ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to draw together a number of strands of thinking on heritage tourism at a global scale, in an attempt to consider the question applicable in both research and operational contexts: in tourism terms, what is the value of experiencing the past? (see the chapters by Graham; Lertcharnrit; and Shen in this volume). The underlying assertion or stance being taken is that while “heritage” is now an accepted given as a major concept in tourism development opportunity and visitor motivation, there needs to be further analysis of the relationship between the emergent trends in heritage management and understanding and tourism management and trends. While tensions are likely always to remain between the easily polarized attitudes of conservation versus development, the majority has now moved beyond this simplistic rhetoric and needs to be addressing the greater challenge of reconciling emergent subjective and objective treatments of information and data at the intersection of heritage and tourism (see the chapters by Graham; Lertcharnrit; and Shen in this volume).
