during its
period of significance, but it must retain the features that enable it to convey all of its historic identity or its
relationship to a cultural tradition. The county created different criteria for each type of authentic resource: site,
service and event.
2. Heritage Site is a landscape, streetscape, building, object, or collection of objects that meet the Authenticity Guidelines
established by Lancaster County Heritage. In order to be eligible for Heritage Site designation, a resource must also be
open to the general public with regular established hours, and must directly interpret some aspect of Lancaster
County.s heritage. For a landscape, streetscape, building, structure or object, evidence of authenticity is strengthened
by listing on, or eligibility for listing on, the National Register of Historic Places. For an object or collection of objects,
evidence of authenticity is strengthened by interpretation that meets professional curatorial standards.
3. A Heritage Service is a research facility, tour, lodging facility or dining facility that meets the Authenticity Guidelines
established by Lancaster County Heritage. In order to be eligible for Heritage Service designation, a resource must also
be open to the general public with regular established hours, and must directly interpret some aspect of Lancaster
County’s heritage. Authentic interpretation conveys information about a community’s cultural heritage through an
accurate, objective portrayal of people, sites, places or events. This information must be made available to visitors
through signage, printed materials or other media, exhibits, or tours.
4. A Heritage Event is an activity that meets the Authenticity Guidelines established by Lancaster County Heritage. In order
to be eligible for Heritage Event designation, an activity must also be open to the general public, must be scheduled on
a regular basis at least once annually, and must directly interpret some aspect of Lancaster County's heritage.
5. A Heritage Event is classified as one of two types:
a. A Traditional Heritage Event is a commonplace activity that is rooted in local culture. This activity must demonstrate
a clear relationship to the cultural tradition that is being expressed, and must be promoted accordingly.
b. An Interpretive Heritage Event is a staged activity reflecting cultural tradition and designated to be educational. This
activity must clearly indicate the historic time period, season of the year, and location being interpreted, and must be
Principle Five: Preserve and Protect Resources. A community’s
cultural, historic, and natural resources are valuable an often
irreplaceable.
A. As a good look around almost any city or town will show, people are often tempted to provide a quick fix of “band-aid”
solution—to cover up an old storefront inexpensively, for example, rather than to restore it. But when your historic and
cultural assets are at the heart of your plans to develop tourism, it’s essential to protect them for the long term.
1. Hearts break when irreplaceable structures are destroyed or damaged beyond repair, instead of preserved and
protected as they deserve. A plaque pointing out “on this site a great building once stood” can’t tell that story.
2. Equally tragic is the loss of traditions: a way of crafting wood or farming, of celebrating holidays or feasting on “old
world” cuisine. The preservation and perpetuation of traditions is important to telling the story of the people who
settled the land. By protecting the buildings, landscape or special places and qualities that attract visitors, you
safeguard the future.
B. Your community’s cultural, historic, natural and folklife resources are irreplaceable elements of a cultural heritage
tourism experience. Travelers will not spend much time in an area that only offers the opportunity to read signs
commemorating buildings that no longer stand or to hear about traditions that no longer exist. These resources are
tangible reminders of your community’s past and are essential in telling your story to visitors. To preserve and protect
resources, consider the following:
1. Costs – What is the initial financial investment required and what are the ongoing costs?
2. Timeline – How long will it take and how does that fit in with the overall timeline?
3. Skills – What skills are needed? Craftsmen? Environmental experts? Folklorist? Exhibit Designer?
4. Preservation and Conservation Plan – Do you have a comprehensive preservation and conservation plan in place?
5. Long-term Impact – Have you evaluated the needs for a heritage or cultural resource that will be receiving visitors?
Does your historic building need stronger floors to support large numbers of visitors? Does the park you are creating
need security officers patrolling to make sure no one starts a campfire in an unauthorized area? Do you need to
evaluate how many visitors a craftsperson can accommodate in his workshop?
6. Balancing Preservation and Promotion – How much visitation you can handle? How does this affect marketing
decisions about how heritage and cultural resources are promoted?
7. Community Education – Have you developed programs to increase local awareness and appreciation of heritage and
cultural resources and to build support for their preservation and protection?
8. Partnerships – Have you established the necessary partnerships among preservationists, historians, tourism
promoters, heritage resources and others to successfully work together?
Keys to Preserving and Protecting Resources
Your community’s most valued historic, cultural and natural resources should be the
centerpiece of your cultural heritage tourism attractions. In order to ensure that
your effort are sustainable, take the time to identify your most valued resources,
educate the community about their value, and be sure that measures so that
future generations may enjoy those resources too.
1. Principle #1: Inventory. Identify and prioritize significant natural, cultural and
historic resources. It isn’t possible to save everything, and in order to pick your
battles effectively, you need to have a good understanding of the significance of
your resources—and the threats that are currently facing them. Which resources
do you need to keep in order to retain the qualities valued most by your
community, and which resources can be sacrificed if need be? It’s a difficult
question to answer, and one that is virtually impossible unless you have taken the
time to prioritize your community’s resources.
2. Principle #2: Educate. Create an atmosphere conducive to protecting and preserving
resources. When the public has been educated about the importance of the
irreplaceable resources in your community and believes that it is important to
preserve them, half the battle has already been won. There are many ways to
educate the public including press releases, feature stories in the newspaper, tour,
publications, research studies, meetings and more.
3. Principle #3: Act Identify preservation and conservation tools to protect valued
resources. Once you know which resources need your assistance and once you
have built support to preserve and protect them, it is time to find the best tools to
help you protect your resources. In many cases this means finding technical
expertise, taking advantage of preservation restrictions or incentives, or even
creating a new program or advocating for new legislation to support preservation.
Where to Begin?
It can be challenging to know where to begin to preserve and protect your community’s irreplaceable historic,
cultural and natural resources. Fortunately there is a lot of assistance available. Working with groups dedicated
to the same cause provides not only information, but also encouragement in your efforts and contact with
others who are pursuing the same goals.
1. If you are trying to preserve a historic building consider:
a. Applying for listing on National Register of Historic Places.
b. Creating a “Friends” organization to raise money and public awareness.
c. Hosting a design charrette to explore the feasibility of potential uses.
d. Hiring an architect, structural engineer or building inspector who specializes in historic buildings to evaluate
the building, determine restoration needs and costs.
e. Collecting information about similar buildings that were saved. Document the uses of the buildings and their
economic impact on the community.
f. Organizing a tour of the building for elected officials who can provide funding.
g. Planning a special event showcasing the building (consider timing the event around national Preservation
Week in May).
h. Contacting local media and asking them to feature the building in a story.
i. Writing letters to the editor of the local paper.
j. Requesting a demolition delay ordinance.
k. Researching historic documents and photographs and creating an exhibit about the building’s history – place
in the local library or other public building.
l. Following the “Ten Basic Principles for Sensitive Rehabilitation” from the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for
Rehabilitation.
m. Local – Contact the local historical commission, zoning board, city council, historical society, preservation
organization or others who can support the cause of saving the building.
n. State – Contact the state historic preservation office to see what assistance they can provide and what
regulations may exist to protect the building.
o. National – A variety of organizations and agencies exist to provide assistance and guidance in preserving
historic buildings. These include the National Trust for Historic Preservation, National Park Service (which
manages the National Historic Landmark Program and the National Register of Historic Places) and others.
How have these steps and principles worked for others?
A. The success stories featured on this website show the principles in action, and
demonstrate the steps that different programs have taken to reach their goals.
Collaboration is essential in today’s competitive tourism market, and with
increasing pressures on local resources, it is critical to find the fit between the
community and tourism to ensure that tourism efforts are sustainable for the long
term. When done correctly, cultural heritage tourism helps to preserve the
irreplaceable resources that a community treasures.
B. Today’s cultural heritage travelers are more well traveled and more well educated
than previous generations of travelers, and they expect more from their travel
experiences—making quality and authenticity more important than every before.
These same higher expectations and increasing competition for the visitors’ time
also mean that the visitor experience has to make the site or program come alive.
C. All too often, local stakeholders think that getting involved in tourism means
publishing a brochure or launching a new website. These four steps show that
promotion is, in fact, the final step of “marketing for success.” Before getting to
that final step, it is important to know what it is that you have—and what you
want—to share with visitors. Next it is time to match up what you have with what
potential visitors are looking for—and then make the necessary changes to be sure
that you are offering the best visitor experience possible. Once you are truly ready,
it is finally time to look at marketing.
D. Cultural heritage tourism development is a gradual process that takes a long-term
commitment. These four steps of assessing, planning, preparing and marketing are
ones that successful programs repeat time and time again as they continue to
expand their offerings—and their audience.
What web resources help to understand this movement
National Trust Heritage Tourism Program
http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/heritage-tourism/
National Park Service Site for Heritage Tourism
http://www.nps.gov/history/heritageareas/
Studies on the Economic Impacts of Heritage Tourism
http://www.culturalheritagetourism.org/resources/StudiesonEconomicImpacts.htm
National Park Service Focus Digital Library & Research Station Web site
http://npsfocus.nps.gov/