Rural tourism and processes of cultural heritage manufacture

Abstract

Cultural heritage is today considered to be an asset well-suited to opening up new possibilities in marginal rural areas in need of additional business sectors, of which tourism is one of the most flourishing. This article discusses some of the precautions that have to be taken if a relationship is to develop that is beneficial to all parties involved and in which both heritage management and tourism are going to be winners. Cultural heritage assets are often considered vulnerable resources, but at the same time they stimulate emotions and may represent experiences highly sought after by a particular niche of tourists. From a comparative study of two upper mountain areas in Norway where mountain summer farming still exists, the article discusses the particular type of adaptations found in these regions as part of the heritage tourism debate.