Cultural Tourism

Table of Contents

I. General Concepts .................................................................................................... 5

1. Cultural Tourism .................................................................................................. 5
2. Inventories .......................................................................................................... 6
Introduction: What are Inventories? ..................................................................... 6
Objectives and Methods ...................................................................................... 7
Step 1: Set the Limits .......................................................................................... 8
Step 2: List of the Cultural Resources ................................................................. 9
Step 3: Organize the Information ......................................................................... 9
Step 4: Description of the Resources ................................................................ 12
Step 5: Plot the Resources in Map .................................................................... 15
Self - Assessment ............................................................................................. 16
Annex 1: Inventory Template ............................................................................. 16
3. Interpretation and Communication .................................................................... 17
Introduction: What is Interpretation? .................................................................. 17
Objectives and Methods .................................................................................... 19
Section 3.1: Assessing the Potential for Cultural Interpretation ......................... 20
Section 3.2: Gathering of Information (Documentation)..................................... 21
Section 3.3: Identifying Your Public ................................................................... 23
Section 3.4: Selecting the Information. Choosing a Theme ............................... 24
Section 3.5: Organizing the Itinerary ................................................................. 25
Section 3.6: Storytelling ..................................................................................... 26
Section 3.7: Choosing Your Props .................................................................... 27
Section 3.8: Delivering Your Message; Communication Skills .......................... 28
Section 3.9: Evaluating Your Performance and Visitors .................................... 30
4. Quality and sustainability .................................................................................. 31
Introduction........................................................................................................ 32
Objectives and Methods .................................................................................... 33
Section 4.1: Health and Safety Issues ............................................................... 33
Section 4.2: Responsibility in Marketing ............................................................ 34
Section 4.3: Intermediaries ................................................................................ 35
Section 4.4: Communication: Booking and Information ..................................... 36
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Section 4.5: Communication: Listening Skills .................................................... 37
Section 4.6: Communication: Non-Verbal Skills ................................................ 37
Section 4.7: Handling Complaints ..................................................................... 38
Section 4.8: Standarts and Certifications........................................................... 39
Section 4.9: Environmental Issues .................................................................... 40
References ........................................................................................................ 42
Self - Assessment ............................................................................................. 42
II. Main Cultural products .......................................................................................... 44
1. Architecture and Archaeology ........................................................................... 44
Section 1.1: Archeological Tourism ................................................................... 44
Section 1.2: Architectural Tourism ..................................................................... 47
Section 1.3: Modern ICT Solutions for Archeological and Architectural Tourism
Operations ......................................................................................................... 48
2. Sites of Historical Interest ................................................................................. 51
Introduction........................................................................................................ 51
Section 2.1: Defence Lines As Historical Tourism Objects ................................ 51
Section 2.2: Tourism Products .......................................................................... 56
Section 2.3: Recreational Tourism Products ..................................................... 59
Section 2.4: Accommodation and Catering ....................................................... 62
Section 2.5: Marketing ....................................................................................... 63
References ........................................................................................................ 64
Questions .......................................................................................................... 64
Answers............................................................................................................. 66
3. Ethnography...................................................................................................... 66
Introduction........................................................................................................ 66
Section 3.1: General Concepts .......................................................................... 66
Section 3.2: From The Resource To The Final Product .................................... 69
Section 3.3: What Is The Customer Interested In? ............................................ 71
Section 3.4: How To Do The Marketing? ........................................................... 72
Section 3.5: Case Studies ................................................................................. 75
References ........................................................................................................ 80
Questions .......................................................................................................... 81
Answers............................................................................................................. 82
4. Culinary Heritage .............................................................................................. 82
Introduction........................................................................................................ 82
Section 4.1: Promotion of Traditional Cuisine in Rural Tourism ........................ 83
Section 4.2: Food Service Enterprises and Events Using National Cuisine ...... 87
Section 4.3: Traditional Foods and Their Presentation ...................................... 92
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Section 4.4: Rural Tourism Activity Products Related to Food and Culinary
Heritage ............................................................................................................. 97
Conclusion....................................................................................................... 102
Sources and references .................................................................................. 103
5. Nature ............................................................................................................. 103
Introduction...................................................................................................... 103
Objectives........................................................................................................ 104
Section 5.1: Concepts ..................................................................................... 104
Section 5.2: Resources Utilized ....................................................................... 106
Section 5.3: Presentation and Organization .................................................... 111
Section 5.4: Marketing/Promotion ................................................................... 115
Section 5.5: Laws ............................................................................................ 118
References ...................................................................................................... 118
Self-Assessment ............................................................................................. 119
6. Arts and Crafts ................................................................................................ 119
Introduction...................................................................................................... 119
Section 6.1: Lappish Arts and Crafts ............................................................... 120
Section 6.2: Kalevala Arts and Tourists ........................................................... 134
Section 6.3: Time is Money ............................................................................. 149
Questions ........................................................................................................ 160
7. Cultural Events ................................................................................................ 161
Introduction...................................................................................................... 161
Section 7.1: Events of Cultural Tourism, Types of Events ............................... 162
Section 7.2: Benefits and Potential of a Cultural Tourism Event ..................... 166
Section 7.3: Steps of Event Planning – Main Components and Elements....... 168
Section 7.4: Event Expenses and The Planned Income .................................. 172
Section 7.5: Target Market – Visitors of The Event ......................................... 174
Section 7.6: Additional Users and Stakeholders .............................................. 175
Section 7.7: Promotion of The Event ............................................................... 176
Section 7.8: Possible Risks and Concerns ...................................................... 180
Section 7.9: Legal Issues, Regulations, Requirements ................................... 182
Section 7.10: Financial Issues ......................................................................... 183
Section 7.11: Examples and Good Practice .................................................... 185
References ...................................................................................................... 186
 5

I. General Concepts
1. Cultural Tourism
Dear students and entrepreneurs!

Welcome to the AURORA2 project training modules! That module is made as a self-
learning training programme for those who are interested in rural tourism and would
like to create new cultural products.

You will explore business opportunities of rural tourism through obtaining new
knowledge about cultural tourism and learning new skills in product development and
interpretation of cultural heritage. The training module is created for a wide audience
– for students who must acquire rural tourism study course, for those entrepreneurs
who are in rural business and are looking for possibilities of new products, as well as
for those who are just planning to start their business in that interesting industry.

The Cultural tourism training module is practically oriented. There is less theoretical
material, theories and definitions; its main purpose is to provide you with knowledge
and skills that have a strong link to practice. There are a lot of practical examples,
case studies, real suggestions and advice. The textual material is supported with
illustrative photos and figures. There are references at the end of subsections to the
literature and sources where you can get more knowledge in the particular field.

The module includes three sections: Introduction, Main Concepts and Main Cultural
Tourism Products. There is explanation of the main concepts and definitions in the
second section. You will get knowledge about the most important things which are
necessary in the process of new product development and their promotion in the
market. For example, how to make resources inventory and interpret different cultural
assets, how to start story telling and create qualitative cultural tourism products.

The main section of the module is the third section: Main Cultural Tourism Products
which includes seven units. Each unit characterizes one of the cultural tourism
product groups, for example: architecture and archaeology; sites of historical
interests; ethnography; culinary heritage (gastronomy); arts and crafts and cultural
events. Also cultural landscapes, parks and gardens are part of the culture.
Therefore cultural products which are based also on natural resources constitute a
separate unit: Nature. The training module provides you with the basic principles of
sustainability and green tourism.

Eachunit of cultural tourism product has been created in our project partner countries
– in Latvia, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Spain. Therefore it is an excellent
opportunity for students and entrepreneurs not only to read the theory, but also to
 6
study international experience: to learn more about different tourism products, to
assess different approaches in interpretation of heritage, to get new ideas.

There are self-assessment questions and tasks at the end of the sections and units,
as well as practical tasks for skill development.

2. Inventories
Introduction: What are Inventories?
One of the first issues to address when developing a cultural tourism activity is the
assessment of the tourism assets and resources of the tourist destination. Public
bodies devoted to tourism management will develop comprehensive inventories that
include all those elements that a destination can offer for tourists. For entrepreneurs
planning to start an activity of cultural tourism the list of resources of a given area will
be reduced to those elements related to heritage that may be tangible or intangible.
In order to clarify the concepts of tangible and intangible culture we refer to the
UNESCO definition of cultural heritage:

The cultural heritage of a people includes the works of its artists, architects,
musicians, writers and scientists and also the work of anonymous artists,
expressions of the people's spirituality, and the body of values which give meaning to
life. It includes both tangible and intangible works through which the creativity of that
people finds expression: languages, rites, beliefs, historic places and monuments,
literature, works of art, archives and libraries (UNESCO, Mexico City Declaration of
Cultural Policies, Mexico City, August 1982).

This is a broad definition that encompasses almost every category and aspect of
human life, but it is very useful for the purpose of assessing tourism resources,
because it divides cultural heritage into two main categories: tangible and intangible,
and points our attention to the later, which is often neglected or undervalued because
of the difficulty of approaching and dealing with it.

Inventory is one useful tool for the collection and management of all those elements.
Inventories are itemized lists, maps or reports dealing generally with resource-based
features, areas and values. They are mostly developed by stakeholders or public
bodies for tourism planning and management and they include extensive information
about the resource state of conservation, ownership and use.

For our own purposes, as small tourism entrepreneurs, our inventories will not
include information about tourism infrastructures or resource management. Our
inventory will focus on cultural assets and will be a crucial tool to compile information
about the tourism features of the area in which we work. It will help us to gather and
manage information about the most interesting or outstanding features of our region
and, most importantly, will be the basis for the planning of any cultural tourism activity
we want to undertake.
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For the purposes of this manual on cultural tourism, cultural tourism assets have
been classified into seven different categories: architecture and archaeology, sites of
historical interest, ethnography, gastronomy, nature, arts and crafts and cultural
events. All these categories are developed in depth in section two of this manual.

Objectives and Methods

Figure 1. Architecture and Archaeology. Castle, Loarre Huesca, Spain

The aim of this unit is to provide students with a general overview of the process of
inventory making in a cultural tourism activity. Although, as we have explained in the
introduction, the compilation of inventories is part of a larger process of tourism
planning and management and is mostly carried out by public bodies and
stakeholders associations, the inventory is also the most useful tool for a small
tourism entrepreneur. The kind of inventories proposed in this chapter do not include
concise or comprehensive details about conservation or management. Neither do
they contain details about tourism infrastructures or facilities.

At the end of the course students will:

Be able to carry out detailed inventories or the area in which they plan to
develop a cultural tourism activity.
Be able to classify the different cultural resources of a given area into
one of the seven categories proposed in this manual.
Be able to list and compile basic and significant information about the
cultural tourism assets of a given area.

This unit offers a practical, concise approach to inventory making. It has been divided
into five simple steps to guide you through the whole process.

As in other parts of this manual, Jaraba, a small village in the region of Aragón
(Spain) has been chosen to provide examples for most chapters.
 8
Step 1: Set the Limits

Figure 2. Sites of historical interest. Trenches of Sarrión, Teruel, Spain

The first step towards making an inventory is delimiting the area in which you want to
work. Whether you want to carry on an interpretative activity or simply deliver
information, the most useful approach is to locate a centre for the activity (for
example, your own accommodation if you provide such services) and draw areas
around it, considering the time required for such excursions. Depending on where the
tourists are based it will be also useful to consider inventorying the cultural assets of
a nearby town or area that will be worth visiting on its own. It is always better to
develop these inventories separately, although some of the features listed will
eventually appear in different lists.

As starting point, and depending on the size of the town/village where your business
is based, we propose the following delimitations:

1. An area covering all the cultural tourism features in your village, a visit that
can be made in two hours or half a day by walking.
2. An area including other villages around your own that may be visited by car or
bus in half a day or a whole day. Later own, you can carry on inventories of
similar areas in your vicinity if they are worth visiting.
3. A nearby larger town or city of interest that can be visited by car in half a day
or a whole day.

You may provide yourself with small scale maps of your region and use them to mark
these areas. Later on you will use these maps to plot the existing tourism resources
and draw itineraries.
 9
Step 2: List of the Cultural Resources

Figure 3. Cultural events. ―Calanda´s Easter‖ Teruel, Spain

Start by listing all cultural assets/attractions of the given area as set in step 1. When
researching for the attractions in your area you will find information from all kinds of
sources: local tourism boards/offices, local experts, libraries, or even the internet.
After you‘ve made your own list and, especially if this is your first approach to cultural
tourism, it is a good idea to check it against the existing inventories or have it
examined by a tourism expert from your region.

Step 3: Organize the Information

Classify the assets from your list into any of the seven categories we propose in this
manual: architecture and archaeology, sites of historical interest, ethnography,
gastronomy, nature, arts and crafts and cultural events. The following is an itemized
list of the most common tourism resources that fall into any of these categories. It is
very likely that some resources may fall into two or more of these categories, (for
instance, when you list a building with outstanding elements of local architecture but
also with ethnographic value due to the use it was traditionally put to). If this is the
case, it is useful to list the document under both relevant categories, as you will able
to always locate it either if you are working with one category or the other.

Be aware that the following it is just a list of the most common resources. It is very
likely that you will find in your region elements that are not listed below but that are
worth inventorying.

I. ARCHITECTURE AND ARCHEOLOGY:

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Archeological sites
Cave paintings
Barns
Early settlements
Bridges
Cemeteries
Churches
Castles
Ruins
Colleges, Universities, Schools
Downtowns
Farms
Historic districts
Historic structures and settlements
Industrial and/or commercial buildings
Mills
Stations and railways
Neighborhoods
Public buildings and sites (townhalls, post offices, libraries)
Mansions and manor houses
Traditional architecture dwellings and groups of buildings

II. SITES OF HISTORICAL INTEREST

Battlefields
Birthplaces/homes of significant persons or events
Colleges, Universities, Schools
Downtowns
Historic districts
Castles
Historic structures and settlements
Forts/defensive lines
Trenches
Industrial and/or commercial buildings
Historic landmarks
Neighborhoods
Public buildings and sites (townhalls, post offices, libraries)
Quarries
Mines
Historic reenactment
Ruins
Ghost towns
Prisons
Riverports and seaports

III. ETNOGRAPHY

Churches/places of worship
Barns
Cemeteries
Traditional crafts
 11
Local legends and Myths
Local/regional dialects
Cycle of life celebrations
Animal husbandry
Downtowns
Local food and wine
Farms
Traditional/Ceremonial costumes
Traditional/Ceremonial dances
Ethnic celebrations
Marketplaces
Sacred/worshipping places (lakes, caves…)
Old means of transportation

IV. GASTRONOMY

Farms
Ethnic food/restaurants
Marketplaces

V. NATURE

Parks and Public Gardens

Landscapes and spots of scenic interest
Ponds
Rivers
Wildlife
Sites of geological interest
Endangered species
Endemic species
Natural Parks
National Parks
Local habitats and ecosystems
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Figure 4. Gastronomy. ―Migas‖ Typical Shepherd´s dish, Aragón, Spain

VI. ARTS AND CRAFTS

Art and craft studios/workshops

Quarries
Mines

VII. CULTURAL EVENTS

Downtowns
Performing arts
Festivals
Auctions
Art shows
Community celebrations and suppers
Fairs
Historic reenactment/costumed events
Performances (dance, music, theatre)
Ethnic celebrations
National day celebrations

Step 4: Description of the Resources

After compiling the inventory and putting all resources into groups, the next step is to
gather information about them. Spend some time thinking about what kind of
information will be most useful to you and try to create a template that is best suited
to your purposes. This template should at least include the following information:
 13
Name of the resource
Alternative names
Location
Historical period/date
Picture/image
Visiting hours and conditions (if any)
Access/transport
State of conservation
Description
Minimum/maximum number of visitors allowed at a time
Owner or manager and contact address

In the following page you will find a model template for compiling information on local
cultural tourism assets. It is filled in with information from the local attraction in
Jaraba, a village in Northern Spain. At the end of this section you will find an empty
one that you can use as it is or tailor it to your own needs.

When compiling the information it is very useful to establish a color code that
classifies the resource into any of the seven categories mentioned above. This will
help you to identify the resources more easily.

After you have created your template you need to fill it in with the information
required. Books and brochures, tourism offices and the internet are good sources for
preliminary information, but a serious inventory always requires a personal visit to the
tourism resource. It is very important that you get a first-hand impression and
approach to the assets you are inventorying, so you can get the most actual and
updated information.

Updating your inventories is a task that must be accomplished at least once a year,
especially at the beginning of the tourist season. Look for any changes in visiting
hours, access and state of conservation, as this is the information most likely to be
changed from year to year. But during the year you must also be alert to new
information and discoveries that may involve the existing or new resources in your
area.

(Name and alternative names):

SANTUARIO DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DE JARABA, Santuario de la Virgen de

Jaraba, Ermita de la Virgen de Jaraba
 14
Description and state of
conservation:

XVIII Sanctuary devoted to Our Lady

of Jaraba, the patron saint of the
village. It is built over a much older
shrine and worshipping place located
within a cave inside the building. It
contains a remarkable Renaissance
period altarpiece. Still used today for
religious festivities, especially during
the celebrations for Our Lady of
Figure 5 Jaraba (August 15th). Villagers from
the surrounding villages come on a
Location and access: km 03. Road Jaraba –one day pilgrimage during the month
Calmarza. Easy access by car or by foot formof May.
the village. Vehicles can be parked by the road.

Historical period: XVIII. C. The Sanctuary is located in an

outstanding natural environment, the
Visiting hours and conditions: it only opens for
river Mesa Ravine, a protected
religious festivities and celebrations, but visits
natural area with interesting flora and
can be agreed upon with the municipality.
fauna.
Number of visitors: up to 30
The Sanctuary stands in the place
where Our Lady of Jaraba was
supposed to reveal herself to some
shepherds during the Arabic
conquest.

The natural cave within the building

contains some stone that issues
mineral oil, an oil that was
traditionally used to fill in the lamps
Owner/manager contact details: municipality ofthat shone before the image of Our
Jaraba, Elena Navales,Lady.
[email protected], +34 976 XXX994
The statue of Our Lady is 30 cm long
and of brown/dark color, like many
other Marian images preserved from
the Gothic period (Our Lady of
Montserrat, Our Lady of Pilar).

The Sanctuary is in a state of repair

although there is no danger for
visitors. Some restoration works are
being done at present by the
 15
municipality.

Step 5: Plot the Resources in Map

Plotting the resources in a map is the best way to get an accurate idea of their
location and the relations between them. Try to use the same color coding that in the
previous stages and apply symbols to these categories. A map of resources will be
the starting point when planning any tourism activity.

Figure 6.
You will find that some of the resources you have inventoried are difficult to plot,
especially those of intangible culture. Where can you locate elements such as the
local dialect or custom or a tradition? As an entrepreneur of cultural tourism it is your
task to help your customers to grasp the essence of these intangible cultural
resources. Try to point out those places where these cultural manifestations can be
observed or explained. The local cafe or bar, for example, will be a good place to
observe the local customs and language particularities whereas social practices are
best observed in everyday and religious activities. Observation of intangible culture is
a very sensitive issue, as it may affect the very essence or these elements or may be
seen as disrespect. When plotting these elements one has to be careful and take
these issues in consideration.

What follows is an example of a map of Jaraba, with its most cultural tourism
resources plotted in.
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Self - Assessment
1. Make a list of the most outstanding cultural tourism resources in your area.
2. Check your list with tourism authorities and professionals. Is there any
relevant information missing? Have you taken into account both tangible and
intangible cultural elements?
3. Do some field work and research and check your list again. Try to find some
elements not yet listed or exploited but that can be used for tourism purposes.
For example, an old farming cart that could be used to transporting tourists or
a beautiful sample of traditional tiling within a farmhouse or particular cellar.
4. Group the items in your list into any of the seven categories defined in this
chapter.
5. Create your own template for resource inventorying by adapting the example
offered in this manual.
6. Fill in the templates for the most important resources in your area. Remember
to look for information ―on the spot‖ apart from doing it from books or
brochures.
7. Check your template and the filled in files with tourism experts or
professionals in your area. If there is important information missing try to find
out if there is a pattern in it and correct it accordingly.
8. Plot all resources of the chosen area on a map.

Annex 1: Inventory Template

Name and alternative names:
Picture:

Location and access:

Description and state of conservation:
Historical period:
Visiting hours and conditions:

Number of visitors:
Owner/manager contact details:
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3. Interpretation and
Communication
Introduction: What is Interpretation?
In 1957, Freeman Tilden wrote Interpreting Our Heritage, which is the foundation of
heritage interpretation today. In his work, Tilden equals interpretation with the visitors
exposition to the ―thing itself‖ rather than with the exposition to a list of data and
assorted information. What this means in practice is that a food and wine tourist, for
instance, will actually be invited to take part in the traditional ceremony of stomping
the grapes and/or bottling the wine instead of being presented with a set of data
containing the bare facts of the wine making process before being introduced to the
final product itself. Research has shown that visitors will be more likely to buy local
products and to recommend a destination if they have enjoyed a meaningful and
memorable experience during their stay.

According to Tilden, interpretation is an educational activity which aims to reveal

meanings and relationships through the use of original objects, by firsthand
experience, and by illustrative media, rather than simply to communicate factual
information.

Tourism science has shown that what tourists are looking for is to experience rather
than the hard facts of historical/cultural reality. And interpretation is there to provide
this experience. This does not mean that visitors should be left to themselves to
experience the ―quaintness‖ of cultural manifestations. What interpretation involves is
a gentle, caring approach to tourist information and guiding which combines both the
necessary, enlightening information with ―hands-on‖ participation. If we go back to
the previous example, wine and food tourists invited to ―stomp the grapes‖ will be
provided at the same time with information about the whole wine making process, the
characteristics of local grapes, the time of harvest and the local produce that best
goes with local wine.

A meaningful interpretation activity will appeal to the personal experience and

emotions of visitors. Thus the experienced interpreter will identify the characteristics
of his/her audience and be able to select the information delivered and interpretation
techniques accordingly.

The most powerful form to deliver information is storytelling. Interpreters select the
available information and organize it into structured narratives and experiences that
relate to the visitors personal background and experience.

Fifteen Guiding Principles for Interpreting

1. To spark an interest, interpreters must relate the subject to the lives of visitors.
2. The purpose of interpretation goes beyond providing information to reveal
deeper meaning and truth.
3. The interpretive presentation — as a work of art — should be designed as a
 18
story that informs, entertains, and enlightens.
4. The purpose of the interpretive story is to inspire and to provoke people to
broaden their horizons.
5. Interpretation should present a complete theme or thesis and address the
whole person.
6. Interpretation for children, teenagers and seniors — when these comprise
uniform groups — should follow fundamentally different approaches.
7. Every place has a history. Interpreters can bring the past alive to make the
present more enjoyable and the future more meaningful.
8. High technology can reveal the world in exciting new ways. However,
incorporating this technology into the interpretive programme must be done
with foresight and care.
9. Interpreters must concern themselves with the quantity and quality (selection
and accuracy) of information presented. Focused, well-researched
interpretation will be more powerful than a longer discourse.
10. Before applying the arts in interpretation, the interpreter must be familiar with
basic communication techniques. Quality interpretation depends on the
interpreter's knowledge and skills, which should be developed continually.
11. Interpretive writing should address what readers would like to know, with the
authority of wisdom and the humility and care that comes with it.
12. The overall interpretive program must be capable of attracting support —
financial, volunteer, political, administrative — whatever support is needed for
the programme to flourish.
13. Interpretation should instill in people the ability, and the desire, to sense the
beauty in their surroundings, to provide spiritual uplift and to encourage
resource preservation.
14. Interpreters can promote optimal experiences through intentional and
thoughtful programme and facility design.
15. Passion is the essential ingredient for powerful and effective interpretation —
passion for the resource and for those people who come to be inspired by the
same.

Larry Beck and Ted Cable, Interpretation for the 21st Century. Sagamore Publishing
- July 2002.
 19

Objectives and Methods

The aim of
this
chapter is
to provide
students
with a
general
introductio
n to the
discipline
of
interpretati
on.
Students
need to
know the
Figure 1. Group of disabled people cover an interpretative trail. Parque specifics of
Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido, Huesca, Spain the activity
of
interpretation as opposed to simple delivery of facts and information. A careful and
detailed planning is required in order to successfully carry out these activities.
Specific needs, aims and resources must be carefully assessed before starting
planning the activity. This section familiarizes students with the main issues
addressed by interpretation and provides them with basic guidelines to undertake an
interpretative activity.

At the end of the course students will:

Be able to plan an interpretation activity and tailor it to the customer

needs, estimating what are the human and material resources required.
Be able to deliver an interpretation activity, making an adequate use of
props and communication skills.
Be able to carry out an assessment of an activity which has been carried
out and use the assessment to improve their skill.

This course offers a practical, concise approach to the discipline of interpretation.

Theoretical approaches have been minimized and referred to the bibliography at the
end of the chapter. The contents of the chapter is structured into nine sections
addressing nine practical steps to organize an interpretative activity.

Jaraba, a small village in the region of Aragón (Spain) has been chosen to provide
examples for most chapters. These examples are presented with different design and
typography so as to offer a clear differentiation between theory and example.
 20
Section 3.1: Assessing the Potential for
Cultural Interpretation
When assessing the potential for cultural tourism in your area the first thing to take
into account is the broadest explanation of the term ―culture‖. This broader definition
not only comprises what people make (material objects), but also what people think
(ideas and beliefs) and how people relate among themselves (interpersonal relations
and norms). For the cultural visitor an old church can be just as interesting as a local
legend or a traditional festival.

When identifying the potential cultural assets of your area (see chapter 2) it is
important to take into account both issues: why they are relevant and why visitors are
likely to be interested in them.

The following is an example of the inventory of assets for Jaraba (Spain), a small
village in Aragon. Jaraba‘s thermal waters are its main tourism attraction, but the
village cultural assets can enhance the quality of the local tourism offer. The
inventory is not exhaustive and for purposes of illustration some resources from the
nearby villages have been added.

Townhall
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Jaraba
Devil‘s Bridge
Xaral‘s Castle
Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord
Main Square
Monument to the Water
Spa ―Our Lady of Jaraba‖ (XIX c.)
Roman Remains in Calatayud
The origin of Jaraba and its name
Legend of the Lady of Jaraba
Peirón de San Antón (roadside shrine)
Peirón de San Vicente (roadside shrine)
Peirón de Santa Águeda (roadside shrine)
Traditional shepherd huts
Festivity of St Agatha
Pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Jaraba
Local festivities in honour of Our Lady of Jaraba
Festivity of St Anthony
PDO Cellars
Traditional Washing place
Traditional Pig slaughter festivity
 21
Traditional religious dance in Cetina (Contradanza)
Ravines of the River Mesa
Nature/hiking trails
Bird watching observation hide
Sustainability Fair
Water Festival
Thermal water springs
PDO Campo de Calatayud
PDO Wine
Crespillos (traditional confectionery)
Skin care products (from local thermal waters)
Traditional brick-making workshop
Pottery workshop (Alama)

Section 3.2: Gathering of Information

(Documentation)
Although you will be familiar with most cultural features in your area it is important to
do some research and find those facts that will provide you with a thorough
understanding of the thing you want to interpret. In most cases you won‘t need to use
more than 15% of these facts in an interpretation activity, but a solid knowledge will
give you a broader choice concerning which facts are relevant and which are not.

There are many sources where you will be able to find relevant information about
your area. Apart from public libraries and the internet do not hesitate to contact local
or regional tourism boards or make enquiries among your neighbors (especially when
collecting information concerning the local legends and customs, arts, crafts, etc.).

When researching information you have to place yourself (if possible) in the mind of
potential visitors and find those facts that will be most interesting or illustrative for
them because of their uniqueness.

It is also important that together with the facts you find an aspect or explanation that
will make the object special and noteworthy for visitors. Pay attention to those
aspects linked to emotions or experimentation because this will provide you with the
key issues around which the interpretation activity can be constructed.

The following is an example of documentation of one of the resources listed above. It

is just a first approach to the existing data. Of course, the issue could be illuminated
with as much information as to convert the simple file presented into a PhD thesis,
but you do not need that. As a cultural interpreter you will be aware of those aspects
and questions more relevant to the visitors and will have to update your knowledge
constantly. It is a good idea to pick up on the comments and information/feedback
provided from your customers and make notes of it. For example, when interpreting
 22
the ―peirones‖ showed below it would be a great idea to note down comments such
as ―In my country this tradition is shown like…‖ or ―we have a similar construction in
our culture‖. It will help you to empathize with visitors of the same culture in the future
and provide you with a useful and unlimited source of information.

Peirón de Santa Águeda (Saint Agatha‘s roadside shrine)

―Peirones‖ were originally milestones or road cross pillars built in bricks or stone.
They signal, at the entrance of villages a beginning or crossing of roads.

The custom of signaling the roads with heaps of

stone, sticks or monoliths can be found among all
cultures and peoples throughout history, in many
cases they are linked to religious beliefs related to
travelling auspices.

There is no doubt that many of today‘s remaining

―peirones‖ stand now were crossroad signals have
been for centuries.

We know for certain that Romans used to

worship the ―Lares‖, the gods who presided
over hearth and home, at cross roads. The
larescompitales were the tutelary gods of
cross-roads, while the laresviales ensured a
safe return for travellers. During the
―PaxRomana‖, in the 1st century BC, Emperor
Augustus dictated that in the conquered
territories of North Spain laresviales should be
adopted to protect travellers on the roads.

The Roman origin of Jaraba makes almost certain for its ―peirones‖ to have stood in
the same place for two thousand years.
 23
―Peirones‖ are archaic in their origin, the earliest documentation about ―peirones‖
dates back to the XVI century. For centuries they have been restored and rebuilt
once and again without paying any attention to their architectural value, but only to
their religious symbolism. Their design is austere, made in brick or stone by
anonymous builders along the years. Many of them display an iron cross on top of
the shrine with the image of a saint of martyr. Up to very recent times it was not
unusual to find an offering in the form of flowers or corn wreaths at their feet.

The modern function of the ―peirones‖ is not certain. Apart from its signalling function
many magic and/or religious everyday rituals seem have taken place around them. In
some places they were just a meeting place for young farmers, others, like those
devoted to ―San Antón‖, the patron saint of farming animals, would congregate
villagers with their farming animals to be blessed at the saint‘s day.

The ―Peiron de Santa Águeda‖ is devoted to Saint Agatha,

commonly known in Spain as the Patron Saint of Women. St.
Agatha was a martyr of the III century. Among the tortures she
underwent was the cutting off of her breasts. To this day, women,
especially in rural areas, celebrate the day as the day in which
―women rule‖ and they celebrate by feasting together and making
bonfires where possible. Traditionally, during this saint‘s festivity,
men had to obey (as opposed to rule during the rest of the year)
and in some places they even held a women‘s local council with full
ruling capacities for a day.

In Jaraba, February the 5th is the day in which women meet around
a bonfire by the ―Peirón de Santa Águeda‖. They feast, drink hot
chocolate and eat these specially made cakes called ―teticas de Santa Águeda‖ (St
Agatha‘s breasts) which are cone-shaped sponge cakes with a cherry on top
simulating a nipple.

Apart from being the patron saint of women, Saint

Agatha has traditionally been the patron saint of wet
nurses and is today the patron saint of breast cancer.
Offers made to the saint at the feet of the ―peirón‖
whether in a form of flower offering or a prayer are said
by devoted people to be an aid in cases of difficult
breast feeding or breast illness.

There‘s a popular song, sung in this area by women

during the festivity of St Agatha. The lyrics, though quite innocent for today‘s
standards were considered saucy and indecorous for women and were only allowed
in the context of this day‘s festivity, when women were allowed for a day to act as
men and loose their hair.

―Santa Aguedeta, Aguedeta / Santa Aguedeta, Aguedón/ que a mí me guarde la teta

/ y a mi marido el pezón‖.

Section 3.3: Identifying Your Public

 24
Identifying your public means identifying the characteristics of the visitors you want to
address. This will determine the characteristics of the information provided and the
interpretation techniques you will want to use. A useful categorization is that of
Bywater who distinguishes between visitors who are culturally interested, culturally
motivated or culturally inspired:

culturally motivated (those who choose a destination based on its cultural

offerings)
culturally inspired (those who visit well-known cultural icons)
culturally attracted (those who include cultural events and attractions as part
of their trips).

Bywater, The Market for Cultural Tourism in Europe, 1993

Apart from the visitor motivations, regular demographic categories such as age,
social status, educational and cultural background will help you classifying your
customers into segments and tailor the interpretative message accordingly.

If this is your first experience as a cultural interpreter you will have to rely on
information provided from tourism statistics and fellow guides or professional
associations. If the segmentation of the visitors is not clear at first you may want to
start by dividing the potential visitors into binary categories (local/foreign,
adults/children, culturally motivated/culturally attracted, etc.). Once you have access
to the actual nature of the group you will be serving, you will be able to combine the
different categories to deliver a meaningful, focused message.

However, nothing will give you as much information about your public as the public
itself. Learning from your audience feedback will provide accurate and up-to-date
knowledge of audience perceptions, the meanings they bring to cultural resources,
the way they make personal connections, and how interpretive experiences affect
them over time.

In the village of Jaraba, at least 70% of the visitors are senior Spanish citizens who
attend any of the three spas located in the village for health reasons. A large part of
the remaining visitors are adults and couples who are also customers to the spas and
there is a small percentage of families and groups who practice ecotourism and stay
in the village‘s rural houses.

Section 3.4: Selecting the Information.

Choosing a Theme
Overloading your audience with facts and dates will be of no use. Visitors can only
keep 5 or 6 facts in their short term memory. One way to approach the selection of
information is to choose a central theme around which the interpretative message is
delivered.
 25
When selecting the information the first issue to tackle is the character of your public.
Different audiences react in different ways to the information provided. You cannot
deliver the same information to locals, seniors or children.

The characteristics of your public will give you information about its motivations and
emotional expectations. According to Dr. T. T. Cable, interpreters must relate the
subject to the lives of the audience in order to spark an interest. It is a fact that
people will have stronger reactions when the presented information relates to them
on an emotional level. Interpreters should be alert to this emotional connection and
tailor their message accordingly.

When selecting information there are two types of elements to be considered: the
tangible and the intangible. The tangible elements are physical, those things that can
be touched, seen or experienced directly. The intangible qualities of an object belong
to the realm of the symbolic and represent beliefs and values from which a culture is
built up.

The most successful approach when creating an interpretative message is to merge

these two aspects together, moving from the tangible to the intangible.

When preparing an interpretative activity for the village of Jaraba, we have decided to
target the group of senior citizens that visit the village for health reasons. They are
middle-class and most of them can relate emotionally to the information of the rural
world, as it is a familiar background for them. The theme we have chosen for this
particular activity of interpretation is ―Rural and traditional ways of life‖, although other
themes such as ―Roman Past‖ or ―Health and Water‖ are also a possibility. Thus,
when interpreting the ―peirones‖, we will just mention their archaic origin and focus
our message on their traditional and religious meaning, engaging the audience in an
exchange of information about their own experience. We may even sing the popular
song about the saint and engage our public in their own rendering of the piece.

Section 3.5: Organizing the Itinerary

Once you have decided on the theme of your interpretation you will know which
elements you want to highlight, which to ignore, and what kind of information you
want to deliver. Now it is time to structure the visit and decide on the duration and
location of the activity and the order of presentation of the elements involved.

Focus on about five features that are relevant for the theme you are presenting and
concentrate on them. Remember that, as with facts, people will remember just a few
number of items. Even if your village/city/area boasts of having a large number of
sites of interest, it will be a waste of time trying to present them all and the
information will become bundled and then forgiven.

Link the features to be shown in the form of a narrative which is meaningful and
entertaining. We will deal with storytelling later (Unit 3.6.), but take into account that
the elements should be presented following the order of a story, rather than following
the order of proximity. If this will make the itinerary too long choose different
 26
elements or change your story. An interpretive presentation should be designed as a
story that informs, entertains, and enlightens.

The contents of the activity and the selection of the outstanding features to be
highlighted must be planned according to the visitor profile. This selection of the
features that are going to be highlighted during the development of the activity must
be as impartial as possible and this impartiality depends on your prior work of
thorough research. Visitors (independently of the group they belong to) require
continuous motivation and encouragement and this must be taken into account when
planning the itinerary. Plan for motivating/special interest spots/comments to be
scattered throughout the whole itinerary and bear in mind that
interpretative/educational itinerary integrate both emotional and affective aspects.

In Jaraba, when structuring the itinerary for the theme ―traditional and rural customs‖
we have decided to organize the elements following a typical evening of a shepherd
when returning from work in the fields. We will thus start by the traditional shepherd
huts outside the village, cross the devil‘s bridge, enter the village through one of the
roads that mark the limits of the village, and visit the traditional washing place before
ending our visit at the main square. Our story will be that of the shepherd finishing its
working day, crossing the bridge where some legends are told, stopping at the
Peirón, meeting his wife at the washing place and finally sitting at the main square
benches where most villagers met at the end of the day to socialize with their
neighbors.

Section 3.6: Storytelling

Nothing is as ancient to humankind as storytelling. Nothing is more compelling.
Interpretation is above all about storytelling: weaving the information and experiences
you give into a compelling and meaningful narrative/experience.

Since the dawn of times, human beings have made use of storytelling as means for
transmitting knowledge and passing on vital information and tradition. The best way
for us to acknowledge and assimilate information is to learn it from a meaningful form
which appeals to your emotions and has a well proved structure.

Interpreters must be above all storytellers. People will find the information delivered
in form of a story easier to listen and learn form. According to T.Cable, your
interpretative story should be meaningful, memorable and moving.

But creating a story is not always easy. The following is a summary of the process of
story telling and story creating extracted from an article from interpreter Brett
Dillingham.

First, you need to have a story you feel passionate about. Sometimes a colleague
has shared a story that just begs to be told, and has given you permission to tell it.
Usually, however, despite interpreters‘ knowledge, they have not sought out and
crafted the stories that are most meaningful to them. These are the stories they will
 27
tell best because they come from the heart.

After you have chosen the subjects most meaningful you can begin to create your
own stories. This is done by creating a simple graphic organizer or a story map — I
call this a Visual Portrait of a Story (VPS). The VPS has five main components:
beginning, problem, solution, end, and picture (or drawing).

Contrary to how most of us are taught, you begin with the problem and solution
(instead of the beginning) of your subject. Jot down a few words regarding the
problem and solution. Then write a sentence or two for the beginning, and a
sentence or two for the end. If you are an artistic person, you can draw a picture or
pictures that remind you of the story.

Next, begin the powerful tell-and-retell process. Start by telling the story to another
interpreter before actually writing the whole tale down from beginning to end. Do this
while standing up so you can move your body and act it out as you tell. Ask your
partner to tell it back to you (retell) using body movement, sound, and facial
expressions. Your partner won‘t use exactly the same words, nor tell it just like you;
that is what you want. You will see and hear your story in a different light and may
use some of the words or storytelling techniques your partner used. Remember, what
you are trying to do here is craft an excellent story, the best you can for your
audience.

Section 3.7: Choosing Your Props

Props are items introduced to help you communicating your message and enhancing
the visitor‘s learning experience. They can be either ―the real thing‖ or a
representation. They contribute to provide meaning and examples to the issue you
are addressing. Most of the times they are examples of objects which are relevant to
the story you are telling but they can also be a communicating aid, as in the case of
hand-puppets used to provide a ―dialogue partner‖ to the interpreter.

Props can be either active or passive, depending on the use the interpreter makes of
them.

Passive props are those presented by the interpreter without an actual manipulation
of the object. Once they are presented they remain static. Passive props can be
charts or maps fixed to the walls or mounted on easels or models of the element you
are interpreting.

Active props are those which the interpreter actively manipulates with to illustrate
his/her story. An example of an active prop would be a sickle which has been
traditionally used for harvesting when the interpreter uses it to cut up a handful of
grass and lets the visitors do the same.

Props are important because they provide a visual, sensorial background to your
story. They help your audience to focus on your message and illustrate it in a way
much more effective than your words. Interpreters need to learn how to use their
 28
props and rehearse with them when necessary. These are some tips to master the
use of props when interpreting as proposed by Sam H. Ham:

Make sure the prop is visible to all visitors. If possible, pass your prop hand-to-
hand.
When you are holding your prop, hold it high and while standing at the center
remember to turn it to right and left side.
Try not to talk to the prop, maintain eye-contact with the audience.
When pointing to something, do it slowly and deliberately so that everyone can
see what you are pointing at.
Whenever possible, make active use of props.
When possible, use props that encourage your audience to make use of
additional senses, encouraging your audience to touch, smell or even taste.
Rehearse how you will use the prop during your presentation and find the
moment in your speech when you will present it.

In Jaraba we have decided to choose a shepherd‘s walking stick and pack as those
props that will accompany the interpreter during the whole itinerary. From the pack
we will extract and present a shepherd‘s knife and some ―sebo‖, a stick of lard mixed
with spices that shepherds used to season their meals. We will also present a piece
of the coarse home-made soap that was used in old times and make our visitors try
to wash a piece of cloth at the washing place.

Section 3.8: Delivering Your Message;

Communication Skills
Communication refers in its widest sense to the interaction that involves the
exchange of ideas, feelings, information… at different levels. It is the process through
which ideas, emotions or knowledge are exchanged and transmitted through different
media.

The elements that take part in the process of communication are the sender,
encoding, the channel, decoding, the receiver, feedback and the context source, the
message and the receiver. A good communicator will carefully choose the elements
of his/her message and deliver them in a manner that is understandable and
compelling.
 29
Figure 2. Elements that take part in the process of We have already
communication made emphasis on
the importance and means of structuring and creating your message. What we list
below is a series of tips to improve your verbal communication skills:

Before the activity, focus on the needs of your audience.

Visualize yourself succeeding.
Begin by breathing.
Be professional. Enter the performance space with a confident stance.
Acknowledge the audience by smiling and making eye contact. Wait until you
have their full attention. Introduce yourself, and make a brief presentation and
summary of the activity.
Make sure your audience can see and hear you. Work as close to them as
possible.
The sound of your voice is your most important tool. Use a variety of tones of
voice.
Keep the message clear and concise.
Be vivid when delivering the message.
Keep your body language up-beat and expressive.
Don't talk too fast. Slow down your speech to avoid showing that you are
nervous.
Pauses are effective.
Tell the story naturally, as in a conversation with a good friend.
Use deliberate movements and fill your space. Move in relation with your
story. Avoid nervous mannerisms like playing with your hair or moving back
and forth. This will distract your audience.
Use your hands to emphasize your message. Do not put them in your pocket.
Do not cross your arms; arms crossed in front of your body say that you are
insecure.
 30

Figure 3. The guide and visitors in a Visitor Center. The guide uses an active prop
to speak about geology in that area. Geopark Sobrarbe, Huesca, Spain

Use visual aids and props.

If you forget your words, pause for a moment and remember your objective.
While the words may not come right back to you, this will help keep you on
track and may even help you to think of additional thoughts and ideas your
audience will benefit from hearing.
Don‘t mumble while speaking, pronounce each word clearly. People will judge
your capabilities through your vocabulary.
Use the words you know. Don‘t use any word, if you are not sure of the
meaning.
Engage your audience actively. Ask questions and try to have them involved
in what you are saying by maintaining eye contact and referring to their
previous commentaries.
End your story as a professional. Remember to summarize the main aspects
of your message and do not forget to thank your audience.

Section 3.9: Evaluating Your

Performance and Visitors
Before the activity of interpretation is finished, you must find some time to obtain
meaningful feedback from your customers. This can be made in different forms, you
can enjoy an informal chat or drink after the activity, you can engage your customer
in one of the many existing evaluation dynamics and games or you could present
 31
them with a questionnaire. In all cases you should be able to collect the visitor‘s
opinion on the following issues.

Information provided: was it relevant?, too much or too little?, appropriate for
your audience background?
Structure of the information: was the information presented in a clear and
structured way?
Selection of features and spots: was it interesting and relevant?
Duration of the activity: adequate?, too short?, too long?
Your verbal skills: did the visitors understand you or do they have the feeling
that they missed something? Was your choice of vocabulary adequate?
Participation: did the visitors feel involved during the activity? Were they able
to contribute their own opinions to the activity?
Expectations: did the activity fulfill their expectations? If not, where did it fail?
Comments and suggestions: be sure to collect your visitors' suggestions as to
the general improvement of the activity.
Pricing: was the price of the activity appropriate for its contents or did visitors
find it expensive? Was it a bargain?

Working in interpretation is a process of continuous learning. Apart from attending

workshops and improving your general skills and knowledge there is a lot you can
learn by self-evaluating your performance and paying attention to your customers
feedback.

Even if you are tired at the end of the day you must find time to evaluate your
performance and the general aspects of the activity. Having a template with a list of
those aspects you want to evaluate will be most helpful when reviewing the day‘s
activity. You must collect both your visitors' and your own impressions. Apart from
those aspects listed above it is important that you note the characteristics of the
group and your general impression on the activity: did you find some visitors lagging
behind or seeming uninterested? Which were the highest and the lowest points of
your performance? Did everything go according to the plan or did you have to
change plans on the spot? Did any problematic situations arise and how did you
solve them? Did you find yourself short of information/preparation at a given point?

By collecting information together with the characteristics of your groups you will be
able to make generalizations that will be useful to improve your performance in the
future: you may find out that children do not pay much attention to a particular spot or
that the itinerary seems to be too tiring for elderly people. You can also make notes
as to the people‘s own backgrounds and areas of interest and find analogies to other
people‘s culture.

The notes you take from everyday experience will help you to improve and assess
your activity on a daily basis. But it is crucial to undergo an overall evaluation at least
once per season. By processing together the information collected on a daily basis
you will be able to identify changes to be made for the next season and design a
whole new range of activities that will most effectively broaden your interpretative
offer.

4. Quality and sustainability

 32
Introduction
In its Agenda for a Sustainable and Competitive European Tourism, the European
Commission established the goal of reinforcing the image and perception of Europe
as a tourist destination characterized by high quality standards and sustainability.

The future of European tourism relies on the quality of the tourist experience –
tourists will recognise that places that care for the environment, their employees and
local communities are also more likely to care for them. By integrating sustainability
concerns into their activities, tourism stakeholders will thus protect the competitive
advantages that make Europe the most attractive tourist destination in the world – its
intrinsic diversity, its variety of landscapes and cultures. In addition, addressing
sustainability concerns in a socially responsible manner will help the tourism industry
to innovate its products and services and increase their quality and value (Brussels,
19.10.2007 COM(2007) 621 final).

The key to a successful tourism business lies in its quality whereas its durability lies
in its sustainability and the sustainability of the larger area in which it is based.
Because of the increasing awareness of tourists and visitors to environmental and
sustainability issues, a business with a caring and concerning approach to these
matters will also achieve higher standards of quality and customer satisfaction.

Quality is a term applied nowadays to all kind of products and services. Whereas in
industry quality is mostly related to sets of standards developed by the manufactures,
in the service industry it is basically related to customer satisfaction. In both areas,
however, sector regulations and standards are always decisive to assess the quality
of a product or service. Customer satisfaction in the tourism industry is completely
dependent on the customer previous expectations and whether they are fulfilled or
not. High quality does not mean highest prize/highest standards. A customer will find
a rural accommodation of quality as long as it meets his or her expectations and the
relation quality/pricing is appropriate.

Quality exists only to the extent that a product or service meets the customer’s
requirements and expectations. Accordingly, the individual elements making up a
strategy based on quality standards must be founded on a thorough understanding of
the customer (Weiermair K., On the concept and definition of quality in tourism In:
Quality Management in Tourism, AIEST, St Gallen, 1997).

Individual expectations are not so difficult to meet, provided the tourism entrepreneur
acquires a certain degree of flexibility and is willing to be of service. There exist,
however, a minimum set of requirements and standards that can be worked in
advance and that will help your business to improve and succeed. These are the
issues that will be tackled in this unit along with those of sustainability, or the ability of
your business and the community in which it exists to be durable in time and address
environmental and social issues.
 33
Objectives and Methods
The aim of this unit is to help students understand the most important issues related
to quality and sustainability in cultural tourism activities. The students will familiarize
themselves with standards of quality and common concepts related to those issues.

At the end of the course students will:

Be able to carry out an assessment on the quality of their intended

activity and make amendments accordingly.
Be able to deal with the most relevant aspects of quality and
sustainability management.
Be able to act on the environmental and social impact of their cultural
tourism activities.

The whole process of environmental and quality management is comprehensive and

out of the objectives of this manual. What we present is a summary of its most
important aspects. The information provides easy to follow instructions to improve the
quality of services provided by entrepreneurs and is the starting point for further
research on these aspects.

Section 4.1: Health and Safety Issues

A cultural tourism activity may fall into different legal categories to which different
legislation applies. There is a great difference between guiding a group through a city
or engaging your visitors into a local food tasting and cooking in your own kitchen.
The second part of this manual, which deals with specific types of cultural tourism
activities, will inform you about specific regulations for each type of cultural tourism
activity. There are, however, a number of issues that are common to all activities,
and which are explained below:

Risk assessment: identify all possible risks and safety hazards that could
reasonably occur during the development of the activity. Eliminate those or
take measures to prevent them (for example, by buying safety helmets or
goggles for your visitors for a certain activity or visit) even if it means changing
part the activity or eliminating it completely.
Information: inform your customers thoroughly of any kind of risk or
complication that could issue from the activity and be sure that they have read
and understood the information.
Medical conditions and allergies: check for all those before engaging yourself
in any kind of cultural tourism activity.
First aid: first aid training and a first aid kit are compulsory in many countries
for those who carry out an activity with public. Even if it is not your case try to
get some basic training and learn how to use a FA kit.
Waiver: a waiver for your customers to sign is a useful document to prevent
liability claims. You will need the assistance of a lawyer to compose a reliable
waiver that will include all important information and is written in the
appropriate legal form.
 34
Insurance: whether your local legislation makes it compulsory or not you will
need to buy some kind of insurance that protects you against personal liability
claims. Even if you take all measures to prevent risks, accidents do happen
and litigious customers do exist. If an accident takes place during the
development of the activity it is most likely that you will be found to some
degree responsible and be bound to pay compensation.
Planning: in the eventuality of an accident, be sure to have an emergency plan
drawn beforehand and a listing of emergency services always at hand.

Figure 4. The guide and visitor during a nature's interpreting activity in the Ebro
River. Both are wearing lifejacket, Zaragoza, Spain

Although some of these measures may seem exaggerated, depending on the risks of
the activity you want to carry on, you must take all these issues into account and
provide for them in one way or another. An insurance company will probably make an
assessment of your activity before you buy the insurance and will be able to help with
safety and risk prevention. Buying insurance is also a good quality indicator and you
will improve your customer attraction if you include this information in all your
marketing materials.

Section 4.2: Responsibility in Marketing

When selling a product, publishers and sellers focus on the highest points and tend
to avoid the product faults. As a result they overpromise and you, as entrepreneur,
are bound to underdeliver, or provide a service which is lower than the customer
expectations. As we have said in the introduction, quality is all about meeting
consumer expectations. Either it is you or someone external who writes the
advertising and marketing materials be sure to consider the following:
 35
A secret to success is to promise a little bit less than you offer. Your
customers will always be more satisfied with a result that exceeds their
expectations. Be modest when you market your product but make sure that all
best assets are also mentioned and do not lower those expectations that you
can actually meet.
Be honest. Do not lie to your customers or provide them with deceptive
images or materials. Do not forget to mention negative aspects and try to work
out compensations that will atone for them. For instance, if the road to a
particular spot is long and in bad condition, try to offer some refreshment after
the trip and before the visit to get the visitors in a better mood and explain how
the remoteness of this particular spot makes it especially worth visiting.
Always comply with all promises made to customers, whether they are in
marketing materials or personally made by you or your staff.
Train your staff and all other providers of services that you may engage with.
Be sure that they all understand the customer expectations.
Always try to deliver a little more than promised. Small treats such as coffee or
tea offered freely or welcome packages cost very little but have a great impact
on customer satisfaction.
Work on customer feedback and research to be always ahead of your
customer expectations.

Section 4.3: Intermediaries

Intermediaries to your service such as tour operators or tourism boards and
associations are very important to your business because they are most of the time
the first link between you and your customers. There are two aspects which are most
relevant when dealing with intermediaries: their reliability and the transmission of
information.

Figure 5. Aljaferia´s Palace, Zaragoza, Spain

 36
Your intermediaries must always be reliable bodies. If they give you wrong
information or this does not arrive in time this will reflect in your performance and the
services you provide. Also they must comply with your quality and sustainability
standards, as they are always considered part of your business. The reliability of
intermediaries also refers to their ability to meet deadlines or processing payments in
time as delays in this area can seriously affect your business.

Another important issue when working with intermediaries is the transmission of

information. As providers of information to customers you must be sure that
intermediaries always are provided with the latest and most accurate information
about your business. When possible, invite those persons directly involved in dealing
with the public to visit your business and experience for themselves the product they
are selling or booking. Make sure that you answer all questions and are available for
them to make enquiries.

Section 4.4: Communication: Booking

and Information
Even when a customer is booking an activity several months in advance you must
consider the prior information and the booking of the activity as the first and
sometimes the most important part of it. There are several mistakes that can frighten
away you customers or can make you start with the wrong foot.

Not answering your customer's enquiries: the internet protocol states that a
business e-mail shall be responded the next working day at the latest. This is
true for all your correspondence with customers, whether it is in the form of e-
mail, letters or telephone calls. Unanswered phone calls can make you lose a
large percentage of customers, as it is proved that most of the times when
there is no reply, people make another phone call to a different provider. If you
want your business to be professional you will need an all day working phone
number or at least an answering service that will record the potential
customer's enquiries and allow you to answer back in the shortest time
possible. An important fact to remember is that many people feel
uncomfortable when leaving messages to answering services, so try to recur
to that as the last resource and leave a welcoming, clear and warm message
that will invite your customers make their enquiries.
Not providing clear or enough information: when the customers are enquiring
about your services, they will need clear information and many times they will
ask precisely for what they want. Vague and muddled information or signs of
doubt will make your customers distract from you.
Not confirming a booking: after you have received a booking, check back all
the details with your customer. Whenever possible, write them down and send
them back to your customer for approval. Oral communication is very tricky
and many mistakes can be avoided by the simple gesture of writing a
confirmation e-mail and having it answered by your customer.
Not providing honest information: honest information means all the relevant
information without overvaluing. Customers respect honesty and feel cheated
when they sense they have been lied to. Lying to customers or not telling them
the whole truth can never be an option.
 37
Section 4.5: Communication: Listening
Skills
If you want to provide good quality customer service and obtain customer loyalty you
will need to develop good listening skills. It is proved that in most communication
exchanges, we only listen to 25% of what we hear. Listening attentively to your
customers comments and enquiries will help you to understand their needs and to
modify your activity or your offer accordingly. There are four simple rules to improve
your listening skills:

Try to avoid ―barriers‖. Barriers to effective listening are noises, interruptions,

technology, and even your own attitude. The best service that you can offer to
customers is attentive and active listening to their thoughts, trying to find out
and adequate space/time/state of mind. When you listen to them it is a certain
quality indicator.
Be patient. Let the other person explain his or her point of view and do not try
to interrupt them by finishing their sentences. Try not to think in advance of
what they are telling you but to listen to them carefully and obtain as much
information as possible.
If the information is long and complicated, try to be sure that you understand it
by grouping it into larger structures and repeating it to your interlocutor. For
example, ―Mr. García, I just want to be sure that I understood you correctly,
you said that you wanted to change the date of the tour and that the number of
participants had changed, is that right? Good, let us talk about the dates, you
said…‖
Do not be afraid of asking. Ask questions whenever you feel that it is
necessary.
Repeat all important information such as dates, numbers and names and
when possible try to have written confirmation.

Section 4.6: Communication: Non-

Verbal Skills
 38
A lot of information is
transmitted to the
customers by other
means than the
words. When
addressing your
customers be aware
of other
communication
components such as
your manners, your
tone or pitch, your
face expressions or
your gestures or body
posture. Personal
appearance and
Figure 6. The guide and visitors in a nature activity in a public
grooming is also most
park, Zaragoza, Spain
important when
dealing with customers. Before and during your tourism activity try to be aware of the
following:

· Posture: try to stand upright and relaxed as this is the posture that transmits self-
confidence and reliability.

Hand gestures: hands are useful to provide extra meaning to our message,
but you must be sure not to leave the main part of the message to them. Also,
different cultures use hands in different ways, so try to use them discretely and
not wave them too much or too wildly.
Facial expressions: smile as much as you can, as this is a proven method or
winning the attention and empathy of your listeners. Avoid yawning, sighing or
looking bored as they are all signs of disinterest.
Grooming: be sure that your hair is neat and well kept, your face is shaven
and your fingernails well cut and clean. Fresh breath is a must for all those
working with the public.
If you are not wearing a uniform, your clothes must be neutral, conveying an
image of respectability and giving no other information of yourself or
distracting the customers. They must always be neat, clean and well pressed
and be adequate for the activity you are carrying out.

Section 4.7: Handling Complaints

Customer complaints are powerful tools for getting to know better the weak points of
the services we provide. Although dealing with an angry customer is never an easy
task, the information these claims provide is always a good starting point for the
assessment of our services. Never underestimate the extent of a customer
complaints and try to deal with them in an honest and effective way. Not addressing
the customer complaints will result in a discontent guest whose bad
recommendations will give you very negative word of mouth. It is proved that
discontent customers are more active in the internet than satisfied ones, so letting go
discontent customers without providing solutions to their problems can result in
 39
negative publicity on the net. At the same time, if you take measure to solve
customer's problems or address his complains you will probably prevent the same
problem to happen again in the future.

Not all customers deliver their complaints in a polite way. It is very important to stay
calm and try to calm down the customer by listening to him carefully and attending to
his complaints. A previously released protocol as the one we propose below will be of
great help in difficult situations.

Keep calm.
Listen carefully.
Do not take the complaint personally.
Try to understand the customer's message and repeat it to him if necessary.
Write down the particulars.
Always thank the customer for his feedback.
Try to understand the customer's expectations about the problem.
Tell the customer what measures you are taking to solve his problem. If you
need more time to think about it, tell the customer so, but inform him when you
are going to tell him.
If necessary, let the customer know about the evolution of the complaint.

After the problem has been solved, keep a record of what happened and from time to
time review these records and see if you can determine any patterns that will allow
you to reconsider any of your business assumptions.

Section 4.8: Standarts and

Certifications
The certifications and quality seals relating to tourist activities respond to the need of
customers and companies that require their appearance in order to recognize and
differentiate the value possessed by each product.

For this reason, work is being carried out in different areas relating to the tourism
sector on the creation of seals that ensure the improvement of services and products.
Regional, national and European tourist organizations work jointly with their
respective governments on the preparation of regulations and control measures for
the development of quality marks.

Quality seals give service to customers and tourism companies:

To customers, because they find that their expectations are fulfilled in the
services chosen, with specialist professionals; moreover, they are allowed to
participate in the continuous improvement of the service.
To tourism companies, because this improves business management,
increases employee training, obtains greater customer satisfaction, introduces
processes of continuous improvement of the establishment and furthermore
the mark can be utilized as an element of commercialization and promotion.
 40
There are different bodies that work at the European and international level in the
development of trademarks and certifications that may be applied to tourist services
depending on the sector worked, such as: the Responsible Tourism Institute (RTI),
the International Standard Organization (ISO), the certifier TÜV Rheinland or the
Europarc Federation.

This work has brought about several quality systems, among which the following are
of particular importance at European level:

The ISO 9000 standards, which represent an international consensus

regarding good practices and quality management.
The Integral Sustainable Tourism (STI) seal that groups the certifications of
the trademark "Öko-Proof-Betrieb", "Biosphere Hotels", ISO 14001 and EMAS,
depending on the level of commitment acquired.
The European Charter for Sustainable Tourism, whose objective is to promote
the development of sustainable tourism in the protected natural areas of
Europe.

When it is decided to implement a quality seal in a tourist activity, it is important and

necessary to evaluate all those that can be developed in your area and in your
business in order to establish the most suitable one with regard to the level of
requirements involved and the level of knowledge of the consumers.

The specific case of Spain (This section must be adapted to the situation of each
member country of the project)

In Spain, the Spanish Tourism Quality System (STQS) has been developed by the
initiative of the business sector and has been supported from its beginning by the
State Tourism Administration; it is focused on providing the businesses of the sector
with a methodological tool that allows them to maintain and improve their competitive
position. Its control is subsidiary to the Spanish Tourism Quality System (STQS)
which is in charge of the certifications of the system.

The STQS has made possible the development of specific Quality Standards for
each sector and situated at an intermediate level between the ISO 9000 and the
European Model of Business Excellence (EFQM).

The Q Mark is the most visible element of the entire System, the generic name of
which is 'Spanish Tourism Quality'; it is a mark common to any activity relating to
tourist services or products, providing them with all the characteristics of the seals of
tourism quality.

―The Q of Quality‖ has been developed to be established in mature tourism services

such as: lodgings, travel agencies, restaurants, etc., but also in new sectors such as
protected natural areas, time-share companies or municipal tourist services.

In 2011, there were more than 2,000 certified establishments in Spain. The Q has
begun to be recognized internationally by operators and consumers.

Section 4.9: Environmental Issues

 41
Environmental issues related to tourism activities can be roughly classified into three
large groups: reducing the impact of transport, minimizing the use of resources and
production of waste.

Tourism transport, especially air travel, makes extensive use of energy resources
and causes a large quantity of emissions but, as small rural entrepreneurs, there is
little that we can do concerning these movements of large numbers of people. An
aspect in which we are more likely to make a difference is in road traffic and the use
of vehicles needed for our activity. Road traffic, when it is excessive, affects the local
air quality and noise levels and is related to several medical conditions. The increase
of carbon emissions on a global level is a significant threat to the environment and
the quality of our lives. Simple steps that we can take to reduce carbon emissions
and the impact of our tourism activity are the following:

Use public transport as often as possible, both for you and your customers.
Try to plan out activities that include use of public means of transportation and
offer them to your customers as alternative to the coach service and a better
way to get to know the culture of your community.
Encourage your customers to use public transport both in their travelling to
your region and within the area of their vacation. Provide them with timetables
and routes.
Include information on public transport in all your brochures or tourist
information.
If you need a vehicle to transport your customers, always try to find the
smallest and environmentally friendly vehicle.
When designing a tourist route, consider the impact of transport and plan the
route accordingly.
Use the local products whenever possible, consider the ecological impact of
transport of import goods to tourism destinations.

Leisure and tourism activities extend a great toll on a region's resources (land,
energy, water, food) and may compete with the needs of local people. As providers
of cultural tourism activities we can ensure that our activities are carried out by
making an adequate use of the local resources, but especially by making sure that
our providers and the providers of accommodation services with whom we work
make use of environmental management tools and do not make overconsumption of
the local resources.

Waste production is another area upon which tourism activities have a large and
negative impact. Recycling and reusing are solutions to the problem of waste
management, but the best environmental option is to reduce our waste. In our
business, this can be done in a number of ways:

When purchasing goods for you and your customers, always pay attention to
the packaging and select those products with the smallest amount of it.
When purchasing goods for your customers, try buying in bulk, which is also a
cheaper option, and use non-disposable, reusable packaging (for example, try
using cotton bags for picnic lunches instead of plastic ones).
Collect all waste generated during the development of the activity and try to
dispose by reusing or recycling where possible.
 42
Offer your customers a selective disposal of waste with different bins for every
category.
Talk to your providers and make sure that they are also involved in the
minimization and management of waste.

References
Freeman Tilden, Interpreting our Heritage, University of North Carolina Press, 1957

Larry Beck and Ted Cable, Interpretation for the 21st Century. SagamorePublishing ,
2002

M. Bywater, The Market for Cultural Tourism in Europe. Travel and Tourism Analyst
nº 6,1993

National Association for Interpretation, Journal of Interpretation Research,

www.interpnet.com/JIR/

Hems, Alison and Marion Blockley eds. Heritage Interpretation, London: Routledge,
2006

Sharing our Stories: Guidelines for Heritage Interpretation, National Trust Australia
(WA) and Museums Australia (WA), 2007

Ballantyne, R., Crabtree, A., Ham, S., Hughes, K., and Weiler, B. Tour Guiding:
Developing Effective Communication and Interpretation Techniques, 2000, video
available from Roy Ballantyne QUT

Ham, Sam H. Interpretation. A Practical Guide for People with Big Ideas and Small
Budgets, Golden, Colorado, USA: Fulcrum/North American Press

Brussels, 19.10.2007 Agenda for a sustainable and competitive European tourism

COM (2007) 621 final

Weiermair, K., (1997) On the concept and definition of quality in tourism In: Quality
Management in Tourism, AIEST, St Gallen

Self - Assessment
1. Assess the interpretative potential of your area.
Without further research, write down the most
outstanding resources in terms of interpretative value.
2. Check your list with tourism authorities and
professionals. Is there any relevant information
missing? Have you written down something which may
be interesting but has no interpretative interest?
 43
3. Choose a theme and decide which of the items on your
list are relevant to the theme chosen.
4. Draw an interpretative itinerary which addresses five of
the items previously selected.
5. Do some research. Find as much information as you
can on the assets selected and write comprehensive
files about them.
6. Think up a story that may link the assets selected
throughout your itinerary.
7. Select which information you are going to provide
according to the story and the itinerary you have
designed. Choose your facts carefully and just a few of
them.
8. Test the itinerary on your own. Measure the total time
and the times allotted to each spot. When at home
make necessary changes to the story or the itinerary to
adjust timing.
9. Design an evaluation questionnaire addressing the
main issues in your interpretation.
10. Test the itinerary with a colleague. Make him answer
the evaluation questionnaire and discuss the results
with him or her. Find out which are your weak and
strong points and change your message accordingly.
11. Think up a cultural activity in your area:
a. Make an evaluation of the risks your customers are
involved in, the insurance that you must purchase and
the information that you have to provide to your
customers.
b. Create five ways that make your product/activity
more attractive against the others with similar
characteristics.
12. List five issues that you have to communicate to your
costumers. Booking and information, listening skills
and non-verbal skills
13. Make a list of tourist services that have certification in
your area. Are there European Certifications or Local
certifications?
14. Imagine that you are a guide from a wine cellar in
Spain. A group of English tourists have booked a visit
two month ago. They can´t speak Spanish and your
English guide is suddenly very ill.
15. The group is very angry, because they haven´t been
previously advised and they are really interested in
visiting a wine cellar. What would you do?
16. List 5 environmental issues that you have to consider
when you create a cultural activity.
 44

II. Main Cultural

products
1. Architecture and
Archaeology
Section 1.1: Archeological Tourism
Archaeological sites and historic places are major tourist attractions worldwide. In the
past few years, visits to historical sites have ranked third — after dining in restaurants
and shopping — among the activities of people travelling abroad. The number of
people who visit archaeological sites increases every year, and this increase can
have both a positive and significant negative impacts. In many instances, increased
visits have led to damage at sites and portions of sites have often been closed to the
public to prevent further deterioration. In extreme cases, entire sites have been
closed.

Archaeological tourism (sometimes labeled ―archaeotourism‖) is travel that focuses

on visiting and experiencing ancient sites and historical places. The motivating forces
behind archaeological tourism are a passion for the past and an interest in learning
about the ancient or historical cultures that inhabited the area being visited.
―Archaeotourists‖ are also attracted by the exotic (and often hard to access) nature of
the locations in which many archaeological sites are found and often desire unique
experiences. Archaeological tourism may include visits to museums, places of
historical significance, historically and archaeologically focused parks, and even
attendance of traditional dances, festivals, and other events. While archaeological
tourism is not new, its scale and scope have grown dramatically in recent years.
Hundreds of thousands of tourists now visit archaeological sites annually and
archaeological tourism has become a lucrative business. Archaeological tourism is
often incorporated into the larger fields of ecological tourism, geotourism, and
heritage tourism. Many countries offer combinations that allow the visitor enjoying the
region's natural and cultural wonders.

The popularity of archaeological sites as tourist attractions makes them valuable

sources of revenue, but economic exploitation of sites is often not matched by
reinvestment in proper site management to ensure protection of sites and their
continued enjoyment by visitors. Archaeological sites are fragile resources, and
inadequate site management may result in deterioration or destruction of the site and
its social/historical/educational/economic potential.
 45
Archaeological tourism raises awareness of our shared cultural heritage and
encourages people to visit archaeological sites and historical places, but also
subjects these precious resources to increased stress. Currently, the growth in
tourism to archaeological sites has not been counter-balanced by appropriate
revisions to guidelines and laws that mandate ―good practices‖ for visiting sites. This
largely unregulated tourism has led to the deterioration and destruction of sites. In
some cases local authorities have been forced to close the sites to visitors and
promote them in other ways including, as at Altamira in Spain, the creation of exact
replicas of the site (Based on information material and manual created by AIA, the
Archaeological Institute of America, the Archaeology magazine, and ATTA, the
Adventure Travel Trade Association).

1.1.1. A Summary of „Best Practices‟ for

Planning/Implementing Archeological Tourism
The AIA/ATTA manual outlines ―best practices‖ for archeologically interesting visiting
sites:

1. Archaeological sites and historical places are finite, fragile, and non-
renewable resources: Archaeological sites and historical places are unique
and irreplaceable. Destruction of a site is permanent and irreversible. It is
important to know that sites are fragile and vulnerable to exposure to
elements, looting, and irresponsible/unrestricted tourism. Destruction of sites
results not only in loss of the physical remains but also the information that
may have been gleaned from examination and study of the area. Loss of
information is just as critical as the loss of sites as it affects our understanding
of the cultures that built them.
2. Archaeological sites exist within a larger setting that includes both the
environment and the local communities: Good practices must take into
account the impact of archaeological tourism on the site and the natural
environment in which the site is located. Guidelines for sustainable tourism
should respect the values, ideals, and rights of the local communities that exist
alongside the sites. Guidelines for good practices must be created in
cooperation with the local population.
3. Removal or destruction of cultural material is unethical and illegal:
Archaeological sites are generally protected by laws that prohibit the removal
of any cultural (and in some cases, natural) materials. Removing or trafficking
in cultural materials is illegal. Looting destroys a site and compromises the
integrity of any information that may be retrieved from it.

The three principles listed above are the foundation for creating any guidelines for
visiting archaeological sites and historical places. They should also guide the
planning of tours and the behavior of tour operators and visitors (from AIA/ATTA Best
Practice Guide for Archeological Tourism).

1.1.2. Guidelines for Tour Operators Intending to

Provide Visits to Archeological Sites
 46
The goal for tour operators is to present a site in an interesting and accessible
manner while maintaining its historic, cultural, and social value and
significance. All tours should naturally adhere to the guidelines created by site
managers and local governments;
Tour leaders should pick sites appropriate for their clients and the nature of
their tour and make sure that the desire to give clients a unique or special
experience does not harm a site. It is important to identify and only visit sites
that can accommodate the tour groups;
Tour leaders should keep tours and group size that the site can comfortably
support;
Tour leaders should be aware of potential dangers to the site and to the
visitors. This information should be available to visitors along with advice on
how to avoid the dangers;
Tour operators should be aware of the physical demands that the site will
make on their clients. Is the site appropriate for disabled people, children,
elderly, etc.?
Tour operators should be aware of facilities available at site and provide this
information to the clients;
If facilities or infrastructure at a site are below normal standards, operators
should consult site mangers to improve these facilities before making the site
a regular part of a tour package. This will both give a better experience for
your clients and help to preserve the site;
Tour leaders should be aware of their vehicle‘s impact on the environment and
the site.Make sure there are adequate and appropriate facilities to
accommodate your vehicles and appropriate infrastructure to support the
traffic. If the facilities are inappropriate, consult or cooperate with local
authorities to build or upgrade them or choose a different site;
Make the ―good practice‖ guide available to all concerned, before or at the
start of the tour;
Tour operators should have a good understanding of the sites — cultural,
historical,and social significances — that are presented in an interest-
generating manner to their clients;
Provide clients with pre-tour materials about the area and the sites that they
will be seeing;
Clients should be educated on the cultural and historic significance of the site
and should be encouraged to follow all visiting guidelines prescribed by the
authorities/site managers;
Tour operators should provide visitors with supplementary educational
materials and opportunities so that they understand that the site they are
seeing is a part of a larger context and that preserving the site is a step in
preserving a larger cultural heritage;
Tour operators should impress upon clients that archaeological sites are often
considered to be sacred places by the local community and as such should be
treated with respect;
Tour operators should be aware of local attitudes, customs, traditions, and
beliefs regarding ancient sites and historic remains;
Operators should work with local communities and try to create holistic
experiences for their clients. Community involvement will create a better
experience for your clients and will help fostering good inter-cultural relations.
This could also help with the local economic development;
Tour operators should preferably use local tour guides;
 47
Tour operators should foster good relations with the local community and
make sure that clients are aware of local DO‘s and DON‘Ts (language,
physical contact, photography, etc.).

(Extracts from the recommendations listed in the AIA/ATTA guide, available in full at
http://www.archaeological.org/pdfs/AIATourismGuidelines.pdf)

Section 1.2: Architectural Tourism

Most people who are going for a vacation or embark on a travel destination are in
search of relaxation, do some sight-seeing, maybe some shopping and generally
have a good time. Most sight-seeing tours include visiting of some monuments and
buildings which have historical importance or are visually stunning. This gives an
opportunity to look and examine these buildings and architectural masterpiece up
close and have a better look at these buildings that we had only gazed at in
magazines and television. The culture and history of a place can be traced through
the kind of architecture it had. However, when a vacation is taken solely to look at
these historical monuments and study different architectural styles, it is called
architectural tourism. In our context the term architectural tourism means going to a
travel destination to see historical monuments and architecture, as a main ambition
and/or as a secondary added-on effect for the tourist. Architectural tourism in those
terms is already very big today and many site operators are promoting this form of
tourism as a value-added component. Here we are going to address this part of
tourism services, issues related to it, discuss some issues connected to it as well as
propose some potentially new solutions for implementing architectural travel and
tourism on a local basis for the new generations.

1.2.1. Exploiting the Architectural Tourism Spots

Tourism in various forms is one of the fastest growing sectors and architectural
tourism has within it really come up in the last couple of years. Increasingly, tourists
want to get a feel of the culture, history and uniqueness of the locations that they
visit. They like to go for excursions that demonstrate the unique architecture of
buildings and monuments along their routes and to participate in events and routes
that include visits to different historical or architectural monuments and buildings.
This could include castles, ruins or historically significant locations and houses,
especially when architecture plays a vital role in the particular touristic route or
location.

1.2.2. Information Materials on Architecture-oriented

Sites and Routes
For many internationally known architectural masterpieces and sites there are a lot of
both commercial and freely distributed information materials that supplement the
visits and site-views. These are often produced by and available from tourism offices,
culture and government organisations, as well as from museums. For tourist service
providers it is often also possible to pre-order those publications in bulk for
 48
subsequent distribution or refer the tourists to web-sites or locations from where
those can be retrieved.

1.2.3. Examples of Architecture-oriented Tourism

Web Service
Public web services oriented towards architectural tourism and nationally/locally
significant sites/routes contain also materials that can be distributed by tourism
service providers. Some examples of such web-based information sites (from
Finland) are provided below:

http://www.visitfinland.com/web/guest/finland-guide/about-finland/very-
finnish/architecture
http://www.finnisharchitecture.fi/
http://www.finnisharchitecture.fi/experience-architecture

1.2.4. Producing Support Materials for Architecture-

oriented Touristic Site/Route Services
For locally significant architectural (and archeological) sites such pre-produced
information materials may not be available. In such cases it may be useful to
compile, possibly with the assistance of the local community inhabitants interested in
architecture and/or archeology, as set of notes, stories, descriptions and/or
photographs, maps and drawings. These could subsequently also be used as base
materials for enriching the operator‘s own web services.

Section 1.3: Modern ICT Solutions for

Archeological and Architectural
Tourism Operations
ICT and Internet solutions like web pages, online databases and information
dispatched by e-mail has already been in use for a long time. Use of Facebook
pages, as well as use of Twitter and other social media solutions are also already
widely applied for both attracting new visitors and for keeping past visitors and
guests, providing them with information on developments and new features for the
purpose of either fostering them to re-visit the particular media or using them as
informal marketing channels for your services.

1.3.1. Mobile Guides Using Mobile Phones, Pads and

Smartphones
Practical and easy-to-carry guides for tourists have been available in print for many
specific location sites for a lot of years. These have served the tourists well, in
particular in connection with architectural, archeological and other information-
 49
intensive places where guides are not the optimal or most convenient solution for the
tourist or tour-operating service.

With the introduction of Internet services such guides were either made available as
web-pages or as downloadable documents in, e.g., PDF format. However, these
web-based solutions had a limitation in mobility and at-site usage. The expanded and
widespread usage of mobile devices opens us a new service modality, namely
‗mobile guides‘ (e.g., see proposals in
www.comp.lancs.ac.uk/~kc/mguides04/pdfs/Duepmeier_Ruchter.pdf). This solution
provides the portability and mobility. The structure of those guides can be both
illustrative, adopted to different user categories (children, casual user, expert, etc.)
and can also include voice and video components. It can also contain GSM-based
information as well as augmented reality components elaborated upon below.
Increased attractiveness can also be generated by using some user-friendly ‗flip-
page‘ service like http://www.flipcreator.net.

1.3.2. GSM-based Route Maps and Geographically-

located Information Spots
With the widespread usage of mobile phones, smart-
phones and portable pads, there are also options for new
and innovative usage of GSM-based services for
generation/provision of tourist-supported information
services such as special purpose route-maps with
highlighted locally available architecture features and/or for
providing ‗guided journeys‘ through different archeological
sites. Such route-maps can also be reinforced with site
information, or even presented as an equivalent to the
Easter-hunt game for tourists. Some example of software
solutions for production of route-maps and ‗treasure hunts‘
are www.waymarking.com, www.tourality.com,
www.walkexplorer.com and www.seekbits.com/scavenger-
hunts/make-a-free-scavenger-hunt/. Read about the
practical application of ‗treasure hunts‘ in this article:
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110131092330.ht
m.

A newly emerging approach in attracting people to visit particular ‗spots‘ is the

GeoCatching game where someone hides something (e.g., the tour operator) for
others (the tourists) to find those items by using their GSM-enabled mobile phones.
More information about setting up and introducing GeoCatching is available from
www.geocaching.com. Information about preparing mobile devices for GeoCatching
is provided at www.geocachenavigator.com.

1.3.3. Some Innovative Service Solutions for Android

and iPhone 3GS Users
Augmented reality browsers are a new kind of internet-mediated browsers for smart-
phones. Through such browser the mobile real-time camera view is over-layered
 50
with ‗meta information', on top of the normal camera view. This added ‗meta-data‘
data is requested online from a special service internet source. Tourism operators
can provide such augmented reality services for their particular touristic objects
within the local context, either from their own web portals/servers or as linked
services to special service repositories (an example of such repository is provided
below).

By holding the phone in front of them like a normal

camera, tourists can see now not only building re-
lated information on top of reality, but also, e.g., the
nearest architectural sites and special point of
interest. Depending on the services adopted by the
tourism operator, it will even be possible to display
the actual architectural events and highlighted
features in the direction in which the camera is
pointed and the scenario viewed through the
smartphone's screen.

For more complex functionalities the supported devices not only need to have a
camera, GPS sensor and internet connectivity, they furthermore need a compass or
an accelerometer. For this reason the older smartphones (including iPhone 2G/3G)
are incompatible to such more advanced services. In order to utilise augmented
reality applications in smartphones, an augmented reality browser has to be
downloaded into it.

Junaio, Layar and Wikitude are examples of such browsers. Users of the
augmented services should first download one of these Apps, e.g., at the Android
Market or from iTunes, and thereafter select the augmented service server.
Afterwards it is possible for them to enjoy an Architecture Enriched Reality from their
mobile devices.

Junaio and Layar is available for Android devices and the iPhone 3GS. Wikitude
additionally offers a version for some Symbian driven devices (Nokia N97 etc) at OVI
store. Furthermore, Wikitude is compatible with the older iPhone 3G (with reduced
AR functionality).

The Junaio augmented reality application is both a popular and

powerful application software that can be used to create innovative
architectual and archeological tourism service solutions also in a rural
context. For more info see www.junaio.com.
Layaris is an agumented reality application.There are also some special
features of the Layar augmented reality browser such as displaying
perspective maps. Furthermore, it's possible to display surrounding
buildings in 3D, and, last but not least, it can include real-time
pedestrian routing to local architecture POIs (point of information).
Download it from www.Layar.com or view a video at ArchInform.
The WikiTude supports a wide range of devices such as any Android
Device with OS version between 1.6 and 2.3 with normal or high-
resolution screen, iPhone 3GS, iPhone4, iPad/iPad 2, iPod Touch
3G/4G, BlackBerry, Bold 9900 (often pre-installed). More info and
downloading options from www.wikitude.com.
 51
The ArchInform services is an example of an international online
repository for tourism information, containing information on both
architectural and archeological tourism services. It is an example of
online tourism services that have adopted new service approaches
possible through augmented reality. See more info, hints and examples
at www.archInform.com.

2. Sites of Historical Interest

Grebbelinie - a Dutch Military Defence Line As an Example of Historical Interest

Introduction
This Section describes a Dutch historical military water defence line in the middle of
The Netherlands, situated between the river Rhine and the former South Sea,
nowadays the Eemmeer. It was the first defence line to protect Holland against
aggressors from the east and a nice example how a site of historical interest can be
restored and developed as a tourism object. After reading this section you will have
an idea how to reconstruct a historical defence line to the benefit of tourism and the
stimulation of employment in a certain region.

After studying this section you will:

be able to describe the importance of historical defence lines from the

EU perspective
have an idea how to reconstruct a historical defence line
be able to describe at least five tourism products related to a defence
line
know some marketing tools to promote the defence line
be able to transfer the obtained know how to restore a defence line in
practice.

Section 2.1: Defence Lines As

Historical Tourism Objects
2.1.1. The Dutch “Grebbelinie”
 52
The interesting aspect of the military
defence line „Grebbelinie‖ is the use of
earth and water, strengthened by
fortresses in between. It is the same idea
of the „Dutch Waterlinie‖ situated after
the Grebbelinie that was used to defend
Holland in the past. Compared with other
defence lines, as the Magninot line in
France, the Ostwall in Poland and the
Atlantic wall lines, the use of „natural‖
defence is very high. In this case water is
the friend and enemy of the Netherlands.

The so called „Grebbelinie‖ was

constructed in the 18th century under the threatening of French troops that might
attack The Netherlands. In 1794, the linie was successfully inundated for the first
time, but, unfortunately enough, the big rivers were frozen and avoiding the
Grebbelinie French troops occupied The Netherlands. During this occupation the
line got its final design and was enriched with several defence works.

At the start of the German-French war in 1872, the Grebbelinie was fully
functioning again with modern canons which were even used in 1940. During the
First World War it did not play any role in the defence strategy of The
Netherlands.

Just in February 1940 the Dutch army decided to use the Grebbelinie as an effective
defence line against the German troops. On the 10th of May, 1940, on a beautiful
summer day, the German troops invaded The Netherlands. The line was almost
broken in the evening of the third war day by the Germans at the Grebbemountain.
The Dutch troops draw back to the Dutch Water Defence line. Because of the
unexpected resistance of the Dutch army at the Grebbelinie, Rotterdam was
bombarded the fourth day of the war. The Dutch government surrendered under the
blackmail that other cities in Holland would face the same faith.

Ironically the Germans improved the defence line in 1944 to stop the
Canadian troops liberating Holland. The Grebbelinie, now called
„Pantherstellung‖, hold until the capitulation of the German troops in
The Netherlands at Wageningen in May 1945. After the Second World
War the linie was functioning as a military defence line till 1951.

Fifty-five years after this date it was silent around the old defence line.
Nature took over the trenches and dikes, trees were growing. Birds made their nests
in the trees and the former casemates were covered by humus. One fortress even
disappeared under a provincial road.
 53
In May 2006, however, the reconstruction of the „Grebbeberg linie‖ started as a
tourism and recreational stimulation for the region. The old linie waked up with
another mission.

2.1.2. EU Importance
Military defence lines are a subject of interest of the EU history and a
reflection of the time spirit and living decades of the last centuries. You
can find the equipment but also the furniture of the century in which it was
constructed. You can have the idea how much a country was spending on its
defence and how unrealistic they were in expecting not to be attacked. Dutch troops,
for example, defended themselves in May 1940 with canons from 1870 (!).

The Maginot line on the other hand was reflecting another point of view, using
modern weapons for defending. However, German troops changed the use of stable
defence lines, studying the mobile strategies of Charles de Gaulle in their military
academies since around 1933 and avoided the Maginot line by invading Belgium and
Holland. The Germans built their own defence lines up to 1941 at the Atlantic. The
construction of the Ostwall in the East of the former Germany, nowadays Poland,
was already started in 1925. It stopped the Russians in January 1945 for just a few
days, as the crew of the Ostwall was not very well-trained and had not enough battle
experience. After the Second World War the military importance of unmovable
defence lines declined.

Ostwall, Poland

The defence lines and, of course, also castles and fortresses are ―wave points‖ in our
common European history. In fact those lines were generally built to defend oneself
against a foreign aggressor. In his way one can define a tank as an attacking mobile
fortress which can also be used for defence.

The defence lines are keeping alive the memory of the inhabitants of Europe how
valuable peace is. Without fearing aggression of the neighbouring countries there is
no need of this kind of defence construction works any more.

The European Union is the best way to guarantee peace. It is the best defence
against military aggression of the EU neighbour countries. This statement has to
become a collective memory of its inhabitants.

From the EU point of view, it is also important that the authorities and tourism
management of the ―old defence‖ tourism objects start to co-operate with each other.
It would be in the interest of the preserving of the defence lines to exchange know-
 54
how and organise common events. Certainly, also tourism package deals can be
developed for tourists in and outside the EU. For example, there could be a visit to
three old EU defence lines in four days. Japanese and the USA tourists would
probably be interested.

2.1.3. A Dutch Reconstruction Approach

In May 2006, the project „Grebbeberg linie resurrected‖ started as a
tourism and recreational stimulation for the region. Several activities were
launched like canoeing in parts of the old water defence line, developing
walking and cycling routes on and beside the line. Small historical
„museums‖ were raised and nearby restaurants started offering a Grebbelinie meal.

Tourism accommodations like „linie huts‖ were designed and constructed.

The most important work of the project was and is to reconstruct the defence line
with its dikes, inundation works, fortresses, trenches, casemates, etc. These are the
basic things for renovation of the historical tourism object „Grebbelinie‖ in the middle
of the Netherlands.

Old maps were studied and military, municipal and state archives visited. People who
were actively involved in the May days of 1940 were interviewed.

In this way a good overview was obtained to make true reconstructions of the dikes,
sluices, fortresses, bunkers, casemates, canals and trenches as they looked like
during the centuries and especially in the Second World War.

The rebuilding works are still going on. Also the fortress „Fort aan de Buurtsteeg‖,
that is crossed in the middle by the railway Utrecht-Oberhausen, will be
reconstructed. The reconstruction will be financed by the provinces, municipalities,
state NGO‘s and, if possible, partly by the EU funding.

Cars are now running over a part of the fortress, crossing the railways, so the road
on which they are driving now, has to be rerouted. There are also plans to construct
a visitor‘s centre, bridging the railway and being an observation point for whole rebuilt
fortress. This centre has to play an important role in educating/informing adults and
schoolchildren about the Grebbelinie. Four other small information centres will be
raised and constructed alongside the line. Some are replacing the existing little
private „museums‖.

Very important is to make the defence line reachable for all kinds of visitor groups.
Entrance roads and bridges in the old military sober architecture have to be
(re)constructed. Parking places for cars and bikes are essential. Public transport has
to be arranged.

Besides, quays have to be constructed for mooring canoes, rowing boats, water
bikes and roundabout boats in the revived water defence canals and works.

Handicapped people should have entrance to some of the most interesting parts of
the defence line and in any case to the information centres. This means that, at the
 55
beginning of the reconstruction works and building of the information centres, this
has to be taken in account, as far as possible, of course.

2.1.4. Project Management

The SVGV, Foundation of the Renewing of the Gelderse Valley, at Scherpenzeel is
since 2009 the project leader of the Grebbelinie and coordinates all activities and the
budget spending of the project. There is a special Grebbeberg project staff
appointed. Before that time the Grebbelinie project staff was functioning under the
Provence of Utrecht.

In the project two Provinces of The Netherlands, 12 local communities, several

NGO‘s, like a Water NGO, are working together to realize the Grebbelinie in its
original state.

Entrepreneurs are stimulated to develop tourism activities, small restaurants and

accommodation around the Grebbelinie. Some of the activities can be co-financed
from a raised fund.

Presently the project is expected to finish in 2014.

2.1.5. Target Groups

Dutch Schoolchildren

All Dutch children are learning about the history of the Second World War. The
Grebbelinie is the lively history of one of the big battles in 1940 in The Netherlands.
Primary schools in the neighbourhood are already visiting the defence line and this
can be extended to all schools in The Netherlands. Also the secondary schools are
the target group.

Tourists Between 20 and 60

People, families in the neighbourhood and tourists see the line as a nice place to
recreate: to walk, cycle, canoe, and enjoy nature, having a tea or beer during one's
tour and having some nice experiences and activities on certain spots on the
Grebbelinie. Historical event days around the WW II with a lot of activities are
preferred as a lively view of the near past history.

60+

The seniors have really historical ideas about the Grebbelinie. They were children
during the WW II and the period after it till 1950. The Grebbelinie for the people up to
75 is the reality of the Second World War. Maybe there are still some ex-soldiers
living that fought in May 1940. Especially for this category some parts of the
Grebbelinie have to be made wheelchair friendly. Anyway, the to be constructed
information centre at the fortress ―Fort aan de Buurtsteeg‖ has to take care of this
kind of visitors.

2.1.6. Costs
 56
The total cost of the planning and reconstruction of the Grebbelinie is around € 21
million.

The visitor centre including the fortress ―Fort aan de Buurtsteeg‖ will cost around € 5
million between 2010 and 2014.

The recovery of the bastions at Grebbeberg will cost around € 845,000.00. For
information counter and signalization € 150,000 will be reserved.

The policy is that the main funding from the Project office SVGV at Scherpenzeel will
have a co-financing of 50% from the local communities, municipalities, nature
protection NGO‘s, entrepreneurs, etc.

Co-funding to mini-projects are foreseen especially for the recovery of the casemates
in 2010.

Section 2.2: Tourism Products

A defence line is a tourism object that creates a lot of rural tourism products. Most of
the time it is situated in the country and more or less hidden, as a kind of
camouflage. On the other hand, it dominates and gives form to the landscape,
especially in the front line, as the guns of the defence line must have open fields like
meadows and agriculture land. Defences of canals, inundations and obstacles for
tanks can also dominate the front line. At the back of the line there are the transport
roads for ammunition, supplies, meals, etc. for the soldiers. The Grebbelinie does not
have sheltered (underground) transport routes, like the Ostwall in Poland, for
example.

A recovered Grebbelinie means that roads are available to enter the defence line.
The road behind the first defence line can be (re)constructed for cyclists and on the
top of the line or in front of it walking paths can be realized. Even a horse riding track
is possible, giving an imagination of the cavalry officers, inspecting the line.

The water defending, the canal is also in front of the line. Of course, the inundations
are too hard to realise given the restricted living space in The Netherlands.

So walking, horse riding and cycling are attractive parts of the renewed old defence
line.

On the defence canals, water sports of small boats are possible like canoeing, rowing
and water biking. Even water roundabout tours are possible with narrow passengers
boats.

To inform the tourists about the old defence line, the fortresses will be rebuilt with
some small visitor centres in them. Some trenches and casemates will be
reconstructed.

Guiding can be an integral part of the Grebbelinie experience.

 57
The existing restaurants and tourism accommodations can take profit from the
tourists' needs to see the whole line or a part of it. New initiatives to raise rural
accommodations, small restaurants, tea-houses can be encouraged, as long as they
are fitting in the line concept.

So the revival of the old defence line creates a lot of jobs in the reconstruction and
preserving of it, as well as the tourism products after its construction. It means
stimulation of the local economy and increase in employment in the rural area that is
threatened by urbanisation.

2.2.1. Living Intangible Heritage

To keep the cultural military traditions lively, events are organized with exercises,
traditional soldier meals, etc., showing the daily life during the mobilization of Dutch
troops in 1939-1940. Such an event took place also on the 14th and 15th of May
2010 at several spots on or nearby the defence line which is around 68 km.

However this can be done for various centuries, as the linie was a defence line in
1792 and 1795 against the French troops, which occupied The Netherlands for 18
years.

This „living intangible heritage‖ is still not on the list of the UNESCO. The UN
Organization made the first draft of such a list at the end of 2009 in Abu Dhabi
(Weekend journal, Sept.11-13, 2009). It was concentrating more on folklore, songs,
dances, traditional clothes, etc.

2.2.2. Living Like a Soldier In a Defence Line

A rural B&B accommodation entrepreneur nearby the reconstructed defence
Grebbelinie had the idea to develop a rural tourism accommodation called ―Linie hut‖.

―Linie huts‖ are, with some moderations for the western spoiled tourist, reconstructed
and used as tourism accommodations. These huts are situated against the former
line dike.

Here was a big confrontation between the Dutch and the German troops in May
1940, so you are sleeping more or less in a battle area. Nearby is a trench
reconstructed and you can feel yourself like a Dutch soldier waiting for the enemy. If
you book a linie hut, the owner will organize a guided tour for you, telling you about
this part of the Dutch defence line, the water management, the flora and fauna
around.

2.2.3. Visitor Centres

One big and several micro visitor centres can be raised in the fortresses or farms
nearby the line. The main visitor centre will be constructed at the fortress ―Fort aan
de Buurtsteeg‖. The first thing to remind by the inner architecture and furnishing is
that it has to be a lively visitor‘s centre, with movies and maybe computer animations.
It has also to give its visitors a nice overview over the fortress. Old disarmed
weapons and furniture, catering, etc. should be in the centre or in the fortress.
 58
Clear explanation on information or IT boards tells the visitor how the equipment was
used. It is advisable to establish a flexible movie/ class/meeting room in the centre.

Guides available for the visitors of the centres would be perfect. They could tell
colourful stories and give demonstrations of the use of the historical equipment in the
centre. Volunteers can be trained as guides.

An I-pod ―guide‖ can be introduced for all interesting objects in the centre, if the guide
is not present. In fact, the I-pod can contain explanations of all objects and nature
along the total Grebbelinie. It can contain even soldier songs of 1940 and the
frightened war sounds, like an attack of a Stuka airplane on Dutch soldiers at the
frontline.

Training and information materials have to be present in the centre, as it has to fulfil a
role in the history lessons of the youth and the adults which have been living in peace
for 65 years in The Netherlands.

The materials will depict the Second World War, but also materials of the defence
against the French troops in 1792 and 1795 can be developed.

It will be good to make connections with the air fighter museum at Soesterberg, the
military logistic museum and other military museums in the neighbourhood. Also the
ancient job and handicraft museum at Barneveld can give advice and maybe unused
materials like old phones.

At the entrance/reception there has to be (electronic) notice boards and a visitor‘s

book.

They have to be on a visible spot where they will get definitely noticed by the tourists.

Expecting also foreign tourists, information boards and leaflets have to be not only in
Dutch, but also in English and German.

Hoeve De Beek at Woudenberg is the example of a micro museum. It has a little

exposition of historical objects used at the Grebbelinie. The foundation ―De
Grebbelinie in het Vizier‖ is the promoter of this exposition. Interesting is that the farm
was destroyed during war time to have a better shooting position, see
www.Boerenstee.nl

2.2.4. Guiding By Roundabout Boat And On Foot

Tourist guiding services enables the tourist not only to see the most interesting
locations, but also to have the background information of a particular fortress or
trench in the Grebbelinie with the battle details of the Second World War. Beside
that, the guide can present the cultural and natural heritage alongside it.

This service is provided by no other than the Grebbelinie tourist guide. He/she is a
strong personality with various features (mental, physical, knowledge-based) doing a
demanding, but interesting job, that is available to anyone who is willing to constantly
improve his/her skills and knowledge, likes working with people and helps advertising
the region and the villages, as well the small cities inside.
 59
He or she offers basic information about (parts of) the line, introduces attractions and
interesting places, telling stories about what was happening at certain spots, while
you are walking or even sailing with an open roundabout tour boat in the canals and
ditches of the Grebbelinie.

It is advised to have not only Dutch, but also English and German guided tour. A dual
spoken language guiding is a possible option.

2.2.5. Being Part Of The Scene

One of the fortresses in the Grebbelinie can be occupied in the high season and
during special days by a volunteer pseudo-company of soldiers consisting of
enthusiastic ex-soldiers and other engaged people. The daily life of a soldier in the
Grebbelinie can be experienced by the visitors.

Some old bicycles can be reconstructed and used for a demonstration of a so called
rifle group of nine soldiers. The canons of 1870 can be loaded with some powder and
a salute shot can be given at noon.

Cooking can be done as in the days of 1940 and a real soldiers' meal can be served
in a soldier's can. Children can even exercise for half an hour in marching and
saluting as if they were recruits.

A lot of possibilities are left to the creativity and possibilities of the volunteers.

Section 2.3: Recreational Tourism

Products
In the restoration of the Grebbelinie a big part of the cycling path was already existing
on the other side of the canal. On the top or at side of the dike, footpaths were
constructed - the so called ―elephant‘s paths‖. In the canals it was already partly
possible to canoe. It is suggested also to realize a horse riding path between the
canal and the dike or behind the dike. Separation of these paths is essential in this
case, given the safety of the walkers.

2.3.1. Walking
Walking is being practiced by people of all age categories. A common motivation to
walk is the desire to enjoy nature or architecture, in this case the Grebbelinie with its
fortresses, shelters, trenches and waterworks, surrounded by nature. There are the
elephant‘s paths, unpaved paths and a few paved paths. The walking routes are in
general not so suitable for handicapped people given the unpaved structure. Thirteen
signalized walking routes are developed and described in the ―Walking Guide
Grebbeliniepad‖1. The thirteen routes are covering the whole former Grebbelinie.
Alongside the walking path there are information boards, giving attention to points of
interest. Topics on it are the history of the defense line itself with its fortresses and
other structures, culture, nature, and water and sluices. The total Grebbelinie path of
81 km is in general situated alongside the canal.
 60
New nature will develop itself alongside the Grebbelinie and the
defence canal. It will take time, of course. Most walkers don‘t
harm nature at all and are aware of pollution.

During the breeding season dogs are not allowed to walk free.
Ducks and water birds will leave their nests with eggs, if an
unlashed dog shows up.

Question of infrastructure is minimal, as long as tourists are attended on local

businesses like small restaurants, etc. The walkers are reaching places where a car
or bicycle would never get. Walking alongside the Grebbelinie can be an active and
adventurous way of spending a little holiday.

In general you can say that walking is becoming a lifestyle and more and more
people are willing to spend their holiday by dwelling on the walking routes, reaching
new adventures. Old defence lines are attractive in this way.

Although walkers generally spend less money than the average tourist, there are
certainly new possibilities of businesses in a walking area that could benefit.
Organizing and selling walking packages is one of those benefits.

2.3.2. Cycling
Cycling in the rural area is increasingly popular in the ―low lands‖ of the European
Union. Every Dutchman has one or two. So what is better than to explore the
Grebbelinie by bike?

There is already an existing cycling path alongside the defence canal at the
Grebbelinie. It is running from the start of the
Grebbelinie at Rhenen till Amersfoort.

There already were described and signalised

cycling routes before the Grebbelinie project
started. One has a length of 68 km and is split in
two parts - the south and the north path, so it is
possible to reduce the cycling tour to 37 km. This
cycling tour is signalised and described in a
cycling guide together with other cycling routes. Alongside the cycling path thera are
picnic possibilities. The resisting part of the Grebbelinie to the former South Sea can
be enlarged with the development of the cycling path.

Targeting the tourists visiting the Grebbelinie, recreation cycling companies nearby
the information centres can be raised. These companies can hire (historical military)
bikes for cycling along the line. Also a guided cycling tour can be organized by these
companies, as well as repairing private bikes of cycling tourists.

2.3.3. Horse Riding

Horse riding as a recreation tool is popular nowadays. Children, youngsters and
seniors all like to spice their holiday with this beautiful animal.
 61
It is said that the best view at the landscape is from the horse back and it seems that
a lot of people want to make sure of it on their own. Horse riding tourism is becoming
increasingly popular among European citizens.

Given this statement, the development of a horse riding track is possible alongside
the Grebbelinie, giving an imagination of the cavalry officers, inspecting the line.

Existing or to be raised horse-riding companies will be interested in such a track. It is

an extension of their horse paths for their own riders. Beside that, they can rent
horses nearby the line and make also a guided tour of around one hour with the
tourist.

However, walking, cycling and horse tracks must be separated in order to avoid
accidents.

Events with horses are also an option. There are annual events nearby the
Grebbelinie with carriages& horses, horses working in the agricultures/transport, etc.
However, there are no events with military horses in the surrounding of the
Grebbelinie. Maybe there are horses once a year at the old pyramid nearby the
Grebbelinie, raised by the French troops in 1804. So military horse demonstrations
can be an interesting event to organise.

2.3.4. Canoeing
In 2006, the first ideas about a canoe route alongside the Grebbelinie were
described. In fact, there were already three routes, however with a very poor
infrastructure.

A canoe renting company was eager to have canoe landing stages, as it was missing
alongside the three routes. These stages were realized in 2007 between Veenendaal
and Scherpenzeel as a first mile-stone.

A Canoe Project Group Valleikanaal wanted also a canoe route from Veenendaal to
Rhenen.

In 2009, the development of the fourth canoe route started with financial contributions
of Grebbelinie project, NGO‘s like the Water NGO ―Vallei&Eem‖ and municipalities.

Cooperation and engagement of entrepreneurs, local/regional authorities and Water

NGO‘s are making this project very successful. The canoe routes are valuable
extension of the recreation possibilities in the Gelderse Valley area.

The booklet ―With the Canoe Alongside the Grebbelinie‖ is describing four canoe
routes. Every route has another length and is suitable for children and adults. The
water-resistant booklet is describing the canoe routes and all kind of facts and figures
alongside the routes about nature, waterworks, and fish stairs and of course the
Grebbelinie works. Inside are tips and rules how to handle the canoe in relation to
other boats. The booklet is for sale at the local Tourist Information Points (VVV) and
you can order it at canoe renting organizations.
 62
It can be also downloaded at the sites of the ―Recreatieschap Midden-Nederland
―and the Water NGO ‖ Waterschap Vallei & Eem‖ in Dutch.

2.3.5. Water Biking and Rowing

As not everybody is able to handle a canoe, it is recommended that also rowing
boats and water bikes will be introduced on one or 2 parts of the canoe route.
Especially older people do not dare to step in a canoe, but can handle a water bike or
a rowing boat.

2.3.6. Fishing
There is a lot of fish in the canal alongside the Grebbelinie. The
banks of the canal were recently made natural. The water is very
clear and many species of fish can be found. Especially white fresh
water fish, but also carps are swimming in the canal. Especially for
increasing number of fish in the canal, the so called ―fish stairs‖ were
built at stews.

A lot of local fishermen are found at the banks of the canal where
Sport Fish Foundations permit to fish. Tourists can obtain a
permission for fishing from those foundations.

It is advised for the safety of the Grebbelinie visitors that special sites are created for
fishing. A fish hook that is thrown in the water can easily harm water sport tourists.
Also walkers are at risk if the walking path is too close at the fishing site.

Carps, by the way, are seen as pets in The Netherlands. This fish is carefully
unhooked with a special tool on a floating or wet mattress, disinfected with iodine and
set back in the water.

For the individual fisherman it is in general clear that the fishing site is where the
catch is expected to be the best for the targeted fish. This has to be kept in mind
when creating special fishing sites.

Business is in the selling of bait like worms, as well as hooks, lines, etc. Renting
fishermen‘s equipment to the tourist and permissions to fish for one or more days is
another possibility. Here are opportunities for farms, small shops and the local Sport
Fish Foundations. It would be nice if selling points are situated nearby to the planned
fishing sites.

Maybe it is also interesting to investigate if a fish pond can be created in or nearby

one of the fortresses. Trout is an interesting fish to catch, and then barbeque it on a
special fire proof spot.

Section 2.4: Accommodation and

Catering
 63
The farm ―Hoeve De Beek‖ at Woudenberg, which has also an exposition of historical
objects used at the Grebbelinie, is offering drinks and meals nearby the Grebbelinie.
A chain of this kind of small restaurants can be raised with a specific menu card of
―soldier's meals‖.

Accommodations nearby or to be raised nearby the Grebbelinie are providing the

tourists possibility to walk the whole Grebbelinie in 2 or more days, staying at the
accommodation.

If visitors centres, accommodations, restaurants, canoeing and cycling companies

are working together, the so called ―Grebbelinie arrangement‖ can be developed.

As already mentioned, one entrepreneur has developed a special rural tourism

accommodation, the so called ―Linie hut‖.

For more information about starting a rural accommodation see the Aurora 2 Module
―Accommodation in Rural and Regional Tourism‖.

Section 2.5: Marketing

A marketing strategy has been partly worked out for the Grebbelinie. The brand of
the line is important and it should be recognized by its visitors.

Projects that are realized in the framework of the line are described in press
publications and mailed to the local and regional papers. It is a free PR instrument.

In March 2010, a book was published of the history of the Grebbelinie by Mr. Jan
Blokker, describing the real life experiences of people defending and living nearby
the line in WW II.

A walking and canoeing route issue was realized, a cycling route description guide
will maybe follow.

Grebbelinie festivals are organized every year with a certain theme. In May 2010, the
theme was Music and Freedom, organized at the ―Fortress aan de Buurtsteeg‖. A
special Grebbelinie room in the museum Flehite at Amersfoort has been opened in
May 2010.

The internet site in Dutch about the Grebbelinie is well maintained and frequently
updated.

In the internet sites of the engaged organizations there is also a room for the
Grebbelinie project. See www.grebbelinie.nl

Several brochures in Dutch are realized like the

―Grebbelinie, From Defending to Protection‖. This
brochure gives a picture of the defence works of the
whole line with the history of the line at the back. It
gives also references to the walking, cycling and
canoeing routes along the Grebbelinie and how to
 64
obtain these route guides.

Arrangements between entrepreneurs will be realized. Co-funding to mini projects of

entrepreneurs is foreseen.

A very nice marketing idea is a small station that can be created at the fortress ―Fort
aan de Buurtsteeg‖ under the to be built visitors centre. This little station can be
functioning during the weekend when the frequency of the passing trains is not so
high. Another alternative is to revive an old railroad to Leusden and Woudenberg,
even with an old fashioned steam locomotive. Volunteers love to maintain and drive
this kind of trains.

As Public Transport is highly promoted in The Netherlands, it would be nice to realize

a ―Tourism Station‖ or to restore a part of the old railway with a historical train on it.

The roads to the visitor centres of the Grebbelinie must be well signalized and ending
in guarded parking places for cars, buses and bicycles. In advertising this has to be
stressed. Nothing is more stressful after a nice trip than a stolen bike or damaged
car.

It is advised that information plates, leaflets, brochures, etc. will be also in English
and German to attract tourists from the neighbour countries, Europe, the USA and
Japan.

References
The issues mentioned are available only in Dutch :

1. Walking Guide Grebbeliniepad, publishing house Waanders, Zwolle 2010,

ISBN 978 90 400 7664 0 NUR 502
2. With The Canoe Alongside The Grebbelinie, Water NGO
―WaterschapVallei&Eem‖.
3. ww.grebbelinie.nl
4. ww.wantbuitengebeurthet.nl
5. www.Boerenstee.nl
6. De Grebbelinieboven water, Gebiedsvisievoor de Grebbeliniedeel 1,
Hoofdrapport
Provincie Utrecht 2006
7. De Grebbelinieboven water, Gebiedsvisievoor de Grebbelinie, bijlage 2,
Voorbeelden
8. Provincie Utrecht, 2006
9. De Grebbelinie in vogelvlucht, Anne Visser, UtrechtseFortenStichting 2007
10. LandschappelijkRaamwerkvoor Fort aan de Buursteeg, SVGV, November
2009
11. Defining heritage, Bridged Grauman, Weekend journal, September 11, 2009
12. Festungsfront Oder-WartheBogen, www.bunkry.pl, ISBN 978-83-922687-6-5

Questions
 65
1. What is the importance of historical defence lines from
the EU perspective?
2. Why is it necessary to reconstruct a historical defence
line?
3. Describe five tourism products related to a defence
line.
4. How to promote a defence line?
5. Describe in a scheme of three pages how you could
restore a defence line, fortress or a small castle in your
region.
6. Write down your own plan to realize activities in or
around a potential or existing historical tourism object
in your area. You can use as a basis the description
below.

Identifying And Realising Tourism Activities In Or Around

Historical Tourism Objects

Make an inventarisation of the potential or existing historical

tourism objects in your area. Think about a castle, a tower,
old houses in a village, ruins, old trees, etc. Maybe there were
famous people living in your area. Discover whether their
houses where they lived or were born still exist. Also old
graves and stones placed in a circle or a line can be
interesting. Visit the library, historical local foundations,
museums, google, visit old local people and cycle and walk
around. Write down the most interesting potential and
existing historical tourism objects in your surroundings.
Check your list with the local authorities and a tourism
expert. Find out obstacles that can block exploitation or an
activity around your preferred objects. For example: is it
situated in a protected nature area, is there bad smell around
the farms, is an industry nearby, etc. Choose a high potential
historical tourism object that you like and can exploit directly
or indirectly. Directly means, for example, buying it or renting
it and indirectly - arranging any activity around the tourism
object itself or referring to it as brand name. Do some
research. Define your target group. Find as much information
as you can on the selected object and its owners. Write two
A4 pages about its potential. Look for possible national and
regional co-funding if you decide to restore and/or exploit the
tourism object. Also indirect activities can be co-financed
sometimes. Think about B&B, renting bikes, nature, etc. If
you are sure about your object, you can progress with your
choice. Find out which are the weak and the strong points.
Write down a business plan and discuss it with the local
authorities and the bank. Take action to realize your business
plan. Write down in a scheme how you will do that.
 66
Answers
1. The defence lines are keeping alive the memory of the inhabitants of
Europe how valuable peace is. Without fearing aggression of the
neighbouring countries, there is no need of this kind of defence
construction works any more.
2. The European Union is the best way to guarantee peace. It is the
best defence against military aggression of the EU neighbour
countries. This statement has to become a collective memory of its
inhabitants.
3. The reconstruction of a defence line is tourism and recreation
stimulation for the region. Besides, it is also of historical and
educational interest.
4. Visitor centres, living intangible heritage, linie huts, guiding around
by boat and on foot, walking, cycling, canoeing, rowing, water
biking, horse riding.
5. Web-site, brochures, leaflets, events, etc. Easy to reach, good
signalisation, guarded parking places, etc.
6. Discuss the scheme you made with your fellow learners.
7. Discuss the plan with your fellow trainees, improve it.

3. Ethnography
Introduction
The ethnographic heritage is a handy resource to use as rural tourism attraction.
Further more - it is of relevant importance. In this section a summary of the concept,
the classification of such resources, guidelines for organizing and putting in value
and two practical examples - one private and the other one public - are presented.

Once you have studied this section:

You will be able to systematize ethnographic resources in your

environment/area
You will know different practical alternatives to show the true value of
your place
You will know how to define your product individually or with others
You will know the potential attractiveness of these initiatives for clients.

Section 3.1: General Concepts

Cultural Heritage is an issue that has recently been receiving more attention from
institutions, specialists, professionals and the general public in all areas since public
 67
authorities have promoted the access to artistic heritage, documentary, historical
monuments, archaeological, ethnographic and other kind of heritage to the
population and the media, instead of keeping it only for the intellectual elite. This fact
linked to active tourism is the key element in the development of tourism products,
not only as the main attraction, but also as a complement to other services.

Below is a short explanation of some of the core concepts and what they mean in a
practical rural context.

Ethnography and Ethnographic Heritage: the origin of the word means "writing about
civilizations", making a descriptive study of human societies. Ethnographic studies do
not compare or make theories: they are descriptive compilations of traditions,
customs, and information, etc. of one or several culture(s).

Ethnography should be distinguished from ethnology. The second refers to a study

of civilization where the comparative method is used. The regularities of behaviour
are observed and investigated, in order to understand general rules of how they are
influenced by environmental or historical reasons. It differs from ethnographic study
because it seeks to provide explanations that go beyond mere description.

Cultural Heritage: Ethnographic and ethnological heritage are part of cultural

heritage.

Social Anthropology is a combination of ethnographic and ethnological disciplines

from the perspective of human interaction and behaviour. Therefore, social
anthropology studies the relationships between people, groups of people, social
institutions like family, kinship, political organization, law and economic activities.

The ethnographic heritage within the legislative framework:

Direct protection measures: to avoid the loss,

damage or theft.
Specific protection measures: To increase the
level of protection for assets of cultural interest (BIC).
The law protects specially the endangered heritage,
or the one with great ethnological value.
UNESCO has established important initiatives
regarding the identification, conservation and cultural
heritage of peoples. As a result, from 1985, there is
La ley de Patrimonio Histórico in Spain.

What are main criteria for selecting the ethnographic

assets to be used?

They are representative for their area, setting,

society, or for a relevant part of it
Living and changing elements
Everyday elements
Tangible and intangible elements
Diversity.
 68
If culture cannot be preserved as a living and dynamic part of life, it can at least
frequently be conserved and remembered through documented knowledge about it
(at least partly). This is an obligation to ourselves and to future generations, despite
the difficulties we may have to face, and it is what anthropology has been doing over
the history of recent centuries.

In the case of Andalusian cultural heritage, the

following topics are of particular interest:

1 . Popular religion: Festivals and pilgrimages

2 . Popular religious events: Christmas and

Easter

3 . The festival of Moors and Christians

4 . The life cycle and its rituals

5. Traditional and popular oral literature

6 . Folklore

7 . Vernacular architecture

8 . Industrial heritage

9 . Crafts and trades

10. The culture of water

11. Interaction of agriculture, irrigation, biodiversity, and landscape.

The objective is to value the Ethnographic

Heritage through explanations
(„interpretation‖) to facilitate the
understanding of the visitor of something that
is not any longer part of daily life. It is an
educational resource, a tool to ensure the
maintenance of heritage and to be valued in
all its importance for the future generations.

In case of rural areas, it is a challenge not only to preserve the heritage, but also to
promote the understanding of the rural life, as the urban population has lost all
contact and direct link with it.

Summary
Ethnographic: limited to record and describe cultural events and phenomena.
Ethnology: analysis and comparison with other cultures.
 69
Promoting agents for ethnographic activities can be the civil society, political
powers and specific social groups (e.g. religious, craftsmen, etc.)
Thanks to tourism, many rural areas have maintained or recovered their
traditional social and economic heritage combining it with socio-economic
progress.
Increasing number of tourists are interested in authenticity and historic
backgrounds.
It is free if based on a living local culture, and everybody can enjoy it. It gives
the destination an air of distinction and respectability, and does not depend on
seasonality.
We must preserve it for the sake and usefulness to society: education,
tourism, sustainability.
Observe the elements to be taken into account when researching the
ethnographic heritage.
The interpretation is a critical element when putting in value the ethnographic
heritage.
Ethnographic heritage is established and protected within a legislative
framework.

Section 3.2: From The Resource To The

Final Product
Important changes can be detected in tourism
markets. They involve demographic changes,
continuous innovation in technology, higher
level of previous experiences as tourist, new
visitors from emerging source markets. All this
is causing a different form of tourism, with more
variety, but also more changes.

In order to be attractive, a tourism product must

generate a benefit to the customer such as
relaxation, change in routine, or new
experiences. But the touristic attraction of a rural area also depends on the activities
proposed to tourists and their originality (product differentiation) compared to the
competing destinations. Keep this in mind when trying to plan and promote
ethnographic activities.

Natural Parks, leisure installations, hiking, excursions, and in many cases bars and
restaurants tend to be the basic complements that are introduced to enhance the
value of an accommodation property and its benefits. But do not forget that we also
may have a set of movable and immovable property (agricultural landscapes, tools,
water mills, flour milling, salt, wine, etc.) and intangibles (customs, traditions,
festivals, etc.) that represent the footprint of our society and may attract visitors.

Consumers are interested in a product based on the satisfaction they get or expect
from it. As we will see below, authenticity stands high in these expectations, at least
in rural tourism. We can take advantage here of our rich cultural heritage.
Ethnography is concerned about existing or recent societies, and the ethnographic
 70
heritage constitutes knowledge that explains today‘s reality. However, it is not
synonymous with past, but rather with persistence and continuity, as it incorporates
the past into living reality.

From this we infer the dynamic and flexible concept of heritage, with characteristics
of fragility and non-renewability. Therefore, two actions in relation to ethnographic
heritage should be combined wherever possible:: the development of tourism, and
the search for heritage conservation.

That is why tourism development must integrate within a sustainable framework that
is compatible with the local economy, society, identity, and a respect to the
environment. This can also relate back to urban societies, especially in countries
where urban development is recent and still much related with personal roots in rural
areas. In that sense, actions have to be taken to promote investigation,
documentation, or support recovery of rural heritage also among urban population.

Other aspects to consider are the risks of losing the ethnographic heritage, both the
material and immaterial (oral and written), if they are not conveniently defined and
research is not done specifically on them. If such heritage is just seen as component
of other cultural areas such as archaeology, architecture, crafts, etc., it will be difficult
to maintain the context of its relation to human society and development.

Finally, it is necessary to mention the concern regarding the collection,

documentation, and knowledge of cognitive (immaterial) ethnographic heritage (oral
traditions, music, dances, etc.) because they are threatened by the old age of the
individuals that are the only „human carriers‖ of such knowledge, which will die with
them.

As can be seen, actions related to ethnography do not only impact positively on

tourism, but also help to preserve heritage and local „roots‖ for the whole local
community.

The following objectives should be pursued when creating a product:

1. Stable and sustainable installations that allow recovering and classifying all
heritage relating to the area and its people.
2. Generate knowledge about the characteristics and living conditions in the past
and present.
3. Remember the names of local characters and their life.
4. Document and present the work of people who have been shaping the
village's memory through their life.
5. Follow the change of local life in the social, economic and ideological aspects.
6. Facilitate access to results and documents to all residents, stakeholders and
researchers wishing to consult them.
7. Serve as a catalyst for boosting cultural activities in town.
8. Complement the local tourism offer.
9. Encourage participation and awareness of locals about the conservation and
improvement of their historic heritage.
10. Survey and interpretation of the village's historical, architectural and
ethnographic heritage.
 71
11. Integrate the whole village and its surroundings into the project (not only one
specific location), e.g. by thematic itineraries and routes that refer to a specific
ethnographic asset (architecture, landscape, irrigation, mills, wells and
springs, etc.), competitions, „photo safari‖ and others.

Gathering material for documentation and exposition is sometimes difficult, especially

in villages or at places where strong economic development and modernization took
place in the years 1970-2000 when little awareness existed about the need to
preserve this kind of resources. However, the following usually provide some results:

1. Municipal Archives, with significant and extensive documentation from past

centuries.
2. Municipal Photo Funds, in many countries they are already catalogued and
available in digital format.
3. Written Materials Archive, frequently located together with the local school or
in ecclesiastical archives and composed by letters, postcards, newspapers,
school books, etc. Also contacts with the local teachers and other
representatives of the local society can be very useful.
4. Regional archival documents and newspaper funds that refer to the village
and its habitants. In Spain, surprisingly good and exhaustive documentation
can be found sometimes in the archives of the former Ministry of Culture (now
usually transferred to the regional governments), and in the Diputaciones
Provinciales (province governments).
5. Ask the local elders about their youth. Visiting their homes may sometimes
allow rescuing household items and tools that are in disuse by modern
society.
6. Ask in your own family about items from their youth. Once you set up an
exhibition, ask other locals to contribute.
7. Inspect abandoned buildings, especially outside the villages. They were
frequently left by their last inhabitants leaving all kind of tools and equipment
behind. Of course, it is necessary to ask actual owners for permission!

Section 3.3: What Is The Customer

Interested In?
Motives and expectations of rural tourism visitors are spread very widely, with the
only common strong element of setting and landscape. However, this should be
understood in wider context that refers not only to the physical, but also human and
cultural ―setting‖ of the services, especially where they guard relation with (perceived
or real) former and actual ―rural life and authenticity‖. This includes any structured
exposition or interpretation of customs, traditions, crafts, or local culture: the core
elements of Ethnography. It should be clear, however, that this topic is expected as
part of the ―minimum‖ criteria that the holiday product should fulfil. Visitors will not
choose their booking due to this kind of offer, but they will be unsatisfied if, once in
the destination, they do not find it covered: in terms of motivation psychology,
ethnography is a ―hygiene factor‖ for rural tourism. This may be less relevant for
domestic visitors, but achieves a very high level of importance for international
visitors. Matter apart are, of course, cultural or heritage sites of national or
international value which are an attraction as such.
 72
Ethnography in this context can be present as a native part of the surrounding in rural
tourism, for example, through traditional architecture of the village or
accommodation, a social and cultural environment that still maintains traditional
habits (frequently, about to disappear in short), or the individual attention given by the
hosts to their clients. However important, this ―spontaneous‖ ethnography product is
difficult to control and – even more important – it can be subject to sudden change
through external influence.

For the major part of the market, the choice of leisure options comes second in
importance after the surrounding and setting. This gives a hint that more structured
services related with ethnography are convenient, because they can be visited as
part of a daily schedule: museums, events, presentation, exhibitions, etc. However
simple in layout and content, in the view of the visitor they are no longer part of the
general setting, but as specific product or asset with a higher degree of organization
and perceived quality. Where such structured public offers exist, care must be taken
about their ―visitability‖: a local museum of naive icon paintings, local habits, or
traditional architecture must be open to the public to a reasonable extent and with
reliable opening schedule. Depending on the specific case, this does not even
require that continuous staff is present all the time – for example, in small villages, a
note at the door indicating that the key is available during office hours at the Town
Hall which is just 30 meters away, can be sufficient.

Regarding the design of exhibitions,

explanations, or interpretation: be as visual and
self-explaining (through context, or with graphic
support) as possible. Descriptive texts, where
applied, should be in local language and in
English (this also applies to audio-visual content,
subtitles will be sufficient in most cases). Strange
enough, such simple rules of common sense are
yet mostly not observed in many installations
which – on the other side – show an excessive
investment in technology.

Ethnography deals with human behaviour and

action: people like stories around facts (and in
fact, many phenomena related with ethnography
are based on events or other tangible material
reality). However well prepared the technical side
of ethnographic products may be, they really
―touch‖ the visitor only through human and/or
emotional interpretation. Language is, of course, a problem – but not necessarily a
constraint, especially where the interpreting guide (which very easily can be the host
or his grandparents) is able to transmit and show ―in action‖ how the exposed items
were used.

Section 3.4: How To Do The Marketing?

As was commented in the previous section, only in very rare occasions specific
ethnographic products and services will constitute the main attraction for a rural
 73
tourism service or even for a destination. On the other hand, this type of services and
offers plays an important role in the expectations (conscious and sub-conscious) of
the rural tourism visitor as a ―hygiene factor‖.

Marketing of our ethnographic service or product should therefore consider the

following:

Individual offers linked to accommodation or restaurant services should be

clearly visible and mentioned on promotion materials, but without being at the
centre of the message (unless really of spectacular relevance).
Public offers should have their own promotion or information website and
printed material, at least in local language plus English, where information
such as address, location, plan (if difficult to find), GPS coordinates, and
opening hours must be included. If expositions and guides are available in
English and other languages, this should be indicated as well.

Such websites need to be complemented, of course, by presence in Social

Media and by CRM structures that allow for a follow-up and continuous
contact with visitors or ―friends‖ even after their visit.
Linking between ethnographic services and products and other tourism
installations at local or micro-destination level is very important: ―play the
customers‖ from one to the next. For example, a local museum or exhibition
should be mentioned in the promotional material of all other local services that
deal with rural tourism visitors, and hosts should proactively facilitate a visit to
their clients by recommendation, arrangement of free visits or guided tour, etc.
 74
Provided that a relevant (though minority) part of the market is strongly
interested in a close experience and knowledge of the place they visit,
ethnographic products and installations should gather in regional or local
portals and assure joint communication.
 75

Section 3.5: Case Studies

3.5.1. Ethnographic Museum of Terque (Almería)
http://www.museodeterque.com/

This case is an example of an initially private initiative that, combined with public
support, achieves sustainability and regional relevance. It started in 2002 when the
private association of friends for Terque's museum and the Town Council of Terque
made a serious commitment to recover and preserve the ethnographic heritage
through its museums: the Historical and Ethnographic Museum, and a monographic
museum about the export of grapes that was base for the local economy in the first
part of the 20th century.

This initiative is promoting Terque's municipality as a „village of museums‖. The

village has managed to become a tourism destination not only for the province of
Almería, but also attracts increasing numbers of visitors from cities in the surrounding
provinces of Granada and Murcia. Due to this success, recently a small company
was created which employs touristic guides to escort service in museums and
monumental sights.

The visitors‘ influx is close to 6000 people per year in a municipality of 456
inhabitants. They come mainly from provincial colleges and schools, and groups of
elderly people and families. It generates a significant flow of daily visitors. Recently,
an autonomous one-person company has been created. This person acts as a
sightseeing guide for the museums and the village. Some visitors stay in the area to
relax, and add the museums visit as a complement to the leisure offers in the area.
The promotion has been done in provincial, regional and national media. Moreover, it
has published regular monthly newsletters since its creation.

Now (beginning 2011), the initial initiative of just a couple of individuals has
developed into a small „museum village‖ that includes three different thematic
exhibitions:

Historical and Ethnographic Museum

It is located in one of the many bourgeois

houses built in the late nineteenth
century. It is the local Council's property.
This museum is dedicated to the
conservation, research and
dissemination of Terque's and the
province of Almería ethnographic
heritage.

The museum is divided into two floors.

The trades, the domestic setting and
 76
religious events, social and political history of Terque and its region are described. At
the present moment, two research studies are performed. One of them focuses on
the photographic heritage and the other one - on the recovery of personal
documents.

The Historical and Ethnographic Museum has obtained provisional registration in the
Andalusian Network of Museums.

The Provincial Museum of Export Table Grapes

These grapes, also locally knows as „uva de embarque‖ („grape for shipping‖), have
a very strong consistence with hard skin and can last long periods without artificial
cooling, being ideal for export to northern Europe when no refrigerator ships existed.
This museum is dedicated to preserve the „parralera‖ cultural identity that came
along with this product in the province of Almeria. At the same time, it helps to
reconstruct the social and economic history of Almeria province, which for almost two
centuries was based on the extraction and exportation of minerals and the cultivation
and marketing of these table grapes. The collection has been donated and
documented in all villages of the province related with grapes culture. It has been
possible thanks to the generosity of many people involved in this activity. It was
opened in 2006 and it is located temporarily in the multipurpose room of the Teatro
Manuel Galiana Terque.

History

The Ethnographic Museum was founded in 2002 by the initiative of several local
citizens. They created the association „Friends of the Museum‖, which soon received
the support of other residents and of the Town Hall.

The origin of the museum is connected with the preparation of a temporary exhibition
by the association and locals about some aspects of the history of the village of
Terque in 2001. The subjects were emigration, military service, the History of
Education and Children in Terque. Once this event was in course, the idea appeared
to maintain the exhibition over time, not just for this occasion, creating the
Ethnographic Museum that used the collected materials for a start, but since then
has considerably extended the available items and documents.

Management

Terque's Museums are

managed in collaboration with
the local council and a
voluntary association:
Association Amigos del
Museo de Terque whose
president is also the director
of the museums. At the
beginning it was not financed.
The local council only
provided a building with
exhibition space that was
 77
expanded as more pieces were added to the collection.

After its creation,

financial support
has been
received from
institutions such
as the RDG
Alpujarra, the
Instituto de
Estudios
Almerienses, the
Culture area of
the Diputación
Provincial in
Almería, the
Ministry of
Culture of the
Junta de
Andalucía. These
funds were
dedicated entirely to improve facilities, publications and organizing activities. It also
has the support of private institutions such as the Mediterranean Environmental
Group.

The Association is receiving financial compensation from the Diputación of Almería

for the work of organizing exhibitions and giving conferences in the province of
Almería (more than 50 municipalities have been covered so far). This money is used
entirely for publications like the monthly bulletin or monographs about various
ethnographic topics, and for some other related topics (see below).

The City Council is responsible for the maintenance and cleaning, as well as the
museum's expenses. The association's members are volunteers. The association
owns all the collections and handles different activities such as the opening at
weekend and related to the research department the following topics are treated:
cataloguing, preservation, assemblies inside and outside the museum, publications,
press releases and the reception of new pieces.
 78
Activities

The museums in Terque are developing various activities inside and outside the
municipality. Many of their activities have a provincial character. They are promoted
through the monthly Bulletin and press releases. The museum's presence can be
noticed in printed materials, on radio or on television at least monthly.

The action of cultural promotion of Terque's museums reaches across the province
and into limiting areas of Granada and Murcia. The most important activities include:

Research activities. Results of the research are presented through roaming

temporary exhibitions in other places of the province and complemented by
other dissemination and public information actions such as lectures,
workshops, guided tours, etc.
Ancient craft recovery day. Since 2003 this event has been organized every
first Saturday of October. It seeks to revive the crafts that once formed part of
the daily life in Almeria. Nowadays, they have practically disappeared for
various reasons. At the very best, they are used on very sporadic and minority
occasions. Artisans from all over the province are participating. Last year over
1500 people attended.
„The Uva de Barco” programme. It aims to retrieve and disseminate
traditional culture and the way of life of the „parraleros‖ (the people that were
growing and marketing Ohanes grapes). Promotional activities are conducted
throughout the year in collaboration with the Provincial Council of Almería,
such as: exhibitions, lectures, and demonstrations of how to build barrels.
Periodical publications - Bulletin of Terque Museums. This newsletter is
meant to disseminate the activities of our museums. Published by the
association „The Friends of The Terque's Museum‖. Monthly, 1000 copies are
printed and distributed throughout the province under the sponsorship of the
Provincial Council of Almería. At the present, it is in its sixth year anniversary
with 63 editions published.
Documentation Centre of Terque Museums. The Museum of Terque has
among its objectives the conservation, research and dissemination of all
written, photographic, or oral documents created by people of our province
where we find evidence of their lives and feelings.
It includes more than 300 bundles with thousands of documents from 1700 to
1990. There are different sections: history of table grapes of Almeria,
newspapers, archive of annotations about daily living, photographic archive,
 79
library of school books, as well as magazines and personal or business
documents (books, letters, postcards, photographs, etc.).
At the present, the Documentation Centre is the most important documentary
archive for research of the history of the table grape, called „uva de barco‖ in
the province of Almeria.

Historical Varieties of Table Grapes Recovery Programme in Almería

The Provincial Museum of

table grapes in Terque,
Terque Town Council, and the
Provincial Council of Almeria
are working together on a
project to conserve the
historic varieties of table
grapes in the province of
Almeria.

For this purpose a vineyard

has been planted. Its
objectives are as follows:

To ensure the
conservation of this
unique plant heritage.
To provide educational and recreational space where visitors can experience
the development of a vineyard during different seasons.
The vineyard serves also as a nursery. Each year more than 500 grapevines
of different varieties are delivered throughout the province.

Each September, a sample of table grape varieties is presented in the Patio de

Luces of the Almeria Province Council in order to demand the preservation of our
ancient grapes varieties, and to honour those parraleros who are retaining the old
varieties in the province.

3.5.2. Country House "Cortijo Relente"

http://www.costavillaricos.com/relente/in/

This country house has been chosen as a representative example of how to integrate
ethnography as a complementary offer to the core service of accommodation. It
shows utensils, objects, used at this rural complex in past centuries for agriculture
work, as well as customs and traditions. Culturally the visitor returns to the past, but
this also gives the young people the opportunity to know about their past. The
promoter of the initiative, which is at the same time the owner and host of the
accommodation, is personally involved in attracting visitors and explaining the
exhibition items to his guests who are interested in cultural heritage.

The subject is vast and inexhaustible. However, the owner has answered us a couple
of questions that help to understand the idea of this private exhibition and the
experience with it so far.
 80
1 .- What motivated you to implement the project Relente farmhouse?

It was a house in ruins, and today it is exploited for holiday rental. We kept the family
property, increased its value, and at the same time recovered part of our personal
history and heritage.

2 .- What inspired you for an ethnographic museum?

It was my husband’s idea, because he has a passion for antiques. It is his hobby. He
has always adored them.

3 .- The cottage itself has a wide range of complementary offer because it has a
privileged position and its infrastructure is also exclusive. Did you think of an
ethnographic museum as a good tourist attraction?

Initially it was not meant as a tourist attraction, but was created simply as a hobby for
displaying the collection of antiques. With the many items and their close relation to
the earlier use and history of the cottage it achieved a special value. Now the
museum is a complementary attraction for some tourists that have interest in the
history of this place and how people lived here 50-100 years ago.

4 .- Has the ethnographic museum been a tourist attraction? Has it been successful?

Not really, many guests do not appreciate what they see. There are pieces of great
archaeological value, for example Egyptian jars. We do not charge for visiting the
museum - that is what makes visitors to appreciate it even less. But it is a fact that
those who visit the museum enjoy it very much.

5 .- Are People interested in the ethnographic heritage? Do we know about it?

Most visitors are interested more in resting and relaxation than in culture. But others
are capable of appreciating what is shown – they are a clear minority, but at least for
them these are one of the best memories that they take back.

6 .- Have your relatives, friends and neighbours cooperated in the museum opening?
Are they involved in the project?

Some antiques have been purchased or donated by friends or neighbours, but most
of the collection belonged to my father who kept antiques.

Photo gallery:
http://picasaweb.google.com/costavillaricos/MUSEO#slideshow/5263756856486238
994

References
No general references in EN – text was originally prepared based on ES
material, which is mentioned in the ES version only
Weblinks to Best Practice examples included in each case
 81
Questions
1. Why are ethnography and ethnology important? What
is the difference between these two terms?
2. What is the importance of ethnographic products for
rural tourism visitors?
3. How would you structure and focus an ethnographic
product? Give the reasoning for your decision.
4. Define four tourism products related to ethnography
that could be attractive in your area.
5. How would you promote each of them?
6. Imagine that you plan to set up a small museum or
interpretation centre for a topic of your choice. What
would be the practical steps to take?
7. Is there any economic (agriculture, industry, craft, etc.)
activity in your area that was very important in the
past, but is now almost abandoned and has
disappeared? If yes, how would you proceed in order
to represent it in a thematic ethnographic product or
installation?

Task: elaborate a list of ethnographic resources (organized

or spontaneous) that exist in your area

Make an inventory of the potential or existing ethnographic

objects and heritage in your area that could be visited by
tourists. For this purpose, use the list in 3.1 above and add
new items to it if needed. Construct or group them around
„stories”, for example: there were famous events in your area
- discover the exact place where it happened, whether there
are any physical remains of the event, how is it reflected in
the local story-telling or sagas, etc. Similar stories can be
created around physical elements such as tombstones,
outstanding nature monuments such as old trees, etc.
Speaking with locals – especially the oldest ones – is a box
of surprises: in many rural areas, until very recently (30-40
years ago) there were no written documents and not even
photographs: all their heritage is in the mind of people. Then
classify these objects and heritage by their type and
character and depict them on the local map. Set up a
database with relevant information: what to see, whom to
contact, best time for visit/contact, special precautions due
to sustainability constraints, etc. Define who could be
interested in this object, how to present it to them, and
whether there is any possibility to generate income /
business around it. If applies, check if other complementary
services are needed or convenient (access, catering,
restaurant, accommodation, guidance service, etc.).
 82
Answers
1. Read again chapter 3.1 of this lecture.

2. Read again chapter 3.3 of this lecture. Any result of your reply should
take into account that this is a hygiene factor for satisfaction.

3. The reply to this question would come as a combination between the

previous two. Any result should include the convenience to create a
product that is independent, reliable, structured, and can be visited
according to clear rules and schemes.

4/5. Up to you.

6. The following aspects should be included: exhibition space, how to

gather objects, how to structure them for exhibition, cooperation with
other citizens of the place (which?), support and cooperation with public
bodies, necessary dedication in time and funds, funding sources
(available or how / where to achieve them), communication.

7. Up to you.

4. Culinary Heritage
Introduction
This guideline offers a selection of practical examples of how culinary heritage and
gastronomy can be used in rural tourism to boost competitiveness. Food service is
one of the most demanded services in rural tourism and culinary products and
addresses all target groups in the market. National cuisine is something every visitor
is curious to try in a foreign country as part of cultural experience. While they are
looking for authenticity, the local food has to be presented in the way that foreign
guests can enjoy it without any concerns.

This guideline gives examples of how national cuisine can be used in creating
attractive rural tourism offer as a part of cultural experience. There are the following
sections in this guideline:

1. Promotion of traditional cuisine in rural tourism.

The section gives examples of how rural tourism providers can benefit from
participation in branding and labelling schemes, promotion and marketing
activities by national and professional organisations.
2. Food service enterprises and events using national cuisine.
The section shows examples how culinary heritage can be used in different
types and standards of rural tourism and catering establishments.
 83
3. Traditional food and its presentation.
The section looks at some examples of how traditional recipes can be adapted
in modern cuisine.
4. Rural tourism activity products related to food and culinary heritage.
The section shows examples of outdoor activities involving guests in food
preparation.

The guideline is based largely on examples in Latvia. However, the principles of

making some national specific food or food related activity into a rural tourism
product are valid in any country. At least three preconditions are required:

1. The basic resource (the food or particular product) is nationally or regionally

well known.
2. The hosts/providers are experts and enthusiastic about culinary products they
offer.
3. Good service and ―packaging‖ – smart presentation for customers.

Section 4.1: Promotion of Traditional

Cuisine in Rural Tourism
Rural tourism providers who have developed good quality culinary heritage based
products, can benefit from promotional activities carried out by national and regional
tourist boards, associations, etc. Traditional cuisine is promoted as one of attractions
of rural holidays and is usually associated with locally grown and produced
ingredients, fresh and good taste, chemical-free food stuffs. Whatever is the concept
and specialisation of a rural tourism establishment, food is always an issue as it
concerns all target groups in the market. Traditional cuisine is supported as part of
national heritage, and the aim of its promotion is to maintain national identity and
heritage – the traditional recipes and foodways. Rural tourism providers can benefit
both from the publicity and from training courses which are organised to revive and
maintain culinary tradition. Branding is another advantage. Belonging to a well
recognised brand positions a rural tourism establishment in the market and attracts
more customers. Following are some examples of how rural tourism organisations try
to promote culinary heritage based rural tourism products.

4.1.1. Finland
The ―Uniquely Finnish‖ label is a national
quality label for small entrepreneurs. ProAgria
Association of Rural Advisory Centres grants
the label to qualified foodstuff, handicraft and
rural tourism companies based on
applications. The Uniquely Finnish is the most
demanding label of domestic origin because
its requirements cover a recognised quality
system, as well as the acceptance of products
and services by special panels in addition to a
high degree of domestic origin.
 84
http://www.maakuntienparhaat.fi/en/General criteria of the ―Uniquely Finnish‖
companies:

1. An approved quality management system. Assessed at least every three

years.
2. A high degree of domestic origin. At least 80 % of the cost of the product
(including work and materials). The most important ingredients of foodstuffs
and meals provided by service companies must be 100% domestic.

3. The product or service must be accepted by a panel of experts.

4. A company-like production method as well as the quantity of production.

http://www.maakuntienparhaat.fi/doc/foodroutes.pdf

The branded facilities offering traditional cuisine are promoted in the brochure
―Uniquely Finnish Food Travel in 7 provinces. Local Food Experiences in Genuine
Atmospheres‖ in printed form and available as a download.

4.1.2. Norway
Norwegian organisation for promotion of rural tourism
and farm food industry runs the HANEN label. HANEN
contains details of farm holidays, produce, eating
places and activities throughout Norway. The cockerel
 85
symbol marks countryside places where visitors can experience or purchase genuine
Norwegian farm products farm food.

The web site http://www.hanen.no/index_en.html lists farms by types of farm

production:

Meat and meat products

Milk, butter and cheese
Vegetables, fruit, berries and mushrooms
Fish and fish products
Bread and baked products
Egg and egg products
Soft drinks, fresh juices and preserves
Herbs, honey and snacks.

Brochure “Rural tourism and traditional food”

is available as an e-book and can be ordered in
printed form.

4.1.3. Slovenia
To promote rural tourism products based on local
gastronomy, the Chamber of Agriculture and
Forestry of Slovenia, Agriculture and Forestry
Institute Celje has implemented projects
―Grenzenlosgeniessen / Enjoying without
borders― (financed by the EU and the Republic of
Slovenia within the Programm INTERREG IIIA
Slovenia-Austria, 2003-2007), and ―Preservation
of Gastronomy Heritage― (financed by the EEA
grants and the Norway grants, 2008-2009). The
project results have generated more than 200 tips
for gastronomy trips, for gastronomy adventures
in different regions, 220 top quality photos of
specialities, prepared on farms (photos were
taken on the farms), and 50 recipes of
specialties. A CD for PR and journalists has been
produced with photos of the local dishes. More
 86
than 200 media articles have been produced.

The web site www.slovenia.info promotes Slovenian foods and wines as part of
gastronomy trips, e.g., ―In The Land of Teran Wine‖, ―St. Martin‘s Day on Farms
Along The Karst Wine Road‖.

„Prekmurskagibanica”

Slovenian Tourist Board has developed the Strategy for the development of Slovene
gastronomy, 2006 and product catalogues with pictures and descriptions of regional
foods. Slovenia is divided in 24 gastronomic regions, each with distinct regional
specialties and culinary tradition. The brochure ―Taste of Slovenia‖ presents excellent
photos and description of the most popular dishes in each region, what they consist
of and on which occasions they are served.

As seen from the above examples, involvement and cooperation with national and
regional tourism marketing organisations, joining labelling schemes and branding is
beneficial for rural tourism providers. Free or cost efficient promotion is often
accompanied by relevant training or useful information for development of good
quality, competitive culinary heritage based products.
 87
Section 4.2: Food Service Enterprises
and Events Using National Cuisine
There are at least two reasons why culinary heritage based products have good
market prospects:

1) society interest in healthy life-style and chemical-free food which is often

associated with rural, small-scale production,

2) tourist interest in authenticity and unique identity of the places they visit.

Combination of fresh, high quality food, traditional recipes adapted to modern style,
and smart presentation is the result of urban-rural interaction. While in rural areas
food presentation and serving may be somewhat secondary to the taste and
nourishing values of the dishes, the restaurant businesses always pay great attention
to service. At present, rural-urban synergy creates a new ―generation‖ of traditional
cuisine – the good old recipes are ―upgraded‖, and return to the menus of rural
restaurants and guest houses to satisfy the needs of today‘s consumers.

In general, there are three things catering service providers in rural tourism need to
concentrate on:

1) good food

use products from your garden

use products from your neighbours' garden
buy wild berries and mushrooms from the local people – this way you diversify
your menu and support the local economy
try to buy good products – use opportunity, if there are farms in your locality
producing foods according to specification of restaurants

2) story

be knowledgeable and ready to explain about the products and dishes to your
visitors (how? why? since when?...)
develop attractive stories about local foods and eating traditions. Good stories
are non-material part of culinary heritage

3) presentation and service

offer tasting opportunities of traditional foods

develop attractions, activities and by-products based on culinary heritage and
food service.

The following are some examples of traditional cuisine in catering business.

 88
4.2.1. Restaurants and Cafes
Restaurant ―Salve‖, Riga, Latvia. The restaurant
positions itself as a place ―where different ethnic
cuisines that were known in Riga got united under one
menu which is called to satisfy tastes of inhabitants of
the capital and its guests – all, who value quality and
traditions, presented with knowledge of business, in an
elegant city manner and sophisticated atmosphere.‖

The restaurant menu has a section named ―Latvian

cuisine of the capital of Latvia‖. There are traditional
dishes available, like:

Mixed salad with Latvian cottage cheese

Virgin herring tart with beet salad

Home-made roast pork with marinated
vegetables and horseradish
Black peas with smoked bacon
Pork ears with stewed sour cabbage and
horse-radish sauce
Braised wheat porridge with porcini
mushrooms, smoked cheese and sour cream
Latvian sour cabbage soup with beef, served
with roasted potatoes
Pumpkin crème-soup with milk mousse and www.salve.lv
nuts butter
Home-made black pudding (blood sausage)

Virgin herring tart with beet salad

 89
Sweet pastry, made of rye The restaurant also offers Latvian cuisine tasting
bread, whipped cream and menu:
cowberry sauce
Virgin herring tart with beet salad
Braised wheat porridge with porcini mushrooms, smoked cheese and sour
cream
Pumpkin creme-soup with milk mousse and nuts butter
Home-made sausage with beef and pork, served with stewed sour cabbage or
- Home-made fish cakes (cutlets) with dill-cream sauce
Sweet pastry, made of rye bread, whipped cream and cowberry sauce
National fruit drink

4.2.2. Countryside Restaurants in Castles, Estates,

Guest Houses
Restaurants in the countryside often use national cuisine as a unique selling point.
Some examples are mentioned below.

Igate castle, Latvia

A countryside restaurant on the site of an old mill,

by the Igate castle in Latvia offers traditional
meals from grain products, like:

Barley porridge with bacon

Fried barley pattes with onions and sour
cream
Fried grits sausage with red bilberry jam
and fried apple slices
Barley porridge with jam.

www.igatespils.lv It is advisable to let the visitors know if ingredients

have been supplied from the local production
farms, etc.

Traditional Latvian food is substantial, rich. Nevertheless, Latvians are not famous for
being overweight. Because of comparatively cold climate (short summers, long and
cold winters) and hard physical work (traditionally Latvians have been farmers),
people used to eat „strong‖ food. People who are used to international cuisine will
find Latvian dishes quite heavy, though tasting well. Fresh, chemical-free food is a
strong tradition in Latvian contemporary cuisine. Home grown and home made
products are popular.
 90
Pädaste Manor in Muhu island, Estonia

The manor house

restaurant ―Alexander‖ is a
good example of how
modern culinary trends
function in the countryside
setting. The web site
presentation says: ―The
team at Alexander is proud
to serve innovative Nordic
Islands‘ Cuisine, respecting
the seasons and making
maximum use of fresh local
ingredients by working with
www.padaste.ee the island‘s producers and
farmers, while many of the greens and herbs are grown in Pädaste‘s own gardens
and green houses. Pädaste Manor offers an arresting culinary combination of urban
sophistication and wholesome countryside traditions.‖ The manor house organises
culinary events inviting best professionals.

Chez Dominique, Finland

Chez Dominique
http://www.chezdominique.fi/ is one of
the best restaurants in Helsinki,
Finland. It has lead the culinary
awakening in Finland ever since it first
opened its doors in 1996. Chez
Dominique has the following awards:

The Restaurant of the Year

2000, Finnish Gastronomic Society
One Michelin-star 2001-2002
Two Michelin-stars from the year
2003
The Best Restaurant in Finland 2004-2010, Viisitähteä -magazine
50 Best Restaurants in the World place 39 (2006), place 35 (2007), place 39
(2008) place 21 (2009) and place 23 (2010), Restaurant magazine UK

4.2.3. Country Homes, Open Farms

Cooperation is rewarding between country hotels, guesthouses and open farms
specialised in production and tasting of farm produce. A good presentation and show
is an essential element of successful culinary heritage based tourism products.

In Latvia culinary heritage is promoted through the „Countryside bounty‖ web site
(http://www.celotajs.lv/cont/wrth/worth/bounty_en.html), introducing farms and
facilities where guests can watch the process, taste and buy the produce.
 91
The ―Vaidelotes" farm, Bauska region,
Latvia, is a certified producer under the
label

―Latvian eco-product‖.

The hostess is an expert in Latvian

traditional cuisine, meals at
celebrations and festivities, healthy
food. For groups, an attractive presentation is offered and tasting of the traditional
breads and pastries of Zemgale region, made from home-made flour. After inspiring
and informative presentation, visitors are usually willing to buy the produce.

4.2.4. Other
An unusual example is the traditional carrot pastries ―sklandrauši‖ being available
from the ―Narvesen‖ shop at the ―Neste‖ petrol station near Saldus, Latvia. These
pastries belong to culinary heritage of Kurzeme region. The shop which operated in
the location before ―Narvesen‖ used to sell these pastries. They were very popular,
and the shop had attracted loyal customers with this product. The local staff at the
newly opened ―Narvesen‖ shop persuaded the higher management to include
―sklandrauši‖ in the product range. Because of the loyal customers, it possibly makes
some competitive advantage over the ―Statoil‖ petrol station operating within ca
300m.
 92

Section 4.3: Traditional Foods and

Their Presentation
4.3.1. Creative Approach to Traditional Recipes
Dishes which have already disappeared from modern menus, may return and
transform into new quality. Traditional, well known ingredients, like barley, can be
used in innovative way. Barley porridge is an example from the Latvian cuisine.
Different varieties of porridges and cereal dishes become popular and now may be
available in a university canteen, as well as in a fancy restaurant. Two dishes are
presented for comparison here: traditional barley porridge and barley risotto with tiger
prawns.

Barley porridge – the traditional way:

Ingredients:

1. Pearl barley – 2 cups

2. Potatoes – 6, medium size
3. Milk – 0,5l
4. Salt
5. Sugar
6. Smoked bacon – 200g
7. Onion – 1 medium size

Preparation:
 93
Take a 5l pot
and fill with
water by 1/3.
Adds some salt
and put on fire.
Meanwhile
peel the
potatoes and
cut in small
pieces. Put the
potatoes and
barley into
boiling water.
Put the fire low
and wait till
barley is
swollen and
nearly soft.
Add milk and
boil until the
potatoes are
soft and the
taste is good. The most important part now is to make a ―nest‖ for the porridge. Wrap
the hot pot in a towel and several blankets to stew for at least two hours. Fry some
smoked bacon with onions on a frying pan to go with the porridge.

Recipe and photos from: http://zitinja.blogspot.com/2010/10/miezu-putraimu-

biezputra-jeb.html

Barley risotto with tiger prawns – from Aleksandar Ločmelis-Manevski, Chef at the
„Demokrčtisks VÄ«na BčrsGARAGE”:

Ingredients:

1. Boiled barley – 1 cup

2. Shallots (sweet onions) – ½
3. Tiger prawns – 4 pc.
4. Ginger (fresh) – 2 slices
5. Coconut milk – 100 ml
6. Sweet cream (double cream) – 150 ml
7. Parmigiano cheese – 50gr
8. Butter – 25gr
9. Salt, pepper, a bit of soya and Worcestershire sauce

Preparation:

Heat the pan. Melt the butter, add chopped shallots and sauté
them for a short while. Add cleaned and halved tiger prawns,
continuously stirring them and fry them for approximately 30 –
40 sec. Afterwards add the coconut milk, sweat cream and
boiled barley. Bring it to boil, lower the heat and leave it to
 94
simmer for a while continuously stirring it. On the end add chopped ginger and shred
half of the cheese into risotto. Season it with salt, pepper, soya and Worcestershire.
On the end consistency should be thick and creamy. Serve it hot, decorating with the
rest of cheese on the top. Enjoy your meal!

4.3.2. Creative
Approach to Food
Presentation
If it complies with the style of the
rural tourism establishment,
traditional foods can be presented
in innovative ways using non-
traditional materials. Rural tourism
providers can inspire attending
training seminars where
experienced restaurant chefs share
knowledge. It is not always that a
restaurant experience will fit in a
rural tourism establishment. Rural
―Latvian Food in Modern Cuisine‖, presentation
tourism providers shall reasonably
by Ä‘. Dreibands, chef at „Annas hotel‖ and
evaluate the concepts and pick up
„Kartupeļu Ä―dčji‖ in the seminar
information that can be adapted in
―Developing Culinary Tourism Products‖,
their establishments.
01.12.2010, Latvia
Small portions of local and regional foods can be offered for tasting. Some examples:

Black cardboard sheet and environmentally friendly

disposable spoons make an attractive show:

goat cheese with cranberries or dried tomatoes

apple jam with bread crumbs and goat cheese.

The same products displayed on a stone picked in the

surroundings of the guest house. To entertain guests, the
host can tell stories about why such stones are
characteristic of the place, what is their local importance,
how they are used in building, etc. – this will add some
context of the locality.
Food served on a black tile. Herring fillet with bread
crumbs, goat cheese, dried tomatoes and dried parsley
root.
 95
In good weather conditions, it is a good idea to lay the table
on a terrace or balcony. The taste of local specialties will be
enhanced by the local scenery.

Greece. Breakfast
served on the balcony
Rustic wooden table and bench, white linen and tableware
make elegant presentation of traditional food.

Latvia. Traditional
pastries served on wood
table using a linen table
cloth
To serve the food, it is a good idea to use tableware
produced by the local artisans.

Slovenia. Photo: T.
Jeseničnik. Regional
dishes are prepared and
served to the guests on
a tourist farm

4.3.3. Food Presentation Summary: Hints and

Examples
1. Use logos, certifications and other signs of
recognition to tell that traditional or regional food is
available at your facility.
2. Mark national dishes in your menu card. Develop a
special logo or use branding logo if you have joined
some branding or labelling scheme.
3. Explain the dishes on the menu - tell about
Greece. Certified cuisine ingredients, how the dish is cooked, etc. Always
include also internationally well known meals and
 96
of the guesthouse dishes on the menu to offer choice.
4. Do not forget to tell if this is ecological food – visitors
may appreciate it.
5. Provide some stories about the menu items – how
the respective dishes became traditional in the
region/locality, explain their names, why they are on
your house menu, on what occasions particular
dishes are served. Tell jokes and legends.
6. Develop some house specialty.
Slovenia. POHORJE 7. Offer small portions for tasting or set a tasting menu.
BUNKA 8. Do not try to offer fancy foods or over-decorate
them. Your guests will appreciate simple, wholesome
Desalted whole parts of food, as is associated with rural life.
better-quality pork 9. Provide menu in the national language and in at
stuffed into the pork least one foreign language your clients would know.
stomach and beef 10. Expose cards and leaflets of the farms or other local
intestines, mildly smoked producers supplying food/drinks to your guest
and air dried house/restaurant, especially if they are open for
visitors and sell their produce on site.
11. Arrange a farm shop with your own produce and that
of your neighbours. Take care of good display of
goods with descriptions in at least one foreign
language and prices clearly shown to encourage
buying.
12. Offer, as small extras, things from your garden or
home produce – berries, fruit, vegetables, etc. It
does not cost a lot, but gives added value. Always
present them nicely and explain what is special
about them.
Slovenia. Photo: R. Kosi. 13. If you produce foods at home, offer a small tour of
Small private shop with the facility showing the production process. You can
home-made products of even involve your guests in some part of the
the farm Lipič-Passero process.

Latvia. Strawberries from

the garden
 97
Slovenia. Photo: T.
Jeseničnik. Drying of
dried meat products in
traditional way at tourist
farm for guests on a
tourist farm

Section 4.4: Rural Tourism Activity

Products Related to Food and Culinary
Heritage
A variety of rural tourism activity products can be developed based on culinary
heritage traditions in combination with outdoor and nature experiences. This is
relevant for groups, as well as individuals.

4.4.1. Lamprey Fishing and Cooking

Lampreys (sometimes also called lamprey eels) are jawless fish, whose adults are
characterized by a toothed, funnel-like sucking mouth. Translated from Latin, lamprey
means stone lickers (lambere: to lick, and petra: stone). (Wikipedia)

In Latvia, lamprey is regarded as delicacy and is

sold quite expensive in shops. Therefore tourists,
at least domestic, are interested to take part in
lamprey fishing and enjoy meals made from this
fish. The fish lives in rivers and fishing is allowed
with special licences. Lamprey fishing belongs to
traditional skills and in some places it is still
practiced using the old technologies. For fishing
lamprey, special installations are used, called
―tacis‖. In combination with good stories and a
show it becomes a great attraction for tourists.

Lamprey comes at night and the fishermen sit

there to watch the process. For tourists, it is an
adventure to sit by the river and enjoy the river
nightlife.

A group of journalists at ―Tacis‖ – The hosts show and explain what happens
the installation for lamprey fishing around – for example, in some rivers, salmon
comes up in spawning season. Also birds and animals like owls, deer, beaver or
others can be heard. The hosts have to know their habits, to be able to notice them
and make it an exciting attraction.
 98
First, the host explains everything about the
equipment he is going to use. This cannot be
regarded as a training lesson, as most of
visitors will probably not engage in lamprey
fishing in their life. Nevertheless, people like to
learn and understand. This will be a part of
their holiday memories and stories. The more
attractive the hosts can present things which
may seem self-evident to them, the better is
the experience from the point of view of
visitors. Apart from professional details, good
The host explaining about the fishing
humour is always appreciated.
tackle
Lamprey can be grilled, fried, cooked in soup
or sauce. The most traditional and most
popular is lamprey in jelly. Lamprey is very
tasty, but nourishing. It may be difficult to
digest it if you eat too much. As it is tasty,
people tend to exaggerate and, in some hours,
may experience digestion problems. Advise
your guests before meal!

While guests enjoy and

appreciate authentic
Grilling lamprey
experiences, which is also
exactly what rural tourism
philosophy is about,
unfortunately cooking on
open fire would not meet
the Food and Hygiene
regulations in most
countries. You will not
provide a catering
service, but your guests
are free to make their own
Lunch served
meals.

Soup made on open fire

How to provide good service:

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1. Be an expert in all aspects of the activity you offer – know about the fish, the
local nature environment, the know-how of fishing, preparing the tackle, meal
recipes and secrets of cooking.
2. Make a good show – be open and attractive, tell stories, ask questions, make
jokes, etc. Watch customers' reaction and do not exaggerate.
3. Describing your offer, do not forget to tell the clients how to prepare to enjoy
the experience you offer – what to wear, what to bring along, how long the
event will take place, etc.
4. Tell about the food – e.g., warn not to eat too much lamprey, as it is very
substantial and rich.
5. Prepare the facilities well to enjoy the meal even if it rains – probably a shed
or a tepee. Take care that you have enough seats for all guests.
6. Make sure the food is cooked and presented using simple, but good quality
kitchenware and tableware. Never use plastic cups and saucers.

4.4.2. Mushrooming
Mushrooming is a ―national sports‖ in Latvia. In September, forests are full of people
in rubber boots carrying baskets and knives, hunting for wild mushrooms. Even
people who do not like to eat mushrooms cannot resist the excitement of finding the
colourful caps sticking out from green moss. Mushroom dishes are dominating in
many households in the autumn. Many people are very practical and prepare pickled
mushrooms for winter. This national phenomenon is very favourable and relevant to
develop attractive rural tourism product consisting of at least four elements:

1. Outdoor recreation - walking in the forest, finding the mushroom spots,

orienteering, enjoying the forest environment.
2. Educational - knowing mushrooms – at least to make difference between
edible and poisonous varieties.
3. Culinary – enjoying hot meals made from mushrooms.
4. Practical – preparing pickled mushrooms, trying different recipes, taking home
the self-made mushroom pickles.

All parts have to be well prepared so that your guests can enjoy them.
 100

Outdoor Recreation

Know well where the mushrooms grow. Be

sure about the distances to walk, the terrain
and the time necessary. Describing your
offer, advise about what to wear – rubber
boots or good walking boots, raincoats, caps,
etc. You may have some forest gear in stock
for rent, as your guests coming from the city
simply might not have appropriate clothing.
Teach your guests the basic principles of
Mushroom hunters in the forest orienteering in the forest, in case your group
accidentally scatters and somebody has to
find the way back. Exchange phone numbers
to prevent the cases of getting lost. Tell about
varieties of mushrooms.
Educational

Before going to forest, instruct your guests

about mushroom varieties. Show pictures and
descriptions, tell about which poisonous
mushrooms are easy to take for edible ones.
Tell about typical features of poisonous
mushrooms and what is the danger.
Poisonous mushrooms look very attractive.
There is a whole world of mushrooms which
are not poisonous, but are not used for food.
Still they are attractive and interesting – they
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are neither plants, nor animals: ―Mushrooms
are not plants: they are fungus. They eat
organic matter, they do not photosynthesize
like plants do.‖ (Wikipedia).

Mushrooms are different!

Culinary

Mushroom sauce is the most popular dish.

Mushroom soups are sometimes made or
meet is stuffed with mushrooms. King bolete,
also known as the cap or penny bun (Boletus
Edulis) and chanterelles (Cantharellus
Cibarius) are regarded in Latvia as the most
valuable. They take less time – easy to clean,
do not need to be boiled before frying in
sauce. They also look very attractive.
King bolete, also known as the cap or
penny bun

Mushroom sauce

Bacon - 100g

Mushrooms - 200g

Plain flour - 10-20g

Liquid - as required

Salt, onion - to taste

Sorting mushrooms Various mushrooms can be used in the sauce
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- saffron milk caps, boletes, chanterelles, etc.
The mushrooms, bacon and onion are
chopped into small cubes and fried, mixing in
the flour. Continue frying, then add liquid and
cook. Finally, add the sour cream. Mushroom
sauce can be served with meat or vegetarian
dishes. (Source:
http://humanform.info/mushrooms/mushroom.
htm Preparation and Recipes translated from
the Latvian classic text:
Latvian and Modern Kitchen: Advice for
Hostesses on Correct Food Preparation/
H.Stabulnieks-Birzina, A.Švagers - Riga,
Grinbergs, 1939)
Practical

Activities like preparing mushrooms for winter

can be offered for guests. For this, kitchen
should be well equipped, supplies prepared
(kitchen utensils, containers for mushrooms,
all ingredients, etc.). Your recipe and the
kitchen process have to be well elaborated.
Make labels for the containers of pickled
mushrooms your guests will take with them to
bear your establishment‘s identity – the logo (if
Mushrooms ready for cooking
you have one), the name of the house and
your contact details.

Conclusion
This guideline provides an insight into some marketing aspects and general issues of
culinary heritage and gastronomy based products. It gives an idea about the variety
of options, opportunities and approaches. Rural tourism providers should further
explore technical aspects of developing culinary heritage based products, for
example:

Kitchen and food service equipment for different catering types: restaurants,
guesthouses, self-catering, outdoor catering;
Food and hygiene regulations in their country;
Organizing and involvement in thematic regional food festivals – Wine,
Cheese, Bread, Potatoe festivals.

The combination of the traditional values and innovation shall be the key principle in
development of successful, competitive culinary heritage based products in rural
tourism.
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Sources and references
1. Association of Rural Advisory Centres,
Finland,http://www.maakuntienparhaat.fi/en/
2. ―Uniquely Finnish Food Travel in 7 provinces. Local food experiences in
genuine atmospheres‖, http://www.maakuntienparhaat.fi/doc/foodroutes.pdf
3. Norwegian organisation for promotion of rural tourism and farm food industry,
http://www.hanen.no/index_en.html
4. Presentation by Vesna Čuček, Slovenian Chamber of Agriculture and
Forestry of Slovenia, Agriculture and Forestry Institute Celje, at the
International Rural Tourism Workshop in Riga, Latvia, June 9, 2010,
http://www.celotajs.lv/cont/conf/conference/100609-WS/program.html
5. Restaurant ―Salve‖, www.salve.lv
6. Hotel Castle ―Igates pils‖and Mills Pub, www.igatespils.lv
7. Pädaste Manor Hotel, Muhu Island, Estonia, www.padaste.ee
8. Restaurant "Chez Dominique", Helsinki, Finland, www.chezdominique.fi/
9. Countryside Bounty, http://www.celotajs.lv/cont/wrth/worth/bounty_en.html
10. Barley porridge: http://zitinja.blogspot.com/2010/10/miezu-putraimu-biezputra-
jeb.html
11. Barley risotto with tiger prawns: http://vinabars.lv
12. ―Latvian Food in Modern Cuisine‖, presentation by Ä‘. Dreibands, chef at
„Annas hotel‖ and „Kartupeļu Ä―dčji‖ in the seminar ―Developing Culinary
Tourism Products‖, 01.12.2010., Latvia
13. „Qualitool‖, a web based training tool to Eurogites (European Federation of
Rural Tourism) - minimum international rural tourism accommodation
standards http://quality.eurogites.org
14. http://humanform.info/mushrooms/mushroom.htm Preparation and Recipes
translated from the Latvian classic text: Latvian and Modern Kitchen:
Advice for Hostesses on Correct Food Preparation/ H.Stabulnieks-Birzina,
A.Švagers - Riga, Grinbergs, 1939)

5. Nature
Introduction
The natural environment and its protection have, in the recent decades, generated
increasing interest, which has led to cultural tourism development based on nature to
become a growing sector. Tourism, according to the World Tourism Organization
(WTO), is defined as activities carried out by persons during their travels and stays in
places other than their habitual environment, for a consecutive period of time of less
than one year, for leisure purposes, for business or other reasons.

Cultural tourism based on nature includes the heritage, the landscape, the
population, the quality of the resources and their conservation and other very diverse
activities; it is quality tourism, individualized and specialized, with the purpose of
producing experiences.
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Its main objectives are to rest and have fun, to practice sports and to learn about the
natural environment.

The landscape, the geology, the fauna, the vegetation, the water resources and the
points of scientific interest are the elements that form the natural environment. The
figures of protection are one of the resources that exert most attraction for nature
tourism (biosphere reserves, Natura 2000 Network, natural parks, etc.), while active
tourism and adventure sports are ways of enjoying the natural environment.

There are numerous facilities for the interpretation of the landscape and the
environment, both indoor (museums, centres of interpretation, visitors‘ centres,
nature workshops, etc.) and outdoor (theme parks, interpreted paths, observation
points, interpretative panels, etc.). These are resources to be utilized when planning
a visit, for which it will be necessary to take into account the diverse techniques
required for the interpretation of the natural environment.

Objectives
The main objective of this chapter is to offer the student tools allowing him to
interpret the natural environment and its elements, converting it into a resource of
cultural tourism, for which he must learn the possibilities offered by the environment,
both natural and interpretative and of leisure, as well as the main techniques of
environmental interpretation. The organization and planning of a visit are also
important points in nature tourism.

At the end of the chapter the student will:

Know what type of natural, interpretative and leisure resources a natural

environment can offer
Have acquired abilities and resources that make it possible to research,
analyze and integrate the local environmental resources in cultural
tourism activities
Know the technical principles of environmental interpretation
Be able to organize and plan a nature tourism visit.

Section 5.1: Concepts

It is important to differentiate between different concepts linked to tourism relating to
the natural environment:

Nature tourism. Its main objectives are the practice of recreational and
leisure activities, the interpretation and knowledge of nature and the practice
of sports activities that use natural resources specifically without degrading or
exhausting them.
Tourism in nature: leisure tourism in nature. Its main objectives are
recreational and leisure activities in nature without degrading it, and without
express use of natural resources.
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Tourism about nature: active sports tourism in nature. The practice of
sports activities is the most significant objective, with express use of natural
resources without degrading them.
Tourism for nature: ecotourism. The main objective is the observation,
enjoyment and/or knowledge of the natural environment, with the option of
practicing low-intensity physical activities without degrading natural resources.

Figure 1. Nature tourism and its productive modalities. Source: Nature tourism in
Spain and its Promotion Plan. General Secretariat of Tourism. Made by UTE
Antar – Ecotono.

Nature tourism is sustainable by character: tourist activities are environmentally

friendly and respectful of the values of a community, with a positive exchange of
experiences between it and the visitors.

―Sustainable tourism development attends to the needs of tourists and the host
regions, and at the same time, protects and promotes opportunities for the future. It is
conceived as a way of managing all resources in order to satisfy economic, social
and aesthetic needs, while respecting cultural integrity, essential ecological
processes, biological diversity and life-sustaining systems” (World Tourism
Organization, WTO).

In order for nature tourism to acquire a sustainable character, it is necessary to try to:

Maintain the value of the territory in utilizing the natural resources without
endangering their existence.
Conserve the cultural identity, focusing on the tangible and intangible cultural
heritage, and the social stability, respecting the local idiosyncrasy.
Promote global economic development, creating wealth that impregnates the
other sectors through the multiplying effect of tourism.
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Figure 2. Glacier of the Aneto, Huesca, Spain

Section 5.2: Resources Utilized

5.2.1. Elements of The Natural Environment
The natural environment in itself has elements that attract nature tourism:

Landscape: a permanent resource, variable according to the season of the

year and its appearance depending largely on the vegetation, hydrology and
human activity. It is the basic resource when planning a visit.
Geology: a permanent resource that can be accessed from the viewpoint of
the modelling of the landscape by water, wind, glaciers, minerals, spectacular
formations, etc.
Fauna: a resource that is in part seasonal and in part permanent, depending
on the species; therefore, it is fundamental to know them, as well as to have a
very clear idea of the necessary conservation of the resource and how to
avoid endangering it.
Vegetation: a resource that strongly marks the personality of the landscape,
depending on the seasons. Particularly noteworthy are the endemic species
that are found in a place on occasions: species or taxons whose geographical
location is restricted to a very specific zone, not being found outside it. The
geographical extension may be very variable, from a specific population to a
province, a country, etc.
Water resources: rivers, lakes, reservoirs. Elements of the hydrographical
network that contribute value to natural environment, modifying life (flora and
fauna) in its surrounding area.
 107
Points of scientific interest. Enclaves with specific characteristics that are of
special interest for the scientific world.

5.2.2. Figures of Protection

The figures of protection ensure good state of conservation of the resource, thus
offering an attraction for nature tourism.

Biosphere Reserves. These are zones of land or coastal/marine ecosystems

or a combination of these, recognized internationally as such in the framework
of the Programme on Man and the Biosphere (MAB) of the UNESCO. The
World Network of Biosphere Reserves functions as a model that indicates how
human beings must live with nature.
Wetlands included in the RAMSAR Agreement. These are wetlands of
international importance, especially as a habitat of aquatic birds.
Natura 2000 Network. This network is one of the tools of the European Union
for the application of a common policy on the subject of the environment,
created by the ―Habitats Directive‖. The Natura 2000 Network must ensure the
protection of European biodiversity, including not only natural areas, but also
semi-natural habitats that are the result of secular interaction of man and his
activities. It is composed of Sites of Community Interest (SCI) and Special
Protection Areas for birds (SPAs).
Important Bird Areas (IBA). These are areas of international importance for
the conservation of birds that form a part of an integrated and wider proposal
for conservation of biodiversity, the SEO/Bird Life Conservation Strategy,
which also includes the protection of species and habitats.
Geoparks. A territory which includes a specific geological heritage and a
strategy for sustainable territorial development supported by the European
Programme of Promotion, as well as geological points of particular importance
according to their scientific quality, rarity, aesthetic value or educational value.
It must have well-defined limits and sufficient territory for true economic
development.
Species of flora or species of protected fauna. There are ―red lists‖ that
serve as a conservation tool, promoted by the IUCN (International Union for
Conservation of Nature). At first, its use was considered on the worldwide
scale, although currently the lists of national or regional areas are promoted.
The category of each threatenedn specie is indicated.
Protected Natural Areas (PNAs). These are areas that contain natural
elements and systems of special interest or outstanding natural values. There
are usually laws that grant them protection. Included among the PNAs are
National Parks, Natural Parks, Natural Reserves, Protected Landscapes, etc.
Others. Specific figures of protection of each country or region.
 108

Figure 3. Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus). Endangered species. Red

Book of vertebrates of Spain.

5.2.3. Activities
The activities related to the natural environment that can make particular
surroundings attractive are linked to active tourism and adventure sports. Some
examples are:

Land activities: hiking, mountaineering, climbing, cycling, spelunking, horse-

riding activities and routes, skiing and winter sports, BTT routes, theme routes
(ornithological, of tree heritage, mycological, paleontological, etc.)
Water activities: canoeing, diving, surfing, river tourism, etc.
Airborne activities: hang gliding, paragliding, sky diving, etc.
Leisure activities in nature: picnicking, road vehicle routes, guided visits,
observation of nature, etc.

5.2.4. Facilities
The facilities utilized for the interpretation of the landscape and the environment are
numerous and of diverse character. A proposal is carried out of the most common
ones, although its continuous development causes it not to be considered strictly.
 109

Figure 4. Observation point located in the zone of the Montsec de Aragón, Huesca,
Spain

5.2.5. Indoor facilities

Museums. Permanent installations where collections of artistic, cultural, and
scientific interest, etc. are kept, while research is carried out on material and
intellectual testimonies of a man and his social context.
Interpretation centres. These are facilities for informing and orienting visitors
of natural sites with the purpose of offering better knowledge and enjoyment of
the natural and cultural values of the same. They usually have didactic
exhibitions, audiovisual projections, information about the site where they are
located and support publications.
Documentation and research centres. Sites for research about a specific
subject.
Visitors‟ centres. Reception centres for the tourists that visit the zone, with
information about the same and offer of various services (guided visits, etc.).
Astronomic observatories. Places for study of heavenly bodies and of the
sky in general.
Eco museums. These are museum centres focused on the identity of a
territory in which the local population participates and where the traditional
heritage and culture are the protagonists.
Nature workshops. Installations equipped with didactic material to provide
knowledge and training about the natural environment, being addressed to
children and young people. These can also be found in open spaces.
 110
5.2.6. Equipped Outdoor Sites
Theme parks. These are places where a particular characteristic of the
landscape or surroundings stands out, such as the geological surroundings.
Interpreted paths. Routes with information, signage, panelling, etc. for the
interpretation of the natural environment they are found in. The accessible
paths are of particular importance: paths interpreted for disabled persons.
Bird observation centres. Sites located in surroundings that stand out for
their characteristics suited to bird observation.
Observation points. Sites of great interest due to their views. In the case of
nature observation points, outstanding landscapes can be viewed.
Interpretative panels. Signage with information that provides the
interpretation of the surroundings in which they are located, increasing the
comprehension and awareness of the visitor. They are usually found on
interpreted paths, points of interest, observation points, etc.

Figure 5. Visit to an urban Nature Workshop, Zaragoza, Spain

All these resources provide the possibility of interpreting and learning about a
particular environment, which makes it more attractive, as it converts it into a cultural
tourism resource.
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Section 5.3: Presentation and
Organization
The guided visit to the natural environment requires its meticulous organization,
including not only the organization of space and time, but also the communicative
and interpretative method to be employed and the information that is to be
transmitted.

5.3.1. General Planning

In any case, first of all, the objectives to be attained must be clear: What to teach?
What to show? At what level? General, specific and operative objectives can be set.
According to the objectives, needs will be determined that must be covered with the
available resources; also the location and the duration of the activity will be
determined, depending on whom the visit is addressed.

Figure 6. Interpretative visit to a public park, Zaragoza, Spain

The human resources (number of guides) and materials necessary will be

established depending on the foregoing points.
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Once the activity or visit has been carried out, it must be evaluated, as to whether the
objectives set have been attained, so that, depending on the results, improvements
can be considered, bringing about continuous improvement.

With regard to the place to be visited, it must be selected according to several

criteria:

Purpose of the visit.

Public with whom the visit is to be made.
Size of the group.
Knowledge of the zone by the visitors.
Necessary and available resources.

From the viewpoint of environmental impact, when defining the general planning, the
following aspects must be taken into account:

Load capacity: The number of persons in the group must be examined to

minimize the damage to the place to be visited.
Access: avoid the use of new roads to minimize impact.
Responsible choice of the activity, evaluating the possible impact generated.
Negative impact on the social environment: coordinate with the local entities.

5.3.2. Planning The Journey

For the planning of the journey and the contents it is necessary to know the
surroundings and adapt to the visiting group:

Identify the place: name and its meaning or origin.

Locate it: locate the place inside the site or surrounding area.
Dimensions and distances: height, area, access.
Inventory of the natural resources of the place: the most outstanding flora and
fauna, endemic species, geological points of interest, fluvial points, botanical
enclaves, etc.
Possibilities offered: activities to be carried out, leisure offers.
Legends related to the place.
Enclaves of the greatest interest to visit.
Moreover, depending on the visiting group, it will be necessary:
To prepare the contents knowing their objectives.
To determine the number of stops to be made, so that the journey is dynamic
and fits the time available.
To prepare supplementary material (diagram of the visit, field notebook,
didactic sheets, magnifying lenses, binoculars, etc.).
To be aware of the response of the visitor and adapt the visit to his
expectations and objectives.
To evaluate the impact that will be generated in the place chosen. To establish
basic rules to be communicated to the visitors, as well as their maximum
number.
 113

Figure 7. Practical exercise during the training course for tourist guides, Huesca,
Spain

5.3.3. Interpretation
Interpretation [4] is an activity that shows, in an attractive, direct and participative
manner, the characteristics of an area and its biophysical and cultural relations with
the purpose of generating in the participants enjoyment, awareness, knowledge and
commitment to the values interpreted.

It is a discipline that arose in the United States in the last third of the 20th century;
one of its great theorists is Jorge Morales who defines it as the Art of revealing in situ
the meaning of the natural, cultural or historical legacy to the public that visits these
places in their leisure time.

According to ―the great interpretation cheat-sheet‖ prepared by the same author,

interpretation must:

Be considered an effective management instrument; be addressed to the

visitor of the natural heritage (general public, including persons with
disabilities).
Be a free and voluntary activity; take into account the recreational context the
visitor is in (vacation, free days, etc.).
Be inspiring; reach the spirit of the individuals.
Stimulate the use of the senses.
 114
Be motivating and provocative.
Be suggestive and persuasive.
Stimulate active participation, orient and inform about specific facts.
Stimulate critical thought.
Deliver a clear message.
Deliver a brief message.
Reveal meanings and interrelationships.
Contribute to citizen awareness.
Tell the presence of the real object.
Follow up inasmuch as is possible with personalized activities (with a guide).
Maintain as a goal the conservation of the natural heritage that is the object of
the interpretation.

The suitable interpretation of the environment can cause great variations in the
impression the visitors take with them of the place. According to Don Aldridge (1973)
―Interpretation is the art of explaining the place of man in his environment, with the
purpose of increasing the awareness of the visitor about the importance of this
interaction, and to awaken in him the desire to contribute to the conservation of the
environment‖.

With the visit to the environment, the aim is that the visitor will increase his
awareness of it, know it, understand it and be enthused with its characteristics and
special gifts. The visit with suitable environmental interpretation increases the quality
of the experience and makes possible a greater appreciation of the resource on the
part of the visitor, maintaining the recreational character.

Figure 8. Activity with students in a public park, Zaragoza, Spain

 115
5.3.4. Communication
To achieve these objectives, communication must be attractive and accessible, it
must satisfy the interests of the visitors and use various motivating resources,
depending on the group to whom they are addressed: age, size of the group,
familiarity, level of knowledge, motivation, etc.

The adoption of strategies that facilitate the relationship between the interpreter and
the visitors will bring about better reception of the messages, to the stimulation of his
intervention and to the promotion of the sense of humour. The use of metaphors,
examples, suspense, personal experiences, debates, etc., help to create a more
comfortable relationship and they add emotion and interest to the explanations. For
this reason, it is also of interest to stimulate the perception of reality through different
senses, calling attention to the shapes, smells, colours, tastes or sounds.

Communication must be creative and reveal meanings, giving value through

illustrative objects and elements, without being a mere description or enumeration of
facts or elements. It must, therefore, be attractive communication, as well as concise,
revealing the meaning of an element or environment in its presence, which allows
and makes it possible for it to be pleasant, original, creative and participative. It must
not only call attention, but maintain it, so that the metaphors, legends, anecdotes,
questions, etc. are not forgotten during the entire visit.

5.3.5. Information
In order for the communication process to be effective, the information provided must
be limited to the subject matter of the place visited; to what is seen at any given time.
The contents must be presented in brief periods of time, using a positive tone and
simple expressions, illustrated with examples, with pleasant and spontaneous
language throughout, accessible to the public. Posing questions favours reflection,
while self-discovery and examples of day-to-day experiences will bring a better
comprehension of the concepts. If a multidisciplinary focus of the information is
achieved, it will include the different aspects of the environment: commenting, for
example, the characteristics of a vault while speaking about the vegetation found in it
and the animals found in the zone will provide a more global view of the place.

Section 5.4: Marketing/Promotion

5.4.1. Advertising Media
Advertising and becoming known are the key points in the importance acquired by
natural environment and in its capacity to become a cultural tourist resource. For this
purpose, the following tools are useful:

Telematic resources

Websites. The website of a natural area is currently one of the main sources
of information, where a great number of people use the internet to obtain
 116
information of all types. A multilingual character will ensure more visits and will
make it easier understandable for the possible foreign tourists.
Social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook. There has been a
spectacular increase in the use of social networks in recent years; thus,
companies, organizations, etc. have joined them. They constitute an important
means of becoming known and reaching people throughout the world.
Mapping viewers. Interactive places where the user can view the territory
with different appearances, the information being georeferenced. The
inclusion of information about visitors‘ centres, places of interest, etc. provides
information to the possible visitors.

Figure 9. Presentation of the accessible path El Cornato, Valley of Pineta, Ordesa

and Monte Perdido National Park, Huesca, Spain

Physical Resources

Leaflets. This is a traditional means of dissemination, which, although it

reaches a smaller number of persons, provides very valuable and useful
information when the visit is carried out, as it can be consulted any place and
at any time. The information can be general, about the environment, or
address the visit of a path or particular place, which involves explanations
about access, difficulty, time, etc.
Guidebooks of the zone. Books with a variety of information about a specific
region. They generally include data about the natural environment, the
activities to be carried out, museums and other information centres, general
services, excursions, etc.
Children‟s books. Specific publications for the younger visitors.
Didactic plans. Material prepared to facilitate the interpretation of the
surroundings for the visitors providing knowledge, awakening motivation and
generating interest for the natural environment.
 117
Articles in the press or specialized magazines. These provide information
that may either be general, about a zone, or may focus on a specific route or
point. Depending on the publication, it may provide scientific data.
Advertising campaigns. These are carried out at specific times and for a
specific duration, such as a time prior to the summer season, with the intention
of attracting tourists that visit the zone during the following vacations. The
resources to be used are diverse, both physical and of other types, as well as
the public to whom they are addressed.

Activities organized

Guided visits. These are visits in which a specialized person directs the
journey, providing information about the place visited and its interpretation.

5.4.2. Promotion Through Sustainability

Although it does not involve marketing as such, the dissemination obtained by certain
places is significant due to their adhesion to figures that ensure criteria of
sustainability. Thus, for example, one of these figures in the European Charter for
Sustainable Tourism in Protected Natural Areas (ECST). It is an initiative of the
EUROPARC Federation, whose objective is to promote the development of
sustainable tourism in the protected natural areas of Europe. It is a method and a
voluntary commitment to apply the principles of sustainable tourism, oriented to the
managers of protected natural spaces and to companies to define their strategies in
a shared way.

Other figures or certificates of interest are the ISO standards referring to quality (ISO
9001) or the environment (ISO 14001). The implementation of a system based on
one of these standards involves the guarantee that correct management is carried
out in the subject referred to. Moreover, the EMAS Regulation is another certification
that ensures suitable environmental management. There are other certifications
promoted by state entities.

5.4.3. Visitors
The target public is very varied, as are the activities to be carried out and the
resources offered. Thus, the following can be found in a natural environment:

School groups: excursions organized in the educational centres.

University students: educational outings of a scientific nature.
Families: family excursions, mainly for recreation.
Pensioners: groups of elderly people.
Groups pertaining to a mountain or sports club: mountaineers or athletes that
seek to carry out a specific activity.
Persons concerned about the environment, the flora or fauna and/or lovers of
recreation, without being included in any of the foregoing groups that visit
natural surroundings.

When preparing the activity, it will be necessary to know who it is addressed to, in
order to orient it to the subjects that may be of greatest interest for them, as well as
 118
adapt the vocabulary and tone to be used. In any case, the framework of action of
the activity must not be forgotten and that it is carried out face to face with the visitor,
so that these two issues guide the development of the visit.

Section 5.5: Laws

The law varies with regard to the
environment among different
European countries, although there
are certain laws common to all of
them. Particularly noteworthy, due
to its importance and
dissemination, is the Habitats
Directive (Directive 92/43/EEC of
the Council of 21 May 1992
relating to the conservation of
natural habitats and wild fauna and
flora), which created the Natura
2000 Network. This is a network
that comprises special areas of
conservation (SACs) designated
by the member states in
accordance with said directive. It
also includes the special protection
areas for birds (SPAS), established
in accordance with the Birds
Directive 2009/147/EEC.

There are laws at the European

level in the area of waste
management, water treatment,
biodiversity, environmental noise,
etc. The European directives link
Figure 10. Gradas de Soaso, Arazas River the states of the union, although
Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park, they become obligatory when they
Huesca, Spain are transposed by the state.

References
1. Studies of tourist products. Mountain tourism. Published by the Tourism
Institute of Spain (Turespaña).
2. Environmental and heritage interpretation in the school environment: an
alternative for environmental education. Ms. C.María de Jesús Balmaseda
Meneses.
3. Course for training of informers and tourist guides in the district of La
Ribagorza. Module 3.3 Active and sustainable tourism. Elena Parga.
4. EUROPARC Website Spain, www.redeuroparc.org
5. Manual of good practices of the nature monitor: Protected Natural Areas of
Andalusia. Department of the Environment. Department of Employment and
 119
Technological Development. Coordination of the Manual: Javier Benayas del
Álamo.
6. Nature tourism in Spain and its Promotion Plan. Studies of Tourist Products.
Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce, 2004.
7. Environment module: environmental education. Certificate of 1st level
Mountain Sports Technicians. Pilar Maza and Daniel Martín, 2006.
8. Environmental education. Discovery of the Biosphere. Project Aurora 2003 -
2005, Leonardo da Vinci Programme.
9. Landscape didactics: the interdisciplinary study of the environment. Guides for
the interpretation of rural and natural landscapes. ―The day of the rock: the
day of the environment‖. University of Oviedo, Centre of Territorial
Cooperation and Development (CeCodet). Direction: Fermín Rodríguez
Gutiérrez, collaborating professor: Julio Concepción Suárez. 2003 – 2004.

Self-Assessment
To check that the resources and techniques available have
been understood with regard to nature tourism, several
questions/exercises are posed with which to put into practice
the knowledge acquired:

1. Explain: what is the Natura 2000 Network.

2. Mention at least 2 resources for interpretation of the
natural environment of each type: natural resources,
resources of active tourism and adventure sports,
resources of landscape and environmental
interpretation and figures of protection.
3. Indicate 5 key points of “the great interpretation cheat-
sheet”.
4. Imagine that you have to plan an activity in a National
Park. Find out the existing information centres
(interpretation centres, visitors‟ centres, etc.), the
characteristic flora and fauna, the figures of protection
and all those issues that may be of interest to have a
good knowledge of the zone.
5. Briefly consider what must characterize appropriate
behaviour in natural surroundings.

6. Arts and Crafts

Finnish and Lappish Traditions and Design

Introduction
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This Section describes Finnish and Lappish traditions and the realities of modern
market economy applied in arts and crafts that are for sale for the tourists in Finland.
The pressure of the global market economy in sustaining traditions and cultural
values when creating new products makes a great challenge to the handicraft
entrepreneurs. The clients value the quality, authenticity, style and beauty, but also
money. Handicraft and locality is very decisive when puchasing item, but then, so is
the price, too.

After studying this section you will:

be able describe the importance of enviromental and cultural

sustainability
have ideas how to create new arts and crafts by appreciating and
applying traditions
have learned that handicrafts promotion and marketing concepts need
local and international co-operation.

Section 6.1: Lappish Arts and Crafts

6.1.1. The Sami Culture
The people of Lapland are called the Sami, and they are Finland's first indigenous
people who have inhabited Southern Finland since shortly after the last Ice Age ten
thousand years ago. When the new populations of Finno Ugrians - Finns started to
compete of the hunting and fishing areas, they drove the Sami people further up
towards the North. This took place during the Comb Ceramic Culture era. The Sami
people used to name their hunting and fishing areas, and there are still many places
also in southern Finland that retain their Lappish names.

The Sami people can also be found in the northern regions of Norway, Sweden and
Russia. The Sami are the indigenous people in Finland. The definition of an
indigenous population is a population that has lived in the area before the entry of the
majority population. The indigenous population can differ from the majority population
in its cultural, linguistic, and economic traditions. Indigenous people are also a
population that in most of the cases have historically been in conflict with the majority
population. These conflicts occur throughout the world where the original culture
clashes with the culture of the new main population.

In Finland, the conflicts revolve around unresolved disputes, for example, the Upper
Lapland forest areas. Modern forestry, tourism and reindeer herding, each require its
own territory, of which the ownership and user‘s rights are yet to be agreed upon.
 121

Photo: The Sami flag

Nature is full of a variety of plants and animals. And the world is full of different
languages and cultures. We see ourselves as the Sami and as a part of this nature. "

Áillohaš, Nils-Aslak Valkeapää (1943-2001)

The Sami culture retained its characteristics until the 1500s, when the Western
religions came into force. They lived in close contact with nature and their ancient
traditions and beliefs. The Sami believe that their gods and spirits dwell in holy
places called Seita dwellings. A Seita is a naturally shaped object, such as an
unusually shaped stone or erected wooden pole that was topped by a small wooden
roof. The Gods and spirits living in the Seita were presented offerings in the hope
that the offerings would bring luck when hunting or fishing. One of the Sami‘s sacred
worshipping places can be found in Lake Inari called the UkkoIsland, named Äijjäh-
sualui. It has barren rocky stretches that rise up to 40 metres in height. On the island
the Sami people worshiped the god Ukko and thunder to whom the people brought
food and sacrificial offerings. The Siida Museum in Inari operates as the Saami
Museum and the Northern Lapland Nature Centre.

In Lapland the original Sami culture has remained visible thanks to the basic
livelihood of reindeer herding. The Sami have also retained the traditional hand skills
and relationship with nature and characteristics of their culture and ornaments. Joint
Nordic Sami political actions have secured their own language to the level of official
language status.

In The Siida center in Inari the arts and crafts of the Sami culture are exposed in the
authentic historical frame.

Picture: :http://www.siida.fi/sisalto/siida-shop
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6.1.2. Shamanism
Shamanism was not really a religion, but the northern people's cultural way of life.
The Shaman was the helper and the healer, the Shaman was the gatherer of
valuable information that was needed in healing and in helping the people.

The Shamanistic world is divided into three parts: the under-world, the upper world
and the terrestrial plain. The Shaman made fact-finding missions usually to the
underworld, where he could be assisted by the spirits in the shape of animals.

The bear figure plays an important role in Shamanism. The bear has been pictured
on the shaman drums both living on the earth as a bear and in the Northern sky in
the form of the Great Bear constellation.

Shamans used different trance techniques to enter the spirit world, either drumming,
or narcotics, or mushrooms helped the shaman to pass into the world of the gods
and spirits. Also the human being was believed to be divided into three parts like
everything else.

In Finnish Lapland, all visible signs of Shamanism disappeared in the 17th century, as
the cult was almost completely destroyed by the mainstream religion and the
Lutheran church, by associating the Shamanistic culture with devil worshipping and
the drums with the Devil's Bible.
 123

Shaman drums are now being made for the use of very popular ethnomusic groups
and ―neo shamanistic rites‖ and souvenirs

Source: www.santaclausvillage.fi

Interest in Shamanism was reestablished in the 1800‘s as part of the northern

peoples study in Siberia, where the original cultures of the Northern tribes had
survived. Famous Finnish explorers involved in these studies were, for example,
M.A.Castren and Kai Donner.

Today Shamanism, as well as many other types of ancient beliefs are again back in
fashion. The same life guidelines as in Shamanism are found in many modern life
guidelines in the forms of doctrines and relaxation techniques. Tourism has taken
from Shamanism a number of useful "customer-oriented" features for marketing,
product development and programming services.

6.1.3. Is Lapland Open Today?

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Picture: The Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle

Source: www.santaclausvillage.fi

Finnish Lapland bases itself on the attraction of the "original exotic". Lapland stands
out as the most original tourist destination in Finland. Lakeland, nature trails, ski
resorts and the Helsinki-sized cities can be found throughout the world, but Lapland
is located in people's minds and this Lapland is in Finland and Santa Claus lives
there.

The arts and crafts that Santa brings to the good children of the world on Christmas
time have very little in common with the original Sami culture.

Some Sami people do not welcome mainstream tourism and other economic
competitive situations in Lapland.

"... The outsiders usurp the central symbol of our identity - the Sami clothes - and
make our folk costume the most visible external symbol of the tourism industry".

Lapland is becoming a theme park that utilises the aesthetics and traditions of
Lapland in professional tourism business, by trial and error, by duplicating and
copying the original. However, the tourism industry is trying to develop a sustainable
business by taking into account nature and also social authenticity values.
 125

Photos: Kari Rouhiainen, 2010. Craft Museum of Finland,

Jyväskylä (Marjut and Pekka Aikio, 1999)

"Is Lapland open today?‖ asked an American woman visiting the Helsinki City Tourist
Office. The majority of tourists do not know that Lapland is in Finland, when they ask
for a journey to visit Santa. Strictly speaking, it is of no importance to the visitor
whether Lapland is in Finland or not, when he is wishing to visit Lapland. But for
Finns, this is irritating and annoying in the national mind, as well as it annoys the
Sami people in ethnic and cultural sense. Many Finnish tourism companies,
advertising agencies, as well as foreign advertising agencies and tour operators have
participated in the creation of a Lapland brand. In this brand, the Sami are
decorations just like the images of the ancient pharaohs in Egyptian travel brochures.
Tourism is a major industry in Lapland which takes advantage of every Sámi symbol
for commercial purposes.

Source: www.santaclausvillage.fi

6.1.4. Santa Claus and Presents

"Mummy, look! This is snow! Mother, behold, this is snow!‖ excitedly cried out a
young British tourist on his arrival to Rovaniemi, and immediately began reaching out
 126
to collect some snow in his hands. Everyone wants to meet Santa Claus and
everybody wants gifts, therefore Lapland has tourism and handicrafts at the heart of
its entrepreneurship.

Passengers flying from abroad are waiting to be filled with the Christmas experience

Source: www.santaclausvillage.fi

For the craft-workers in Lapland, tourism brings in the largest revenue. Tourism is the
largest industry in Lapland, and the importance of craft work as a source of income is
significantly higher than the average in Finland. Tourism in Lapland has a long
history and souvenirs were made for the visitors already in the 19th century. The
production of Lapp dolls has a history of over one hundred years. These dolls
became very popular as souvenirs in the 1920‘s. When tourism grew in the 1960s,
Lapland goods became Finland‘s most popular souvenir type and were called the
―goods of Lapland‖ in the trade. Lapland goods were selling to both international, as
well as domestic tourists, and the goods were available all over Finland. The
production of the goods of Lapland was primarily focused in Rovaniemi, but goods
were also produced in other parts of Finland. The committee that deliberated in the
1940‘s about the production of souvenirs decided that the production of souvenirs
should at least be made in Rovaniemi to preserve the original sense of Lapland."
(Heikkilä, Kyläniemi 2004).
 127

In Lapland the real Lappish products are competing with handicrafts and industrial
goods made in mass produced low-cost labor countries. Up to 70% of the revenue of
souvenir-, gift item- and design sale come from imported products. To compete with
cheap imports, it is important that the domestic products maintain their quality of
development, planning and design. "But do not forget the most fundamental starting
point, which is the fact that the handicraft is skillfully manufactured in the course of
time to suit our own needs, without considering the demands of tourism. Whether it is
from the backland northern peasant culture or the Sami herding culture the
importance of beauty has been the main objective. Specific conditions of producing
utility articles are due to the scarcity of the northern climates. The survival strategy
has been able to adapt and respect the conditions set by nature." Source: Jaana
Moona, Lapland Union.

The materials used in making of the Lappish artefacts have been mainly wood, bone,
wool and other textiles, leather, valuable metals, ceramics, and berries and herbs.
The vision that the Lappish arts and crafts entrepreneurs state for the future is that
the business will become more profitable with annual growth of three per cent. The
quality of the products requires adapting new technologies in design and making and
sustainability when utilising traditions. In 2004, there were 294 small businesses in
Lapland employing 331 people producing unique Lappish arts and crafts.

The annual turnover was estimated to be 38.75 million euros.

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Popular Lapland products can also be purchased online. The most popular of all is a
letter from Santa. Santa can send a letter to anywhere in the world. if you would like
to ask for a letter, please send it to the following address:

http://www.posti.fi/postimerkkikeskus/pukinkirje/pukinkirje.htm

Or:

Oy Santa Claus Greeting Center Ltd.

Santa's Technology Park

Teknotie 14-16 Rovaniemi

96930 Arctic Circle

The subject of a real Christmas has been discussed and studied for many years, and
its ―content production‖ has proved to be a controversial subject for both Finnish and
foreign experts. The Santa Park Experience Cave was built during the late 1990s in
the Syväsenvaara mountain on the Polar Circle near the Rovaniemi Airport. The
design was made mainly to please the wishes of the British family visitors. But the
popularity of the attraction waned rapidly during the first year of operation. It lost its
main capital investors, for example, Finnair, and fell heavily into debt. The Finnish
theme park‘s success depends also on adequate domestic attendance, and simply to
rely on foreign customers' demand is not enough to make a successful tourist
attraction in Finland. Santa Park is now making a comeback with the help of new
 129
designers, and it will also have a major role among other tourist centres to promote
Lappish arts and crafts to the visitors.

Santa Claus‘ connection with Korvatunturi and Lapland began in the 1920s, when a
very popular radio person Uncle Mark told stories about Santa to Finnish children on
the radio. Since then the idea of the Christmas Wonderland began to influence
strongly the developing Lappish Christmas products. One of the key persons in the
project was also a famous radio person Niilo Tarvajärvi, who had visited Disneyland
in California during the late 1950‘s. On his return to Finland, he tried to encourage
Finnish companies and politicians to take on a Christmas wonderland idea.
Tarvajärvi had calculated that if every citizen in the country was to donate one
Finnish mark, he could set up a Santa Claus Wonderland - an attraction in Lapland
that would be as successful as Disneyland. The Christmas wonderland was
established and the government gave money to the project, but the company
crashed and ran into allegations of fraud, and Tarvajärvi found himself under
investigation. "Did you believe in fairy tales when you were in court on charges of
fraud during this Christmas wonderland mess?‖ asked the editor of the Helsingin
Sanomat newspaper. "I had not the slightest doubt, because in all good fairy tales
there are also difficulties," replied Tarvajärvi. ( HS Viikkoliite, 19.12.1996). When
Tarvajärvi was aged 82, he was as happy as a little boy when being a guest of the
new Santa Claus Office being opened in the Arctic Circle. The previous Santa‘s
cottage opening was completed in haste fifty years earlier, when the then U.S.
president's spouse Eleanor Roosevelt visited the Arctic Circle.

Santa Claus is reflected in the marketing and product development of Lapland and
also in Sami traditions in Lapland. Santa Claus is an ancient product, but his family
has no roots in Sami tradition.
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6.1.5. Sustainable Cultural Tourism
The Sami have identified the tourism benefits and the side-effects concerning their
cultural traditions and business. The biggest drawback they feel is that there is no
possibility of earning from their own culture, and so they feel exploited. They do not
have a copyright over their own Sámi culture. Others can profit, modify, combine and
edit the culture to the tourists‘ needs and demands. The Sami people also complain
that the real Sami handicraft does not have any advantage over replica products. The
market is full of genuine and replica Sami handicraft, replica products are imported
from abroad in large numbers, "the goods of Lapland" which tourists cannot
distinguish from the genuine traditional products.

Picture: EskoOja Central / LK

Source: www.arctictravel.fi

"How great is the difference between traditional craftsmanship and today's industrial
production. You see it when you go into a shop where you immediately notice a few
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nice pieces of genuine handicraft. But most of the items in the shop are modern
mass-produced cheap items. Representation of a small group of articles is inundated
with an endless influx of tasteless objects. Remember, it is better if its shape,
material, or pattern will not transcribe the tradition. You see it from anywhere, even
from the counter." Erno Paasilinna, 1988.

The tourist demands a genuine, once-in-a-lifetime experience, he wants to buy a

piece of genuine Lapland product. The whole idea of Lapland tourism has been put
into a package and given a price tag. At the same time, the package contains the
Sami people who are frustrated at being the exotic target of the tourists' cameras.

Santa greets the foreign guests in the port of

Helsinki also in summertime

Picture: Ulla-Maija Rouhiainen, 2009

Source: HS 03/12/2004

The Sami people are worried about their younger generation, who are prone to
change under the tourism and media pressure, thus blurring their sense of identity.
 132
The fear is that the younger generation will become ashamed of their Sami
background and culture. The Lapps are considering what would be the best way of
protecting their cultural integrity and preserving the reindeer husbandry, as well as
saving their earning potential. Efforts on behalf of the rights of the Sami, however,
are producing results. The Sami's own strengths are crucial towards these aims.
Young artists and the importance of role models such as Sami rap music or new
movies have given a new interpretation of the original traditions and language.

In sustainable tourism development projects, the tolerance capacity of the nature, as

well as the tolerance of the culture have been studied and defined. Tourism has been
considered, on the one hand, as ―socio-cultural waste ", but, on the other hand,
tourism means jobs and businesses. ‖Sustainable development means innovation
and imagination in its development and not just restoration,‖ says J. Swarbrooke,
1999.

The tourism industry that uses natural resources is also a user of intangible cultural
resources. Industry converts and cleaves cultures into well-selling images which take
advantage of every character occurring in the targets which have a commercial
value. The ideas cannot be patented and the folk tales have no copyright. Following
the sustainable development, the competition should be done with original means, by
producing genuine experiences within the conditions and terms of the area.

The awareness and appreciation of one´s own culture and the learning and
appreciation of other cultures are a vital part of the education for tourism
professionals. The resources that are invested for development projects of tourism
could be directed more effectively towards innovative cultural product development,
designing arts and crafts and services. The mass tourism could also benefit from this
type of development when the industries adopt original aesthetics for the satisfaction
of their clients.

Hard business values in packing and selling the traditions and the raw exploitation
does not profit but for a few seasons.

The traditions as an attraction is related to the time: the past, the present and the
future.

The visitor´s time in Lapland is but a brief moment which is an irreplaceable time in
his life. For the tourism entrepreneur, it is a time to forge money, while the customer‘s
credit card is still hot. Exploiting the past and the future, here and now is however an
unsustainable business development.
 133

Source: www.lapland products

Tradition, intangible assets have been accumulated over the centuries and are
passed on from father to son and from mother to daughter. The tourism industry can
work according to the same logistics. Sustainable tourism is more like a form of art or
good entertainment where the skills and valuable themes are expressed by countless
variations for different groups of people, along the chain of seasons.

Picture: The Shamanic drum

Source:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Sami_shamanic_drum.JPG

1. The product should include the past, it should include the old wisdom and the
beauty, it should carry good memories and good values, and it should be
something to be proud of.
2. The product should be valuable at the present moment when the client is
experiencing and taking part in making the product. The product includes its
present commercial value.
3. The product should possess the future: it should bear promises, hope and a
good reputation. The spiritual value from the past should remain in the product
and it should accumulate when passing from the seller to the client.
 134
The value of the product cannot therefore only be the priced in terms of Euros - a
label glued on the package. A tourism product is like a Christmas present, its value is
greater than its price. An excellent tourism product is valued by the customer's
satisfaction and gratefulness.

Sustainable tourism products market themselves according to their own strengths.

Marketing and communication should be natural and inherently distinctive.
Continuously renewed trendy marketing tricks and gimmicks become purposeless.
The attraction of the place and people are resilient, making the customer want to
return there again. When the product is well planned, the value remains and
accumulates profit. The product will then receive good publicity and the positive
feedback will spread to other customers. What could be more embarrassing than a
marketing oriented Santa Claus. Would children believe in a Santa who does not give
presents, but instead sells them at the highest price as to make a profit? Of course,
Santa has to get an income too, but he lives longer and stays healthy if he doesn‘t
have to struggle with the pressure of making a profit.

Section 6.2: Kalevala Arts and Tourists

Finnish culture and traditions are the basic materials for tourism, as well as other
national assets such as its forests and ores. Tradition is a free ingredient which is
further processed, packaged and exported to the visitors by tourism organizations.
Everyone has the possibility to enjoy the culture, when it is practiced, interpreted and
applied in product development, marketing and hospitality. The ingredients of cultural
tourism have limitless amounts of different interpretations of time for people, customs
and stories. Whether Finland's product is an industrially produced trendy package,
design and art, or home made traditional crafts, depends on the size of the company
and strategy. Companies make their decisions with the aim to achieve profits. The
national and regional structures provide master plans to support the activities of
enterprises.
 135

The cultural and intellectual demarcation is a topical issue in Finland. The image of
Finland is considered in Eurovision song contest deals, Berlusconi pizza menus, wife
carrying competitions, artists' views of Finland and the brand team appointed by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Tourists always form their own subjective picture when they buy the products that
they need to document their trips. A life-time is not a renewable resource, and the
tourist wants to document it in a tangible form, the tourist wants to hold the object in
his/her hands. The tourist wants to have a souvenir to exhibit memories of the time
on holidays. He/she has to get a grip of time, and for that a thing is needed.

―Our ancestors created the first tools to chop meat, bones and wood. It was this
increasing dependency on the things we create that makes us humans different from
all other animals. Our ability to make objects allowed humans to adapt to a multitude
of environments and spread...‖ (Neil MacGregor: A History of the World in 100
Objects, The British Museum and BBC4, 2010).

Arts and crafts that are on sale for travellers are part of the modern experience
economy, and the products' authenticity and high quality should not be compromised.

6.2.1. The Iron Age

In Finland you can find many traces of the Iron Age period. In the classic Finnish epic
"The Kalevala", the majority of stories have been collected by singers from Viena in
Karelia before the middle of the 1800‘s. The epic has been used to form one of the
 136
central parts of the traditional Finnish identity. The Kalevala tells stories of old times
that ended nearly a thousand years ago, but the stories have remained in the form of
songs.

The Kalevala stories are treasures which could be used much more to develop the
programmes and arts and crafts of the Finnish tourism, marketing and
merchandising. The ―Finland product‖ could stand out and get more prominence of
campaigns and brand building by using the characteristics of the Kalevala.

The Kalevala is not only a text that was compiled in the mid-1800s by Elias Lönnrot;
the Kalevala also contains many other texts and expressions that have been
recorded in the oral traditional heritage of the people, buildings and crafts. The spirit
and culture of the Kalevala has been used to promote the idea of Finland‘s nationality
that distinguishes it from other cultures.

The characteristics of the Kalevala can be compared to the ancient Egyptian

legends. Few tourists in Egypt can resist the lure of the ancient mythology. Egyptian
history and heritage is abundant and bears culture and tradition appraised by all
visitors. Egyptian tourism industry is using this heritage in many forms in promoting
the tourism destinations. The images of the traditional stories have been copied in
millions in the form of various handicrafts, souvenirs and trinkets. The ancient story is
bringing an income to millions of people.

The Finnish Kalevala gives frames, adaptations and fragmentations and it can be
modified and interpreted for a variety of purposes. The use of the Kalevala is not
exploiting heritage in the same way as the tourism industry is exploiting the Sámi
culture. Every Finn has a copyright to the Kalevala. Lönnrot‘s version of the Kalevala
 137
is just one of a collection. The Kalevala comes from the east, but also western
Finland and Savo have embraced the Kalevala and translated it into their own
dialect.

Kalevala Jewelry (www.kalevalakoru.fi)

Buckle of a maiden from Teljä, Kalevalakoru

―The Jewelry knot theme was known as far back as the Stone Age. Young maidens
used to tie their belts with a knot, as it was believed that this would make them fertile.
The knot was also believed to have medical power and could heal wounds quickly.
The knots are symbolizing belonging together, which also represents the
enchantment of love and eternity. An old belief tells that the knots will tie lovers
together even when they are far away from each other. The knot has a powerful
magic. ―

Source: www.kalevalakoru.fi

Stories like those in the Kalevala are Finnish, but, at the same time, they are
universal as all the other great world epics. It is all based on the human race, trying
to understand its existence and the rest of everything.
 138

Ilmatar - the Goddess of the Air

Picture by Robert Wilhelm Ekman, 1860,

Finnish National Gallery

Ilmatar (The Female Air Spirit): ―There was a lass, an air-girl a nice nature-daughter‖,
her times grew weary ―from being always alone living as a lass in the air‘s long yards
in the empty wastes‖ and she stepped further down and launched herself upon the
waves to swim. Wind blew her womb full, the sea made her fat. Ilmatar was
expecting Väinämöinen. Came a scaup, straightforward bird, it flapped about in
search of a nesting-place above the water-mother and saw that Ilmatar who was
expecting Väinö had her knee above the sea surface. It built its nest on the kneecap
and laid its ―sixs golden eggs and an iron egg the seventh‖. The hatching of the eggs
made Ilmatar´s knee too hot, she jerked her knee and the eggs spread in the dark
space and the world was born. Ilmatar organized the new material to be the universe.
Väinämöinen, soothsayer, spell caster and singer was born at the age of thirty from
Ilmatar.

Picture: Prehistoric rock carving of the bird and the egg

discovered at lake Ääninen in Carelia region

It is also told that Väinämöinen possessed the wisdom of the ages from birth, for he
was in his mother's womb for seven hundred and thirty years, while she was floating
in the sea and while the earth was formed. It is after praying to the sun, the moon,
and The Great Bear Constellation ( Ursa major) that he was able to escape his
mother's womb and dive into the sea.

The Kalevala is about heroes and failures. For example, Kullervo is full of rage and
shame, Lemminkäinen is a womanizer, restless and violent. All the themes of the
Kalevala are still to be found in everyday life.
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Hard-working women, young girls, caring and grieving mothers and the wise women
are the Finnish female archetypes.

Love, proposals, marriages, lust, betrayal, longing and rejection are all depicted in
the Kalevala, this is how people still feel today.

Deities, such as the forest spirits and livestock and hunting spirits, the water spirits
and the fishing spirits explain the order of nature and how humans are a part of the
natural world. Finnish people have special relationship with the forests and
waterways. When the Finnish hunter asks for good hunting and a good catch, it is not
for the kill, but for the hunt. "Tapio threshes in his barn" says the Finnish man about
the King of Forest, when the spring gust blows tree seeds on the snow surface. The
etymology of the word ―kohtalo‖ = "fate" means in Finnish a share that would belong
to each hunter from the catch.

Tar, iron, north, the Sampo, forays, knowledge and hand skills are the national
treasures, export trade, competitiveness and market economy.

Picture: Lemminkäinen´s Mother

Painting by Al´kseli Gallen-Kallela, 1897

Finnish National Gallery

Travel, winter, starry sky, death explains the mystery of life and death. These
subjects interpret the same reality in which people throughout the ages have lived.
Lemminkäinen's mother grieving and waiting by the river of Tuonela speaks to
mothers of all cultures. The Kalevala tells about drinking and celebrations, suffering
and experiences.
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"The ancient tradition of the Kalevala, however, lived below the surface of the
mainstream culture of spiritual human life. That is to say the real Underground! "says
TimoHeikkilä.

Mauri Kunnas drew the Canine Kalevala, which has been published in several
languages. The Canine Kalevala is a popular souvenir or gift for foreign tourists. Also
you can purchase Kalevala design jewelry produced by modern artists, which are
based on beauty of the Iron Age Kalevala. For example, at the Lahti Institute of
Design, prehistoric findings provide inspiration for young designers to create new
products.

A stone age house replica in Kierikki village in Ii, Finland

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Stone age arts and crafts made together with

the tourists at Kierikki village in Ii, Finland

6.2.2. The Sauna and The Souvenirs

The Kalevala refers to the Sauna on a number of occasions, it tells of Sauna bathing
and heating skills, as well as the miraculous powers of Sauna bathing. The
blacksmith Ilmarinen possesses mighty powers, and he can hammer the Sampo, a
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wealth making machine, a kind of perpetual motion machine. Ilmarinen is preparing
himself for the journey he will take to the North to woo the Daughter of the North. He
asks his sister Annikki to warm up the Sauna bath. Originally Väinö has persuaded
Ilmarinen to travel with him to the North and has promised him in reward the
Daughter of the North. In fact, Väinämöinen´s purpose is to take the Sampo, wealth
making machine and also claim the Daughter of the North for himself. The Mistress
of the North tells that the price of her daughter would be the Sampo. The Kalevala
men then finally rob the Sampo and the Mistress of the North starts to chase the men
and finally the Sampo is lost in the depths of the sea. The revenge of the Mistress of
the North is to send terrible diseases to Kalevala, but Väinämöinen heats the Sauna,
calls the God to help him and cures the people by the Spirit of the Sauna.

The production of Sauna products for tourists is developing in Finland. Large

selections of Finnish Sauna toiletries, towels and textiles are on sale for visitors. The
herbal wellness products make a whole new line of products, as well as the clean
Finnish nature products from peat and the vasta (bunch of birch twigs.) There is still,
however, a big space on the market for new innovative products and services. The
Sauna is a true cultural heritage; a sustainable production can create a lot of new
and beneficial souvenirs and handicraft products for the visiting tourists and their
well-being.

Lappish stories contain many kinds of mythological creatures, similarly Finnish

mythology is also full of old spirits. The Sauna elf in old folklore was called the Spirit
of the Sauna. The name in Finnish for the Elf is ―Tonttu‖, and this word has been
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obtained from the Swedish language. The word for Elf, Tonttu is similar to the word
for a plot of land which is Tontti. The similarity between these two words indicates
who the ancient people believed really dominated their land. The land owner, that is
to say the rightful owner of the land, is the Elf who has lived on the land permanently
throughout the ages. The humans are allowed to live and work on the land, but, if
they misuse the land, the Elf might get angry and bring misfortune to the offender.
The philosopher Eero Ojanen has considered the spirit of the land and has found an
Elf on the plot of land:

"A plot of land is where a man and nature meet. The plot is a physical place, where
there is a sense of nature, but nature in which a man can introduce his own culture. It
is nature and culture in the same place at the same time and therefore it is itself a
third party. But what would such a third party be, how could it be described in
concrete terms? It is the Elf. The Elf makes the plot. The Land itself has no content
without the birth of the Elf, the space maintainer, the upkeeper of appearances.
Without the Elf the land is empty, a vague concept with no concrete content. The
land needs the Elf; the Elf makes the land suitable for man." Ojanen (2004).

The Sauna Elf is the protector of the Sauna and the spirit, both in good and bad.
Sauna Elf stories are very old and tell of people invited to use the sauna in a calm
and quiet way, giving respect to the Sauna Elf.

I wonder if the tourist who looks for the spirits in a certain places and hears stories of
Elves would like to buy an Elf and in doing so, buy an Elf for himself.
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6.2.3. Arts and Crafts and the National Image

Everything that was made more than 150 years ago was made by hand. People have
developed their skills from generation to generation.

Today, throughout the world, people can buy factory made and designed products.
All items and things have their value that is both economical and subjective. Factory-
made well designed and sustainably produced goods are acceptable for most of
tourists. Handmade antiquities and classics are more valuable. All the products on
the market get their correct price and that is the highest price the client is ready to
pay for it.

Previously, goods were made for the needs of the people or for sacred purposes.
The ancient people knew that for a hard winter or for travelling distances energy was
required and no extra things were carried. During wintertime people did not waste
energy unnecessarily in the cold weather, people stayed indoors and during the
winter periods the older people made handicrafts and taught the youngsters
important traditional skills. Also then people wanted to make goods that were not only
practical but also beautiful. Finland's oldest handicrafts have been found in the
Karelian Isthmus Antrea. Here they found fishing nets which have been dated as
being 8300 years old. Fishing equipments have changed over generations, but the
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industry has made the modern fishing tools such as trawling nets tools that cause
overfishing.

In Kirkkonummi Jean Sibelius discovered a rock painting showing a fishing net, this
picture now adorns t-shirts which can be bought from amongst other places in the
Finnish National Museum.

Picture: The Head of a Bear. Stone Age weapon from Paltamo. The Finnish National
Museum

The people who lived in the north lived in a severe climate, alongside with animals
and animal spirits. The Arctic people lived under the northern sky, with the Great
Bear constellation of Ursa Major above them. The word "Arctic" in Ancient Greek
means the land of the north, the unknown, dark and cold regions. "Arctos" is also part
of the Latin name for the bear Ursus arctos. The bear has been the central deity of
the Finnish people in ancient times.

When a bear was seen in areas of human settlements, it was said that the forest had
moved. It was believed that to ensure good hunting and a plentiful of game, the
people would have to respect the forest. After a good hunt the hunters would leave a
part of the kill for the forest spirits and take only a part of the kill for themselves. At
present, a tax inspector in Finland is called a tax bear who takes a part of your
income and, if you have not paid your bills, they will be claimed back by the bear.
Killing the strongest creature of the forest was also a rite, where strength and skill
was tested. This was also believed to be a rite in which men's fitness and skill were
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tested. In Finland the belief that the bear's penis bone, paws and teeth held magical
powers continued well into the 1800-1900's. Even though Christianity did not tolerate
these superstitions, people still used these objects as charms, hanging them on, for
example, their sleighs or horse bridles.

Ancient findings have been an inspiration for the modern-day tourists when planning
programmes and tourism objects. The copies of rock paintings found around Finland
have been reproduced on a wide range of products. At Ristiina in South Savo
archeologists have found Scandinavia's largest rock painting, measuring fifteen
meters wide which dates from about 3800 B.C. The Ristiiina Astuvansalmi female
hunter depicted in the painting is now the symbol of the South-Savo Regional Council
and a tourism symbol. The figure is also depicted on a number of goods such as t-
shirts, earrings, brooches and house mats.

Museum shops around the world sell ancient forms of design for modern human
customers. These objects become contemporary human relics, but a large amount of
this cargo is rubbish and ends up going to the rubbish dumps. For example, the
Salvation Army flea markets receive large amounts of unwanted souvenirs, and the
Salvation Army‘s landfill costs are EUR 60,000 per year.

Birch bark has been useful for thousands of years and can be used for a number of
crafts. Photo: Eeva Hirvonen, Lemi, 2010
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The souvenir products that can be found for sale are a part of a brand, the image of
Finland. Finland is famous for its design and is the home of many famous designers
and architects. The image of Finland to the Finns is an important and sensitive issue.
In 1851, Finland participated in the World Exhibition held in London as a part of the
Russian department, as at this time Finland was a part of the Russian Empire. The
Finnish department featured "candles, seeds, and fabrics." But the department was
poor and void. The journalist and Finnish activist Zacharias Topelius urged Finland to
participate also in the next London show, declaring: "Will Finland be there, taking its
place among the nations, or is it going to stay at home, because of the shame, or
because it just cannot get things done." Only six Finnish companies took part among
the 700 Russians of the department at the next London exhibition and Topelius was
also present. The liberal Swedish speaking industrialists and the Finnish unanimous
party were completely different strains of the official Finnish image. Swedish
speaking Finns wanted to highlight the links to Scandinavia, but Finnish speaking
Finns felt that this would destroy the people's genuine culture and morality. The
Swedish liberals despised the emphasis on Finnish culture: "We have to be careful
about exhibiting Finland as only an ethnographical museum, birch bark containers,
skis and sledges, javelins in a promised land, after all, we have already developed
from the far gone era of birch bark containers ...‖ At the Stockholm exhibition of 1866,
the Finnish Section took on the appearance of a "poor cousin", the Finnish delegation
complained that the department lacked any elegance: "A few bottles of turpentine
and a cigar box on the table, four straw hat configurations, gloves, leather, saddles,
carts, a few ancient stone tools, matches, iron ingots, and timber. "(Smeds, 1992).
Rural and urban Finland were sharply conflicting: "Ancient Finno-Ugric coloured bath
towels cannot possibly be privileged to become the basic model for adored beauty‖
wrote the Finsk Tidskrift journal. The debate began, however, concerning the old
Finnish myths and a new distinctive language of forms, which differed from other
countries. The Finnish Tourist Association won first prize for a large exhibition wall
design in Paris in 1889, in which Finland‘s exotic nature and countryside was
featured.

At the Paris Exposition in 1900, Finland boldly introduced its own Finnish design.
Russia could not block the Finnish participation in the exhibition in their own
department thanks to the diplomacy of Commissioner and artist Albert Edelfelt. "The
Finns are the only nation whose pavilion raises in the artistic sense an impression of
complete national life. It is a very energetic and determined cultural work. The
Finnish pavilion is a proof that the good taste of its organization inspires appreciation
and sympathy to a nation whose freedom and unique characteristics are threatened
and which it presents in the spiritual area so boldly.‖ This was written in the Berliner
Tageblatt during the Paris Exposition in 1900.

The Exhibition pavilion was designed by architects Saarinen, Lindgren and Gesellius.
The interior was designed by Akseli Gallen-Kallela. Finland's image was built by the
leading edge of experts of the day.

―Paint more fish on the ice so that the catch does not look too small‖, Edelfelt advised
artist Juho Rissanen, who described the Finnish country life in his works. The only
female artist presented in Paris was Venny Soldan-Brofeldt. Finland during the
exhibition received a lot of sympathy for its independence drive. The guest-book, for
example, shows remarks made by writers Emile Zola, Honore Balzac and Anatole of
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France who were in favor of the rights of Finland to be released from the repression
of Russian power.

Section 6.3: Time is Money

If we knew what the tourist would like, we would know what kind of services and
products to offer to him and how to build our marketing strategy. But the tourist
himself does not know what he wants to buy or where he wants to travel. Something,
however, can be expected:
The tourist wants to escape the rat race and enter the wheel of fortune, out of the
perpetual motion machine. The tourist misses something, which is more than what
satisfies his daily needs. The tourist is bored. He wants to pay for enjoyment, new
experiences, memories that he can look back on in the future. He is in a hurry, but
never gets to his destination. He is greedy for new experiences, because his free
time has been paid for at a high price. A tourist wants to experience and buy
something unique.

Felted animals. Jyväskylä, 2011. Photo: Kari Rouhiainen

More than seven percent of the world's population are already tourists, and they live
in our planet's richest countries. Tourists are becoming the world's largest nation.
Working time is life sold away for the salary. Working time is governed by the strict
law of earnings. Slavery has been abolished, but most of their life time people serve
the employer to earn their living. During the class society a gentleman did not work,
the work was only for the enslaved and the underprivileged. Today in the western
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rich world things have turned to the contrary. Everybody works, even the millionaires
take care of their responsibilities around the clock. Everybody is busy; the busier you
are the more important you are. The work has become life‘s most important element.
To be compensated for the time donated to work the free time earned is subject to
annual negotiations on the labor market and this sometimes results in conflicts,
strikes and lockouts in the Western world. In spite of the democratic legislation, the
struggle of time and money is tight, people get burn-out and most of the things have
only money as value. The global time and money game is played by faceless players
far from the everyday economies of the tourists. Money and jobs are often
transferred to places where the human time, the working hours are cheap or the
human time can be replaced by a machine, and the machine´s calendar is it´s
manual without holidays.

Tapestry. Amur Museum, Tampere, 2007. Photo by Ulla-Maija Rouhiainen

Inside every person there lives a small tourist. The tourist needs his break from the
pressure. PhD Tom Selänniemi encapsulates this subject in the Aurinkomatkat
Suntours 40th anniversary book:

"The key factor in tourism is time. In a modern society, the time usage is strictly
regulated - we do not own our time anymore, because we have sold it to the work
place, to volunteer activities, etc. It is often the free time, the time outside work, that
is filled with home works or it is filled with watching television, the commercial
entertainment. A situation has arisen where we have to buy time for ourselves.
Perhaps the most obvious form of buying time is a holiday purchase." Tom
Selänniemi (2003).

The precious vacation time is bought by the worker from the employer and only
during a vacation the real life is lived. Time is money also during the holiday. The arts
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and objects the tourist wants should bear unique values and stories, and those
stories are the old myths retold again and again in millions of new interpretations of
modern times.

Picture: Moomin and Finland t-shirts. Jyväskylä, 2011. Picture: Kari Rouhiainen

Tourism professionals have an important role when planning the content of tourist´s
holidays. Products should be developed and designed with professional attitude
combining in products the traditional stories and the deep wishes of the tourist for a
good holiday. When the tourists are on vacation, we are at work. Good design also
pays good profits.

6.3.1. The Markets of Meanings

The tourists have everything one needs for everyday life, but they are very bored.
The tourist is not seeking new things, but new meanings to fill his life.

The tourist does not go to the grocery shop in order to buy food to survive, but to get
something nice and different for the weekend. When the tourist buys a car, he buys
status, style, aesthetic values, comfort and safety. The tourist buys the feeling of
health - vitamins, herbal supplements, creams and drops for every purpose to
maintain the feeling of safe healthy life. Perfume is not a bottle of nice fragrance, but
a feeling of charm and desirability. The most non-existent purchase is losing weight -
one of the major businesses in the welfare countries.
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Picture: Traditional Carelian pie-shaped purses, hand made of linen. Jyväskylä,

2011. Photo: Kari Rouhiainen

Also, the demand and desire for religions, philosophies and wisdoms, in the form of
various modern pilgrimages, life coaching courses, books and the things according to
the themes is increasing. There is a big industry in the world fulfilling the demands of
the bored and distressed tourists. Tourism is part of those industries and produces
immaterial purchases.

Picture: Ultrafashionable shoes. Designer Minna

Parikka, 2010 Photo by Ulla-MaijaRouhiainen

The tourist is longing and searching for unspoiled landscapes, which no one has yet
discovered, he misses real places of his own. It is about his own journey and his own
irreplaceable time in the world that is at stake. The tourist asks the travel brochure: Is
there something for me?

Finnish tourism has a great potential in the future, since most of the tourists in the
world have not yet visited Finland. Finland is one of Europe's least known countries.
What does the tourist long for and what is he looking for?
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Flying over Finland you can notice from the
airplane window how modern economy,
transport, culture, people with their houses
and needs, national governance and
competence are situated all in alternate order
with forests, lakes and the sea. Man has
made room for himself, but he has left large
areas almost untouched quite close to the
cities. Finland has a population of a little more
than five million in an area of 338,000 square
kilometres. In Enontekiö, Lapland, there is
enough room for four square kilometres (1.5
square miles) per person. Finland has room
for more tourists with their cravings and
longings. We need tourists, because the
Picture: A badge made from recycled change in the economic structure forces
material. Secco, Helsinki, Finland, people in rural primary production, agriculture
2006. Photo: Ulla-Maija Rouhiainen and forestry to acquire new sources of
revenue. The people that have been given
redundancies in the industry, have to look for their livelihood from the service sectors.
We need new businesses and jobs.

Finnish design and the tourist‘s dreams should be united with products created with a
purpose, imagination and enduring sustainable values. Tourism demands excellence
in the global export of services.

The production of tourism services is a cooperation of hand and mind. The Finnish
mental landscape is the most interesting landscape in Finland and there the
traditions can find new forms when designing new products. The innovations and
knowledge in the tourism industry need excellent export qualities like any other high-
tech products. It is not worth producing unique experiences by a mediocre style,
because nobody will buy them.

The old Finnish phrase "people come and go, but the house stays the same" is true
in daily life, but this is not useful in providing professional products for a tourist who
does not want to pay for anything less than for a unique experience only for him.
Knowledge of the cultural resources and the professional skills help to understand
the longings of the tourist and helps to provide services that have a real demand. He
might even tell his friends of the Santa´s presents.

6.3.2. The Tourist Wants to Experience Art

The tourist travels because he wants to satisfy the realities deep in his soul, he wants
to fill the emptiness, the everyday boredom, the secret passions and fantasies, the
unconscious obligations or to experience a dream landscape. When the tourist starts
a journey, he travels according to his own map, which also shows something familiar.
On the way the tourist can get in touch with the common myths of the human
mankind, he can participate in a large package tour and get to his destination. Myths
dealing with primary issues, such as "How it all began, why the grass grows, why
human skin color varies, why the leaves on the aspen tree are rattling?" (Antola,
2004).
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Travelling broadens the mind, the road of the tourist passes through good and evil
trees of knowledge, but also along treeless paths which helps to distinguish the forest
from the trees.

Picture of Elis Sinistö. Photo: Jan Kaila

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The tourist is buying symbols, talismans, memories, ritual objects, new experiences
and a new awareness. The tourist captures himself, produces self-images, portraits
of his beloved or travel companion, sends notes in the form of post-cards, collects
rocks and presses plants between the pages of books. The tourist wants to meet
other people and by doing so to face himself. The tourist needs to have travel
companions and guides. The tourist tries to learn the skill of interaction, which is the
most difficult of human skills.

Longing for arts drives the

tourist to seek for a
counterweight and harmony for
everyday life, a logical-technical
reality. Art also arranges order
out of chaos, which the tourist
meets in his dreams. Art in
Finland is as true as science.
Works of art change the ugly to
beautiful. Finland produces a
huge amount of creativity, in
each village there are cultural
events, markets and activities.
The small nation has produced
a tremendous artistic capital of
all the various arts and
disciplines for all the tourist
tastes.
In skillful design the modern
language of arts include the
actual values and the actual
landscape and mindscape of
modern Finland bearing the
traditions. That has happened
during the last century, during
the time of Carelianism when
the National Romantic style had something unique to show for Europeans. The
country's leading artists then took responsibility when constructing an image of
Finland.

By the language of the outsider artists, the Finnish rural tourism communicates
strength and authenticity. For example, Jan Kaila‘s angel art photo, which makes
iteration of outsider artist Elis Sinistö on shiny ice, is a beautiful icon for winter
tourism in Finland. Elis Sinistö‘s statement of the wisdom of life suits the mission of
the tourism service: "Life must have Happiness, Gratitude, and Pleasure and
Entertainment."

Finnish ski lifts could be new totems of practical engineering and environmental art,
new modern design, which would give value to the export market. The copies of the
ski lifts could be sold in thousands for collectors. Well, even the Eiffel tower was a
strange idea at first.
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6.3.3. The Pilgrims
People have always longed for eternal life and have organized pilgrimages and other
religious voyages. Also carnivals and the bacchanal belong to the longing for an
eternal life and for extinguishing or expelling death. Tombs are popular tourist
attractions. A German tourist wondered a few years back where Väinämöinen‘s tomb
was located. If the Austrians could find Mozart‘s bones, their tourism and economy
would double overnight. The same concepts are also involved in tourism in other
countries, for example, Fidel Castro in Cuba and the kiosk keepers in London. Che
Guevara's remains are buried at a suitable distance from the Cuban tourist sites, and
Lady Diana's mugs and t-shirts are available everywhere in London. Why travel to
buy a Lady Diana-cup? Why would the tourist buy a ticket to see Lady Diana's
grave? The tourist longs for immortality, and travel professionals respond to this
longing by preparing modern-day relics as souvenirs.

Picture: Doll exhibition at the Crafts Museum, Jyväskylä. Photo Kari Rouhiainen,
2010
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Picture: Advertisement by the Finnish National Rail that invites tourist to come to
explore in which Savo town the best fish pies are made. Fish pie, pies, and rye bread
are the best souvenirs from Eastern Finland. Source: VR's advert for a Pendolino
connection opening of Iisalmi and Kuopio in 2005

The Finns are seeking their energy from the nature and from the magic drink
Koskenkorva vodka that is the main ritual drink in Finland. The strong spirits of
freedom speak in Koskenkorva, The Spiritus Fortis is entwined with a sense of
nationality.

In Finland, the green door of the forest opens to receive the tourist who yearns for
immortality. Silence, listening to the old trees and seeing the twinkle of the Big Bear
of the northern sky put things in right order. Understanding the natural cycle offers
real genuine experiences in a sustainable way.

Finns speak Finnish, the language which is particularly suited expressing the major
Finnish issues. Therefore, we Finns may sometimes seem silent or sullen or lacking
communication skills, or even being angry. When getting to know Finns better, they
reveal their true nature. Finns are quite able to speak other languages and they are
happy to tell stories and jokes. Finns are a friendly people, not bad tempered, moody
or angry Väinös from Kalevala. The melancholic mentality is like a partly cloudy day,
which is well suited for a restful holiday. Finnish words may work well in nature magic
and the drinks made from pure ingredients, berries and herbs from the nature make
excellent souvenirs and might even encourage to learn a few word in Finnish.
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The journey does not exist. Before departure, the journey is just imagination that is
based on knowledge, an image of the future route and its target and maybe hopes for
future experiences.

During the trip, the passenger passes along the journey and lives in the present
moment, he cannot go back over the journey, he cannot go back to the beginning.
"There is no return beyond this point" - it is written on a sign at the Amsterdam
Schiphol Airport in the Schengen Departure Hall.

The passenger tramples a step at a time. Are his feet moving, when he steps one
foot in front of the other, or his foot is in one place at each location during the
movement of the arc of his step? Is the world full of places, times, and movement, in
other words on a journey, or is it an illusion?

Passenger can never be guaranteed upcoming experiences.

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Beer mats in the pocket of a rucksack

After the journey the goal is achieved, at least the passage ends, or we come to a
stop. The journey has left memories and other materials or documentations, photos,
shopping, the pressed flowers between the pages of the book, a napkin or beer mats
in the rucksack pocket. Memories gradually settle down and the entire duration of the
trip begins to resemble the earlier trips, things forgotten, and the travels are related to
other life experiences.

"Darling! Did we buy this candlestick from Rome or Venice?"

"We bought it in Milan."

"Well, it was not in Milan, because when we were in Milan Mark was seven."

"Well, We were in Milan also on our ski vacation, remember? When we were skiing in
Madonna, so it's from that trip."

"You remember absolutely nothing. It seems to have no matter at all to you where we
have been."

We often think that the creativity is creating a new form from scratch, we have to get
an inspiration out of nothing. Or that creativity is "standing on the shoulders of
giants", where some of your own insights are added to previously researched
information. These definitions will hold true.

A famous Dutch artist and architect Piet Mondriaan said: ―We must not adapt, we
must create.‖

One form of creativity is also to identify and show the facts as they are, breaking the
conventions, change the perspective to understand the reality again. The reality
probably takes it, because it is built on stories.
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Questions

Picture: In London‘s Natural History Museum you can find small boxes of
composted reindeer manure and Christmas tree seeds for sale. The manure is
collected from zoos in England and exported to China for packaging. The
photo on the box is probably from Lapland

Photo: Ulla-Maija Rouhiainen

1. What would be the new sustainable souvenirs, that could

be designed for tourists visiting Finland? What kind of
souvenirs would you buy yourself?

2. Name a few examples of:

a) Unnecessary things

b) Beautiful things/goods

c) Food and drink

d) Gifts
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e) Unusual items

f) Artefacts.

2. Give some examples of excellent Finnish souvenirs.

3. Develop your own product for a company.

Chinese Tu Lung in the late 1500‟s describes his relationship

to life and travelling.

The Travels of Ming-Liao-Tsu: “He was tired of the hypocrisy

and of being unable to converse freely “when we have so
much we would like to say to each other”,he felt “like a caged
monkey”, to the extent that “even when a louse bites our
body and our skin itches, we cannot scratch it”, tired of “the
desire of possession and the fear of loss”. So, hoping to
“emancipate his heart and liberate his will”, Ming-Liao – Tsu
“set forth to travel to the Land of Nonchalance”. A hundred
coins were all he took with him, and whenever a present
caused him to exceed that total, he gave it away to the poor.
For to him travelling was flight from normal living, from
“wealth and power and the glories of this world in which
people are easily drowned”, flight from worry about the
tomorrow. If disaster struck, he would either die or he would
not, and if he did not, he would continue his journey. His
purpose was to train his mind to be immune to the tragedy of
life, to learn to commune with nature, to be able to see all he
wanted to in every plant or insect, and to be content to spend
a whole day counting the pistils of flowers. They, and not
humans, were his soul mates. In their company he was not
lonely. Once he had acquired true peace of mind, he was
ready to go home, build himself a hut, and never move again.
(Zeldin,1994, 184)

7. Cultural Events
Development of Cultural Tourism in Rural Areas

By Ilze Saulīte-Jansone - lecturer of the School of Bussiness Administration

Turība

Introduction
The goal of developing this module is associated with the possibility to create new
events in rural tourism industry that are called events of cultural tourism. Hospitality
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industry, as well as other fields of economy, is influenced by the changes in modern
world. Therefore it is necessary to work constantly on the development of the supply
of tourism events and research of clients needs.

Research of new events and their implementation, usage of creativity when

developing these events, as well as application of marketing instruments creates a
possibility to diversify risks. So competitiveness of the company and whole industry is
increased. Public culture heritage, different national traditions, modern art
impressions creates possibility to work out new events. The mission of this module is:

“Use of treasures of national cultures when developing new rural tourism

events can atract new travellers and establish international relationship. ”

The goal of the module is to introduce entrepreneurs of rural tourism with a

characterization of culture events, suppliers and other parties participating in
development of the product, planning and organizing of the event. The goal is also to
encourage the suppliers of cultural events to collaborate with businessmen of
hospitality industry in rural areas while developing new tourism events, and to raise
quality of service and marketing.

After studying this module, you should be able to:

Use the acquired knowledge about characteristic features of cultur

events
Single-handedly create a conception of the event
Determine the objectives for organisation of a cultural event and to
evaluate risks
Identify possible sponsors, collaboration partners and supporters
Gain knowledge of necessary expenses and composition of the budget
of event
Evaluate your resources and prepare an event of cultural tourism.

Section 7.1: Events of Cultural

Tourism, Types of Events
Culture is an entity that characterises people, country, region and society – it informs
about us, it shows our values, traditions, today‘s expressions and future perspectives
to other nations. Culture talks about similarities and differences.

The basis of cultural tourism is people‘s interest to find out more about the different,
to discover, to study, to experience something new and unknown. A person that has
learnt about architecture of Gaudi will desire to visit Barselona, a Mozart‘s fan will
crave for a visit to Salzbourg and it's opera festival. A lot of people will desire to
experience a Russian Winter and Maslennica celebrations, or to see the magnificent
flower show in Holland. More and more tourists are willing to learn about local
traditions, lifestyle, to enjoy local arts and food, to take part in local cultural events.
Personalised attitude is expected. What a pleasant thing to write to a friend:
―Yesterday I was in a fishermen festival in Salacgriva. I took part in boot throwing
competition, won it, the prize was a barrel of herrings. We were eating and drinking
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together with the locals, but still we couldn‘t finish the food, so we gave leftovers to
the kindergarten.‖

Cultural tourism is a particular mode of tourism that is associated with the

culture of some region or territory, lifestyle, history, traditions and religion of
local people, artistic and architectural values that they have created.

“Cultural tourism is the kind of tourism where the aim of traveller is to visit and
participate in cutlure activities and cultural heritage of other nations or the
nation of tourist” (Dictionary of Tourism and Hospitality Terms, Riga, 2008).

Cultural tourism is an original synthesis of culture and tourism industry. In general,

culture is international – music and dance is comprehended by everybody, but the
most surprising and interesting is national originality. ―Most cultural products can be
defined as complex, especially when the works produced reguire specific knowledge
or rely on abstract notions that require the consumer's ability to appreciate such
concepts. Complexity becomes even greater when the consumer is unfamiliar with a
particular type of product.‖ (Marketing Culture and Arts, Montreal, 2001, p.43).
Therefore development of national cultural tourism events is very crucial in order to
achieve the diversity of tourism events in the international tourism market. Every
nationality with its cultural inheritance such as language and folklore, architecture
plus today‘s understanding is interesting for others. In opposite to electronic ways of
communication and exchange of information, cultural events give people an
unforgettable impression that is brought by the effect of presence and the common
feelings. Cultural events make people feel united by common goal and interests,
which draws people together. In order to attend some event a person analyses his or
her needs and chooses between thousands of offers. Why? Because the thirst for
knowledge of the mankind and the world itself is vast enough, so it would be
impossible to experience everything by 100%.

Cultural tourism can be associated with different types of events that can be
classified as follows:

Examples from Latvia

1. Professional shows in theatres, concerts, art exhibitions: drama theatre,

musicals, operas, concerts of classical and contemporary music, exhibitions of
all types of artwork – paintings, sculptures, fashion and design, etc.
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Examples : Shows of Valmiera Drama Theatre regularly assemble large
numbers of inhabitants of Riga. Garden of Sculptures by Ivars Feldbergs in
Sabile is a popular local destination for art lovers.

2. Visit of architectural monuments and museums: buildings and

monuments, offers of different kinds of museums, castles and parks.

Examples: The castle of Turaida is the central place of interest in Sigulda,

Basilica of Aglona – in Aglona, the monument of Kr.Valdemčrs in Ventspils
is the most popular in the city, the events of the ―Museum Night‖ are attractive
all over Latvia

3. Festivals of professional art or music of different types of music genres and

styles.

Examples: Opera Festival in Sigulda, Music Festival ―Positivus‖ in

Salacgrīva, Early Music Festival in Rundčle Palace, Festival of Plays by
R.Blaumanis in Valmiera, Sand Sculpture Festival in Jelgava, CÄ―sis Art
Festival, Music Festival ―Sun of Saldus‖, International Art Festival ―White
Night‖ in Riga.

4. Festivals of amateur art

Examples: Latgale Song Festival in Daugavpils, Day of Kokle (a Latvian

national musical instrument) in JÅ«rmala, Folklore Festival ―Annas Dagdč‖,
Festival of Amateur Theatres in Liepčja ―Zeme, Debess, JÅ«ra‘‘, Modern
Music Festival ―Fonofest‖ in Uplandi, CÄ―sis region.

5. City and town festivals and festivities - annual celebrations, anniversary

parties, thematic celebrations.

Examples: Jomas Street Festival in JÅ«rmala, RÄ«ga 800, Ventspils 700+20,

Festival of CÄ―sis Town ―Pikniks pilsÄ―tč‖ (―Picnic in town‖), Fishermen‘s
celebration in Engure, Roja, MÄ―rsrags and SalacgrÄ«va.

6. Religious celebrations, national traditional events

Examples: pilgrimage to Aglona on the Day of the Ascension of Saint Mary,

Easter and Christmas events in Latvian churches, Midsummer celebrations –
LÄ«go, Easter and Christmas events all around Latvia.

7. Historical events

Examples: Festival of Middle Ages ―Livonija.1378. Wenden‖ in CÄ―sis,

Tournament of Knights and celebration of May in the Castle of Livonian Order
in Ventspils.

8. Events of popular interests/ hobbie group events

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Examples:‖ Kite party 2010‖ in Ventspils, gathering people fond of kiting, Get-
together of Antique cars in JÅ«rmala and RÄ«ga, Gathering of the Baltic Sea
Region ―Kurland Bike Meer 2010‖ in Ventspils, uniting people driving bikes.

As we can see, offers of architectural and professional art, as well as event

organizing in towns, are associated with cities, therefore it is called urban cultural
tourism. We, on the other hand, will do a research on events and elements that
could be successfully used in the development of cultural tourism events in rural
areas, which is a working field for local tourism entrepreneurs. These events are
more associated with the development of national traditions - history, religion
and non-material culture. In Latvia there are several outstanding cultural values
that can be used by businessmen such as ―Song and Dance Festival tradition‖ and
―Space of Suitu culture‖, that are incorporated in the UNESCO World Non-Material
Cultural Heritage List. ―The Book-case of Dainas (Latvian folk songs)‖ and historic
peoples' live road through the Baltics – "The Baltic Road‖ are listed in the
UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. This indicates the possibility to create
cultural tourism events using older, as well as more recent expressions of traditions.
We can involve tourists in events by giving them an opportunity to experience
something new and valuable.

Local cultural potential for every nation is a great power. If national traditions and
community‘s interests are used creatively, an attractive and exciting event may be
produced not only for the local, but also for international market.

In this module we will analyze an example of a cultural tourism event created by

Latvian rural recreation complex “Rakši” – event called “Celebration of LÄ«go
in Rakši”, held in June of 2010 (LÄ«go is a Latvian traditional celebration of
Midsummer Night).
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Questions

1. What is the definition of cultural tourism?

2. What kinds of cultural expressions in rural areas would
attract the attention of tourists?
3. Which traditions of other countries would you like to
experience while travelling?

Section 7.2: Benefits and Potential of a

Cultural Tourism Event
Rural recreation complex ―Rakši‖ (the title is originating from the geographical name
of the place which doesn‘t have a literal meaning) is located in Latvia, in the area of
Amata, in rural municipality of Drabeši, not far from CÄ―sis. The complex is located
on the banks of river Gauja, in the territory of Gauja National Park and includes 3
separate guest houses, a well planned territory with green surroundings and ponds.
Popular skiing tracks - Žagarkalns and Ozolkalns are located not far from the
complex ―Rakši‖, there are many geographical places of interest around: The Red
Cliffs, Castle Mound of KvÄ―pene, the Rock of Zvčrta, Nature Trail of CÄ«rulÄ«ši
and Park of Active Recreation "Ozolkalns".

The company running the complex is called ―PHAT Limited‖, founded in 2005, owned
by 3 members of the Blaus family - all working there. The company is managed by
Kristaps Blaus. The family is living in the territory of the complex. Overall 6 people
are working in the company. In 2006, the company was credited by the bank in order
to ensure development of the complex. Currently the complex provides 84
accommodation spaces in 3 separate guest houses, each with sauna and kitchen. An
original Zoo is situated in the territoty of the complex - with camels, llamas, guanacos
and alpacas for visitors to enjoy. The company has purchased equipment for different
kinds of attractions and entertainment – boats, floats, quadricycles, and paintball
gear. The complex doesn‘t have a cafeteria or bar – caterers are outsourced when
big events take place. Normally visitors of the guest houses prepare food in provided
special places. In 2009 the turnover of the company was 100,000 Lats.

What are the benefits, companies are getting when providing cultural tourism events?

The most important benefit is image enhancement of company identity that

can be obtained by association of the company‘s name with a certain event in
the marketing process. In case of Rakši the owners pointed out this as the
main benefit – a possibility to remind the community of the existence of ‖
Rakši‖ and its service offers. Many of guests, who arrived only for the
participation in the event of LÄ«go, got acquainted with other offers of the
complex, that may encourage them to return in the future. Those who
noticed the advertisements of the event in the media, but chose not to attend,
are potential visitors, as they have been informed about the location of the
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complex and its offers. Increase of popularity is observed not only for the
company itself, but also for the whole local municipality and the region.
Increase the range of products. After a successful event of LÄ«go owners of
―Rakši‖ have decided to organize this event every year, establishing a
tradition, therefore obtaining a possibility to promote the event earlier and to
reach new clients. It means that an event of regular nature has been
created.
Increase the number of visitors. The manager of ― Rakši‖ pointed out, that in
spite of many regular opportunities to relax in ― Rakši‖ , the largest number of
visitors are attracted during cultural events, still organized irregularly. 2200
people attended Celebration of LÄ«go in Rakši – for the place it is a great
number.
Formation of regular visitors list. Organizing LÄ«go event regularly in June,
company has an opportunity to create a list of regular visitors, who potentially
may be encouraged to arrive earlier or stay longer after the event, thus
prolonging their visit.
When organising a cultural event, co-operation may be developed between
the company and other parties - suppliers of culture, supporters, sponsors
and channels of information, creating further developement in the future.
Any business-like contact can increase the possibility to gain visitors from the
suppliers and partners side.
Extra income – an event provides additional income. If the event is organized
once a year, then extra revenue may be considered once, but if an event is
organized on a regular basis, constant extra revenue is provided. ―Rakši‖
could organize Singing evenings with Latvian folk songs weekly during
summer time, thus attracting foreign tourists through advertising. In
programme – national music, dancing, fireplace, national food and drinks.
Extra income can be created not only for tourism companies, but also for
suppliers of cultural and other products.
Additional work places are created when organizing a cultural event – during
the time of LÄ«go event in ―Rakši‖ 50 people were employed in different
jobs, providing different services.
Employees of the company get experience of working during events - the
quality of everyday services ir rising.
Promotion of destination and its national culture and traditions – very
important benefit, both on local and international level. Wide range of
traditions are promoted - during ― Rakši‖ event these are traditions of Latvian
Midsummer Night ,during Pottery Days in Latgale region - pottery
traditions, during Sea festivals in seaside villages of the Baltic Sea shore -
fishermen lifestyle, songs and traditions.

Development of the surrounding infrastructure - municipality being in charge of

the territories where important cultural events are taking place invests in
infrastructure – placement of road signs, fixing roads, building toilets, etc. In our case
- the local municipality financed the cover of the gravelroad heading to “Rakši”
with asphalt, also EU finance was involved in this project.
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Questions

1. Name at least five benefits, arising from producing

cultural event.
2. What cultural events are being supported by
municipality of your region?
3. What national traditions or craftsmanship are
characteristic of your region?

Section 7.3: Steps of Event Planning –

Main Components and Elements
IDEA – CONCEPT – OBJECTIVES – SCRIPT – ORGANIZATION – EVENT

The chain from idea till staged event contains several logic steps. The ideas are
usually born during brainstorming, when people who are interested in the same
goals, get together to figure out what to do in order to create a new event. In this
stage creativity and courage to fantasy are the most necessary characteristics.
Businessmen of tourism industry can involve people from the field of culture, as well
as professional marketing specialists during brainstorming process.

Idea – the theme can be associated not only with the organization of an event in the
countryside. Different types of events may be created, for example, events linked
with collection of some material: an exposition of tools, gowns, buildings, crockery.
Or events where rural life during Soviet times is represented, or it may be an animal
farm where visitors may experience being a farmer. One can focus on sailing, telling
fortune, discovery of flora, etc. There are lots of ideas that need to be found by
analyzing local possibilities, surroundings and traditions.

Step 1 – IDEA - In our case the owners of recreation complex ―Rakši‖ chose
celebration of LÄ«go with deep local traditions. The idea is strongly linked with the
mission of the event – to promote traditions of LÄ«go in the countryside. Using
this idea the concept of event was developed and answers to conceptual questions
were found.
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Answers are given by the owners of ‖ Rakši‖ complex.

Step 2 – CONCEPT – Answers to the basic questions:

1. Why is the event being organized?

In order to create a new event in complex and to attract new visitors.

2. What is the idea and the content of the event?

Celebration of LÄ«go with a fair, concerts, dancing, fireplaces and fireworks.

3. When will the event take place?

On Midsummer – the evening and night of June 23.

4. Where will the event take place?

In Recreation complex ―Rakši‖.

5. Who will be the visitors of this event?

A wide range of people from all over Latvia, families with children.

Step 2 – OBJECTIVES – An important part of the planning process is the definition

and setting of precise objectives and achievement in their realization. Authors of
―Events management‖ piont out that ― well conceived objectives are a core element in
the planning process, and are distinguished by several key features. These can be
summed up in the acronym SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant,
Time specific ‖ (Events Management, Oxford, 2003, p.70). Objectives can be specific
– associated with the theme and mission of the product, they can be measurable –
linked with measurable units, achievable – linked with reachable categories, relevant
– associated with the goal of specific environment and time period of the event.

Objectives of the Event – ― LÄ«go in Rakši‖, defined on April 20, 2010:

1. Specific -

To organize a LÄ«go event of a certain quality that would make visitors:

o to return not only for the next year‘s event, but in between as well,
o to recommend ― Rakši‖ to their friends and acquaintances as an
excellent recreation place in countryside,
To create a private atmosphere in the vast territory of 7 hectares by use of
different types of leisure activities,
To attract local folk groups and craftsmen to present national traditions.

2. Measurable –

To return organizing expenses

To attract and serve 3000 visitors
 170
To implement 15 activities in the event, so that visitors would have a chance to
fulfil time spent in ―Rakši‖.

3. Achievable -

To involve the local municipality of Amata region in financing of the event

To involve marketing specialist E.Krauze in the organization of the advertising
campaign
To attract sponsors and supporters in order not to sustain a loss
To involve in the programme well-known event hosts and music groups to get
high level of attractivity.

4. Relevant –

To rent extra land for the placement of tents

To outsource several catering companies to ensure fast and high quality
service
To involve security staff to avoid traffic jams and control parking lots and
public order.

5. Time limit -

To start the advertising campaign in media 2 weeks before the day of the
event
To develop script until May 5th
To recruit participants and attract supporters until June 10th
To involve sponsors until June 10th
To stage the event until June 22nd
To operate event on June 23-24th.

SCRIPT is a description of the event elements with starting times and duration
of activities, participants, as well as an outline of the texts (often hosts of the
event are making improvisations about the given topic).

A shortened version of the scenario (without texts) of the LÄ«go event in ―Rakši‖:

12.00 – 16.00 – The big ―Fair of Rakši‖ is open. Folkdancing and singing groups
perform there, also fortune tellers and soothsayers can be visited, food and drinks
are sold

15.00 – 16.30 – demostration of movie ―EmÄ«la nedarbi‖ (―Mischiefs of EmÄ«ls‖)

18.00 - 19.30 – demonstration of movie ―LimuzÄ«ns Jčņu nakts krčsč‖

(―Limousine in the colour of LÄ«go night‖). Parallely – relaxation by the shores of
river Gauja, boating, braiding flower crowns, fixing up tents

Time Activity

20.00 – 5.00Night Party

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20.30 Performance of music band ―Eolika‖, dancing

22.00 Passionate show with folk maids and ―Coyote Fly‖ Bar

23.00 folk singing and preparation of the fire-place

00.00 Fireworks, the music band ―Musiqq‖

Organization of the event was managed by the

owner of ―Rakši‖ and the marketing specialist. The
event was hosted by professional event host and a
―Radio Skonto‖ voice Valdis Melderis, who invited
the public to join attractions, hosted interviews and
introduced musicians. Event of such a scale needs
a host to organize participants and visitors; without
professional hosting the event would turn into a
chaos. Good communication between the public
and the host was possible with the use of sound
equipment - microphones. The main job of the
host is to make the public join attractions actively
and to present the programme clearly, also to
create joyful, free and easy atmosphere in the air.

Questions

1. What 5 questions need to be answered when starting

to plan an event?
2. What types of objectives can be set when organizing a
cultural event?
3. What is the script of the event?
4. Why event needs to have a host?
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Section 7.4: Event Expenses and The
Planned Income
When planning a new event all expenses must be taken into account. Budget must
be planed after agreement with the suppliers about costs. When full cost estimation
is ready, it is possible to calculate the amount of the necessary revenue and to attract
supporters and sponsors of the event.

There are two types of expenses - fixed and variable, producing together the
overhead expenses. Variable expenses depend on the number of sold products – in
our case – the sold tickets. Fixed expenses include administration costs of a
company during event – personnel salaries, all daily costs, taxes, insurance. In our
case the company calculated 2 days expenses, as the event lasted for 2 days. Fixed
expenses do not depend on the number ov visitors; expenses of event content
production are fixed.

A. Fixed expenses

Administration costs of the company 2 days LVL 200

Event insurance LVL 100
Rent of extra land for placement of tents and car parking
LVL 200
rented from a neighbour
LVL
Rent of stages equipment and tents for musicians
1,000
Tables, chairs and sheds for the fair, delivered by CÄ―su
LVL 0
Municipality
Light and sound equipment LVL 600
Portable toilets LVL 300
Security services LVL 650
Set-up and take-down of the territory LVL 200
Cleaning of the territory after the event LVL 150
Decoration of the territory and information signage LVL 400
Fixing up the fireplace LVL 150
Materials for the fireworks LVL 500
Equipment for catering places delivered by caterers LVL 0
LVL
Fees for music bands
2,200
Event host fee LVL 350
Copyright fees for public playback of the music LVL 80
Permit for trading alcohol and food in an outing LVL 80
LVL
Costs of advertisement (printing work included)
2,300
Advertising - barter deal with publishing house Diena* LVL 500
Advertising – barter deal with printing house Veiters* LVL 200
Transporting costs for supply of materials LVL 300
LVL
TOTAL – FIXED EXPENSES
10,460
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B. Variable expenses

1.Payment for advance booking of tickets – 7% of the ticket

LVL 300
price: Ls 0.20 from Ls 3.00 per ticket, 1500 tickets
LVL
TOTAL EXPENSES OF THE EVENT
10,760

VAT of 21% is included in the prices.

*Barter is a method of exchange by which goods or services are directly exchanged

between two companies for other goods or services without using money. The cost of
the exchanged goods or services must be included in the expense sheet.

Entrepeneur must fix the so called break-even point, wich depends on number of the
sold units (tickets), selling price per unit (ticket), as well as the composition of the
fixed and variable costs.

In break-even point the income is similiar to expenses. One must consider this
fact when calculating the ticket price. One can read the theory of calculations in
―Marketing Culture and Arts‖ (Montreal, 2001, p.133).

To calculate the break-even point and understand what is the number of the sold
tickets you need to avoid financial loss, the following formula can be used:

Break-even point =

Fixed costs 10,460

__________ = ________________ = 3735 visitors

Gross profit 3.00 - 0.20

Gross profit is ticket price minus variable costs per ticket.

By calculating 3 Lats per ticket as affordable ticket price, producers did not want to
rise the price; however, it is unrealistic to serve 3735 visitors in ―Rakši‖. Therefore the
entrepreneur attracted the supporter or sponsor – regional municipality of Amata,
whose financial support of 5000 Lats made the break-even point possible with 1950
visitors, bying tickets in advance via the Internet.

10,460 - 5000 = 5460 : 2.80 = 1950 visitors

It was also counted that tickets will be sold before the event in ―Rakši‖ without
intermediary and there were another items of income planned:

1.Financial support of municipality of Amata Region Ls 5 000

2.Ticket income (1500 x 3.00) + (1500 x 2.80) Ls 8 700
3.Income from accommodation Ls 1 260
4.Income from tent places 300 x 5.00 Ls 1 500
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5.Income from the rent of catering spaces 3 x 150.00 Ls 450
TOTALLY PLANNED REVENUES Ls 16 910
ENTREPRENEUR HAS PLANNED TO EARN 16,910 -
Ls 6 150
10,760 =

Questions

1. What kinds of expenses produce overhead expenses?

2. What is barter?
3. Explain the importance of break-even point calculation.
4. Calculate what would be the price of the ticket without
financial supporter.

Section 7.5: Target Market – Visitors of

The Event
What is the target market of an event?

A group of people, who:

Consider the pogramme of the event as attractive

Feel comfortable with the ticket price
Have easy access to visit the event.

Description of the target market of the event of „LÄ«go in Rakši‖.

Traditions of LÄ«go are well-known all around Latvia, the celebration is usually held
in rural areas. This is a family celebration where grownups, as well as kids
participate. Those, who own summer houses or properties in the countryside usually
celebrate there. Therefore the target market of this event are people who don‘t have
their own country houses, but who still want to celebrate outside of the city. The
nearest town is CÄ―sis, but organizers of the event didn‘t concentrate only on
inhabitants of CÄ―sis, but also on people from Riga, located one hour drive from
„Rakši‖. Besides, Rigans are longing for leaving the city in LÄ«go time. There are
several things attracting people to this event: children will be happy with Zoo, popular
music bands are included in the programme, plus the entrance ticket that costs only
Ls 3 per person, therefore we can make a conclusion that the main target market of
the event is:

Families of Latvian nationality living in cities and towns

Families with children
Families with income above 300 LVL per person in a month
Fans of music groups Eolika and Musiqq
People from regions of CÄ―sis, Amata and Riga.
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Certain costs must be taken into consideration for everybody during LÄ«go, because
national food and drinks need to be enjoyed. Organizers of the event had set the
price of Ls 3 for the entry; the price included the cultural part of the event. This is a
very democratic price, although visitor must consider extra costs for food and
beverages, accomodation (guest house or tent place) and petrol for car. So a family
of four people probably will spend about Ls 80-100 during the event.

Questions

1. Characterize the target market of the event.

2. What parameter needs to be taken into consideration
when setting the entry price?
3. Describe the target market of some event by your
choice.

Section 7.6: Additional Users and

Stakeholders
Additional users are representatives of all stakeholders involved, as well as members
of their familes.

Stakeholders are all groups that are participating in the organization or marketing of
this event; these are:

1. Media and informative supporters (will be looked at in the next chapters)

2. Financial supporters, cooperation partners and sponsors (in next
chapters)
3. Local municipality – municipality of Amata Region
4. Participants of the event –suppliers of the cultural product, technicians, etc.
 176
5. Extra personnel
6. Family members and friends of the organizer
7. Visitors of the event – clients, buyers of the product - event.

A very important part of event organization is CO-OPERATION and its

COORDINATION between all parties involved. Those are the main principles of a
successful event production. Therefore will, energy and activity are needed.
Successful business persons always find good co-operation possibilities with the
local municipality, which is interesed to support business activities. In case of ―Rakši‖,
municipality of Amata Region is financing a great deal of expenses of the event. It
has invested in the road construction to the complex beforehand. Personality of the
owner of the complex Mr. Kristaps Blaus, his energy and enhusiasm has attracted
supporters, as well as performers – management of well-known music bands.
TRUST develops if all involved parties are professional and do their duties
responsibly,as well as keep their word – it means RESPONSIBILITY is required.

The main stakeholders are municipalities of CÄ―su and Amata Regions, National
Cinema Centre, participants in the fair and night party, catering companies - Bar
Coyote Fly and other caterers (3 altogether), security company, ticket distribution
portal – bezrindas.lv, Publishing House „Diena‖, Radio Skonto, TV station LNT and
social media portal „draugiem.lv‖.

We suggest the owner of ―Rakši‖ to expand the target market by attracting also
people of Russian nationality and foreigners in future, because these groups would
also be interested in this kind of event, in getting information about Latvian culture
and demonstrating national traditions. We suggest introducing family tickets that
would be attractive for large families.

Questions

1. What is a stakeholder?
2. Can visitors and buyers of the product be called
stakeholders?
3. Name the most important principles of a successful
relationship between stakeholders.

Section 7.7: Promotion of The Event

In order to promote the product - event in the market, the following is necessary:

The name of the event and the slogan

To create advertising materials about the event
To choose channels of advertising
To calculate ticket price and selling channels
To define the place or venue where the event will take place.
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Channels of advertising may be chosen after getting information about the target
market, as it gives reference about advertising channels and possible sponsors. A
sponsor is a company that supports the event with financial aid or provides its
services or products for free (in-kind value), in return expecting an increase in
sales of its own services or products.

As already mentioned, barter is a mutual deal of giving products or services in

exchange – and it is not sponsorship, but collaboration, which is one of partnership
opportunities. In our case the Publishing House Diena and Printing House Veiters
have supported event.

What does the event need from the sponsor?

Finance
Media coverage
In-kind services or value in-kind (VIK) – contributions of goods, services or
expertise.

What does the event provide for the sponsor?

Improvement of company's image and recognition of its brand

Improvement of the attitude about the sponsor's product or service in a similar
target market
Increase of sales
Demonstration of sponsor's products
Providing recreational possibilities for clients of the sponsor's company
Providing bussiness possibilities – to sell sponsor's goods and services during
event.

Sponsor from the private sector for event ‖LÄ«go in Rakši‖ was attracted in order
to create an advertising channel for the event; it was social media portal
‖Draugiem.lv‖. The portal exposed the poster of the event in its site without payment,
in return receiving possibility for the staff to visit event and expose the company logo
on the stage and poster.

Sponsors from the public sector (financial aid from the regional municipality can
be considered a sponsorship) is a support of tax payers money with the aim to
improve image and recognition of the region, to increase visits of tourists, attract
attention to the region and its many possibilities of recreation and tourism.
Municipality also got possibility to expose logo on poster and stage.

The slogan of the event „LÄ«go in Rakši” was „LÄ«go joyfully in folksy spirit
together with camels and llamas”. Information included in the slogan gives clients
the idea that this will be not only a joyful Midsummer event in „Rakši‖, but that there
is also a Zoo attracting families with children.
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The poster of the event informs
that:

1. Several musical bands are

invited to the event.
Pictures of bands – ―
Musiqq‖ and ―Eolika‖ are
added, therefore fans of
those bands are attracted.
Titles of the greatest hits of
those bands are listed on
the poster, so that if a
person doesn‘t recognize
musicians' faces, he might
relate to the titles of their
songs.
2. The big fair in Rakši –
information about the fair -
with wild flowers traditional
for celebration of LÄ«go,
healthy and tasty
countryside foods, pets and
craftswork attract adittional
visitors. Furniture sale,
performances of dancers
and singers, various The poster of the event. Phat Ltd.
attractions for grownups and
kids, best LÄ«go traditions, feasting, beer drinking, healers and fortune telling.
3. Cooperation with the National Cinema Centre. Popular movies (―EmÄ«la
nedarbi‖ and ―LimuzÄ«ns Jčņu nakts krčsč‖) are being shown on open -
air screen during event.

When looking at the advertisement, the potential visitor notices that the offer is
interesting, there are planned activities all day long. Each group of visitors can create
their own private environment in the grand territory of the complex. Event organizers
admit that there were dozens of different interest groups settled around the territory.

As author S.Fizer says about advertising: ―In situatuion where goods are comparable
and supply is variable, it's necessary to maintain interest with help of informal and
emotional values. Advertising atracts more attention when speaking not only about
quality or funcionality, but also offering entertainment, surprise and show to people
potentially interested‖ (People, Brand, Media and Culture Management, RÄ«ga,
2006, p.146).

Advertising channels chosen:

1. Radio Skonto – host of the event Valdis Melderis - moderator of Radio

morning programme informs about the event, plays out a competition with
questions where the winner gets 2 tickets to the event (charged service)
2. Portal draugiem.lv – the advertisement of this event is being put on the portal
– The portal is a sponsor of the event therefore the advertisement has been
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put there for free in return increasing the activity of the portal users (value in-
kind)
3. TV channel LNT – demonstrates the poster with the text (charged service)
4. Publishing house "Dienas žurnāli"- publishes the advertisement in
magazines Una, Sestdiena (exchange – barter)
5. Posters were printed in the Printing House "Veiters". Posters were put out
around region of CÄ―sis and Amata (exchange - barter)
6. Informative articles in local newspapers (municipality support).

Selling of the product (purchase of entry tickets) was possible in 2 ways – through
portal www.bezrindas.lv (for selling tickets this portal earned 7% of the ticket price) or
buying a ticket just before the event at the pay office in ―Rakši‖. 20% of visitors (440
people) had bought their tickets in advance, the rest – on the event day at ―Rakši‖.

Advertisement campaign ( Ls 2300 invested) of this event was succesful. For such a
scale media coverage this is rather economic figure.

The supporters and sponsors of the event were attracted, therefore minimising
financial risks and creating possibility to finance the advertising campaign.

The most powerful channel of advertising was social media portal www.draugiem.lv,
as this is the most popular social net in Latvia. During the last year, the number of its
active users grew by 100,000 reaching totally 2,605,224 registered users (August 12,
2010, figures of the portal). Use of social nets is a necessary element of advertising
strategy nowadays, giving the best results. We can call it Ads Face-to-Face speech,
and I.Berzins has formulated its criteria:

Objective: to approximate and support constantly the process of paying

Direction: personificated exchange partner

Effect: creating attraction to company, its products or services.

Face-to-Face speech creates dialogue, because it speaks with the market, not in the
market (Management of People, Brands, Media and Culture, RÄ«ga, p.70).

TV and radio advertisements were succesfull as well, however these media are less
popular among young and educated people than social networking.

When organizing an advertising campaign, there is no need to be shy in asking

advice to professionals; marketing specialists know which media is better to work
with and how to attract them. Entrepreneurs need to study more about organization
of promotion, as creative position and excellent communication skills are required.

Questions

1. What information must be included in advertising

materials?
2. What does a sponsor expect from sponsoring an
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event?
3. How can you oganize the sales of the entrance
tickets?

Section 7.8: Possible Risks and

Concerns
Risks that may arise during organization process of the event may be determined by
creating an analysis about impacts of internal and external environment.

PEST Analysis deals with Political, Economical, Social and Technological aspects of
environment that might cause risks:

1. Political aspect – the state is regulating bussines in all fields. State rules also
impacts production of cultural events - in our case the order of ticket and
alcohol selling is regulated, also organization of security and public WC during
event. If any of the rules are changing during the period of event planning,
unforeseen expenses or activities may arise.
2. Economic aspect – the economic situation in any territory influences the
purchasing power of locals, during a decline in economics it may occur that
ticket prices are being set too high, turning inaccessible to customers.
3. Social aspect – The impact of various opinions of different institutions may
alter the attitude of target market towards the product. If the product is
contradicting local traditions and value sistem, its implementation is very
difficult. In our case there are no such risks, because celebration of LÄ«go is
Latvian national value. There is a possibility of this kind of risk if trying to sell
this product (event) to an international public, because then cultural
preconceptions and traditions of other nationality need to be overcome.
4. Technological aspect – technology that is functioning in the society may be
used for the event, but there is a risk of technologies break-down, for example,
if during the event the system of bank cards fails, or cash-registers stop
working or mobile phones and walkey-talkeys aren‘t usable anymore, - threat
to the event appears. In case of ― Rakši‖ this was an actual risk, as in the
event place there is a is low area of mobile reception. Owners of the company
have decided to invest in building a new antenna in the territory, in order to
avoid this risk in future.
5. An event may be influenced by meteorological aspects – in case of rain the
event would be less active and attractive, as people would have to use
raincoats and umbrellas which would decrease visibility and the possibility to
join activities.
6. Event planning is influenced also by competition, creating risks. Other
entrepreneurs and also public sector create similar products, affecting the
choice of the target market.

The other way to analyse risks is to make the SWOT analysis where Strenghts,
Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of the company are pointed out. Strengths
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and weaknesses in financial, personal, technological and physical aspects of
the company are also being analyzed. Threats may be caused by incompetence or
lack of any resource.

In our case, the strength of event organizers lies in their previous experience in event
organization on a smaller scale, employee professionalism, right choice of co-
workers and ability to attract sponsors, territorial layout and the product (event)
diversity.

The weakness lies in the lack of experience in organizing impressive advertizing

campaign, insufficient territory for car parking and tent area, inability to sell tickets in
advance by themselves (this can be prevented by putting a possibility to buy ticket
online in ―Rakši‖ web page).

Possibilities – by attracting popular bands to play in the event, host of event and
giving information about the Zoo, as well as using the right channels of advertising,
visitors may be attracted, also sponsors and supporters interesed.

Threats – failure in attracting sponsors, lack of visitors, weather.

Conditions of Force Majeure (higher force – in French) must be specially highlighted,

such article is mentioned in every contract. In case of these conditions both parties
are free from liability. These are extreme cases that can‘t be foreseen and prevented,
conditions that are associated with existence of invincible force. They are called
―Gods acts‖ – natural and meteorological catastrophies – floods, earthquakes,
volcano eruptions, fires, hurricanes, as well as war, revolution, revolt, terrorist
activities, militar invasion, blockage, embargo, strike.

Enviromental damage risks

Event of a large scale can cause risks of enviromental damage, because of
concentration of great number of visitors and vehicles in small territory. Main threats
to environment are:

Soil erosion, damage of grass – it is paddled, sometimes even ruined. One

can avoid this by using parking places with asphalt cover. If parking is
organized in meadows and if it's raining, cars can stick and damage turf. It is
not allowed to organise parkings in ecologically sensitive areas – river and
lake banks, dune zones, and places of nature protection.
Enviromental pollution can arise from WC, remains of food, fireworks, etc.,
so the organizer has to take care of the rubbish collection, correct number of
WC, possible air pollution.
Organizer must control use of resourses – water, wood for fireplaces. Visitors
are not to damage river embankment and woodland.
Risk of fire damage– the fireplaces must be controlled, especialy if the
weather is hot and windy.
Noise level during the event must be regulated according to norms –
controlling the distance to the living areas, the time of performing and sound
level.
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Questions

1. What aspects of external environment may cause

risks?
2. What factors of internal environment are included in
SWOT analysis?
3. Describe conditions of Force Majeure.
4. Name weaknesses of your organisation in case of
producting similiar LÄ«go event.

Section 7.9: Legal Issues, Regulations,

Requirements
Entrepreneur enters the market as the owner of a cultural product, who not only
organizes and co-ordinates the event, but also is responsible for legal liabilities.
Therefore all actions of entrepreneur must be legally correct – one must work out and
sign mutual agreements.

In contracts the following must be included:

Contracting parties must be shown with all company details

A detailed description of the mutual agreement (purchase of a good or
service) and indicators of quality and quantity
Conditions of mutual agreement – price, terms of payments, terms and place
of delivery, responsible bodies of parties and penalty sanctions
Signatures of both parties confirming that both parties understand and agree
about contents of the contract.

It is important to remember that contracts must be concluded with all involved parties
– suppliers, media, sponsors and supporters! In case the cultural event is being
organized in the territory or venue, owned by other company, a contract must be
concluded with them as well.

The process of concluding an agreement is a very important part of event

organization. Theoretically it can be divided in following steps: interest, discussions,
mutual agreement, discussion about terms and conditions, signing of the contract
and its enforcement.

All local and national regulations and requirements must be complied in

bussiness (requirements of commerce, security, sanitary and environment
protection). In this case following steps have to be taken:

1. Ticket registration in the state tax department

2. Permission from food control department for on site trading obtained
3. Permission to sell excise goods (cigarettes and alcohol) obtained
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4. Confirmation of advertisement in municipality, taxes for its disposition
5. Compulsory payments for copyright agency for public playing of music
6. Regulations of state environment agency observed.

In spite of the fact that the permit to sell excise goods is claimed and received by the
merchant of these goods, the person that is responsible for the function of control is
the owner of the event . Therefore obtaining of the permits must be monitored,
otherwise the entrepreneur is taking risks. Event can be called off or forbidden by
representatives of appropriate authorities.

If an advertising agency is being involved, it is responsible for all taxes of

advertisement disposition an confirmation process in municipality; if the taxes have
not been paid, the local government can take the posters off.

It is important to remember that concluding a contract truly decreases risks:

breach or non-fulfilment of mutual agreement as well as financial loss.

Questions

1. Why signing of contracts is so important?

2. What aspects need to be mentioned in the contract?
3. Why does the company need to monitor permission
obtaining?

Section 7.10: Financial Issues

When working on the event budget, entrepreneur must remember that „a budget can
be described as a quantified statement of plans, in other words, the plan is
expressed in numerical terms.The budget process includes costing and estimating
income and the allocation of financial resources.‖ ( Events managament, p.177).

We already have spoken about expenses – costs, that determine the amout of hte
neccesary income and help to calculate the value of an entrance ticket.

In order to cover the expenses the bussinessman uses:

1. Company's own savings

2. Financial support from sponsors
3. Support from public sector – government and municipal programmes
4. Support of NGOs – grants and funding programmes of different organizations.

In order to attract financial aid, a budget of the planned event (an estimate of
expenses and possible income) needs to be created first of all (see chapter 4). All
activities of the event, as well as marketing costs need to be included in the budget.
While creating the budget, entrepreneur has to overview finance needed in order to
achieve the goals set and also to calculate the amout of the neccesary income. In
 184
order to preserve an accessible and reasonable ticket price for the target market,
sponsors and supporters of the event have to be found – organizations with similar
target markets are being searched.

When the budget is ready, one can work on an offer to sponsors and collaboration
partners. The goal of the offer is to attract the attention of sponsor or collaboration
partner and to make them interesed in supporting the event. Sponsoring offer must
contain the plan how the sponsor's needs will be achieved. To attract sponsor's
attention, the win-win situation must be created - use and involvement of sponsor‘s
product and promotion materials.

Collaboration with any other company has to be organized in time, because both -
private and public sector are planning their budgets at least a year in advance.
Therefore entrepreneurs must hand in their proposals in good time. A lot of
interesting propositions are left without support exactly because of dealyed actions in
Latvia.

Entrepreneur does the calculations of planned expenses and income, but life makes
its own corrections, and frequently the actual numbers are different from the
planned ones. Actual numbers can be more or less in all positions – expenses or
income. To avoid unpleasant surprises, usually the so called unforeseen costs are
calculated, so that the expenditure part of the budget is increased. In our case
entrepreneur had not calculated the unforseen expenses, fortunately they did not
appear; however, the income was not as planned. The income can fluctuate more as
it is affected by greater risks. For example, if there are more visitors than expected,
then the event may fail because of being overcrowded – the visitors are the sufferers.
That‘s why the entrepreneur needs to know the optimal number of visitors depending
on the capacity of the place where this event will take place and capacity of services.
The optimal number of visitors shouldn‘t be exceeded even for financial reasons. The
other example: the number of visitors is smaller than expected, which of course is
affecting income. To secure against financial losses, sponsors need to be attracted,
as well as marketing activities planned.

In case of the LÄ«go event in „Rakši‖, the actual income was smaller than planned,
because number of visitors was smaller than expected (actual - 2200), therefore
ticketing income didn‘t reach the plan. It was planned to get 16,910 Ls, but the actual
figure was 14,715 Ls, that is by 2195 Lats less than expected. The company got
profit of 4160 Lats and, in addition, 2200 happy visitors – the potential clients in the
future, experience and collaboration partners. K. Blaus confirmed that event was
successful and noted that similiar event will be organized the next year as well. Also
sponsors and collaboration partners were satisfied with the event.

Planned and Actual expenses/income

Plan Actual
Expenses Expenses
Fixed Ls 10 460 Fixed Ls 10 460
Variable Ls 300 Variable Ls 95
TOTAL Ls 10 760 TOTAL Ls 10 555
 185
Income Income
Tickets Ls 8 700 Tickets Ls 6 505
Others Ls 8 210 Others Ls 8 210
TOTAL Ls 16 910 TOTAL Ls 14 715
Profit Ls 6 150 Profit Ls 4 160

After the event entrepeneur must create a financial review of the event and together
with a "Thank you" note send it to the collaboration partners and sponsors.
Transparency and honesty are the best companions in event organization – a
guarantee for success of next event. Even in the case of financial failure it is very
important, because we learn from mistakes by analyzing and eliminating them.

Questions

1. Name the possible sources of finance for event.

2. What risks may influence financial forecasts?
3. How can you produce a proposal to collaboration
partners?

Section 7.11: Examples and Good

Practice
Good practice from Latvia. Let‘s view all possible groups of organizers.

1. The state and local municipalities. The events organized by the state and
local municipalities are invaluable collaboration partners to entrepeneurs.
When collaborating, well visited and intersting events may be created.
Celebrations in cities and towns are a very common type of event in Latvia –
as years pass, the offers become more and more interesting and diverse.
Tourism entrepeneurs can cooperate with the local governments and
municipalities by proposing them their ideas. For example, the event calendar
of the area of Salacgrīva is very full - that can be used by the local tourism
and hospitality companies. In the web-page of Salacgrīva www.salacgriva.lv
information about the upcoming events is given. Unfortunately, the web-page
is available only in Latvian language. The City Festival in August, The Sea
Festival, Baltic Alpha-Romeo Owners' Reunion ―AROMS‖, Enduro
Championship, Artists' Plainaire, International Northern Livonian Festival in
Ainaži – these are just a few of all events in the region.

The National History Museum organizes „Ä€raiši Celebration‖ every year – a

celebration of the ancient Latvian culture in the Lake Castle of Ä€raiši. Here
entrepeneurs can collaborate by providing accommodation spaces, thematic
catering and attractions. www.travelnews.lv.
 186
2. Individual bussinessmen. The workshop of the ceramist Valdis Pauliņš
called ―Pauliņi‖ sells their product (a demonstration of the process of pottery
by involvement of visitors) together with a trip with a travel agency IMPRO. It is
included in the trip called ―Circles of Daugava together with Anna Rancčne‖,
www.impro.lv.
3. Limited Liability Companies. ‖Jaunpils Castle Ltd‖ offers a visit to a medieval
celebration with a vast cultural programme: www.jaunpilspils.lv (homepage in
Latvian, Russian and English). The web-page is clear and interesting, inviting
for visitors. The event takes place every year.

Rehabilitation centre ―LÄ«gatne Ltd‖ offers an event – game ―Object X‖ in a

historic Soviet bunker that is located 9 km under the rehabilitation centre.
Players are introduced to attributes, stories and food of Soviet times.
www.bunkurs.lv – a web-page in Latvian, English and Russian.

―Fono Ltd‖ organises music and active relaxation festival ―Fonofest‖ in

Extreme Sports Complex ―Uplandi‖ in CÄ―sis Region. Web-page is available in
Latvian and English. The festival was organized very professionally by
brothers Sildniki, www.fonofest.com.

Already for 12 years ―Bordertown Ltd‖ is organising the Country Music Festival
of Bauska managed by Mčrtiņš Ruža. This ir one of the four American
music festivals, held regularly in Europe, that attracts country music bands
from around 200 countries, www.countrymusic.lv.

4. Non-governmental organizations. ―Smiltene Alternative‖ is a commune of

youth‘s initiative organizing cultural events, including Open-air Music Festival
―Tepat ir labi‖ (―Here is good‖) that takes place in Recreation Centre
―Kalbakas‖ in Smiltene, www.myspace.com/smiltenealternative.

Club of historical reconstruction „Rodenpoys‖ organizes a Mideval Day in the castle

ruins of Livonian Order in Ropaži. This is a cultural event for a large public. Other
clubs are participating as well – Livonians, Excertitus Rigen. www.ropazi.lv

Photographer society „Foto bÅ«da‖ is organising the summer plainair of

photographers „Strobist‖ in Ainaži , www.fotobuda.lv/strobist.

References
You can find information about the events held in Latvia in the following portals:

www.kasnotiek.lv - event calendar

www.notikumi.lv - event calendar

www.meklÄ―t.lv - in parts – tourism, sports, entertainment, education, culture

www.easyget.lv - events, news, photos

www.kultura.lv - information of the Ministry of Culture

 187
www.hc.lv - portal of youth culture

www.travelnews.lv - portal of tourism information

www.tvnet.lv - portal of news

www.laukutikls.lv - non-agricultural business

www.draugiem.lv - social media portal

You can buy tickets in 3 most popular sites:

www.bilesuserviss.lv; www.bilesuparadize.lv; www.bezrindas.lv

Literature:

1. Bowdin G.A.J, McDonell I.,

Allen J., O,Toole W. –
Events Management,
Butterworth Heinemann,
Oxford, UK, 2003, ISBN
0750647965
2. Colbert F., Nantel J.,
Bilodaou S., Rich D. -
Marketing Culture and
Arts, HEC, Montreal,
Canada, 2001, ISBN2-
9803081-8-8
3. Berzins I.,Nebel K.P. –
Management of People,
Brands, Media and
Culture. Collection of
articles, Riga, J.Roze
Publishing House, 2006. ISBN 9984-23-205-0