ABSTRACT
Tourism policy matters in cultural tourism. The starting point of this chapter is the observation that many tourism policy studies draw three inter-related conclusions. One, tourism policy must be inclusive and requires the support of different stakeholders (Baker 2009; Bernhard Jørgensen and Munar 2009). Two, a balanced approach to tourism policy is needed to harness the benefits of tourism while mitigating negative effects (Teo and Yeoh 1997; Budeanu 2009). Three, tourism policies should accentuate and maintain the cultural uniqueness and authenticity of the destination (Morgan et al. 2011). Many policy makers will concur with researchers on the need to be inclusive, to find a balanced approach to tourism development, to keep the uniqueness and authenticity of local cultural products. However, it seems that many tourism authorities are ignorant of local interests, unaware of the touristification of local cultures and uninterested in promoting local cultures (see Stevenson et al. 2008; Bernhard Jørgensen and Munar 2009; Maria 2010; Farsari et al. 2011). The disjuncture between researchers’ conclusions and tourism authorities’ intentions gives rise to two questions: are tourism authorities not doing the things they say they are doing? Or are tourism researchers ignorant of the complexity and nuances of policy making and they have become too idealistic in their conclusions? This chapter attempts to answer these two questions.
