ABSTRACT
Modern societies often imagine their heritage in terms of a past 'golden age'. This chapter examines how the media has shaped modern views and understandings of the medieval period and accordingly has influenced tourism. It considers two case studies of medieval myths as imagined through the media. These are King Arthur and Robin Hood. There are a number of destinations that are associated with the Arthurian myth. The chapter also considers how the media frames our understanding of the medieval world, focusing on the King Arthur and Robin Hood narratives, which have been endlessly re-invented through film and television and draw tourists to associated destinations. An issue for popular culture tourism is the fact that some tourists seek out attractions and experiences that reinforce their cultural capital, and enjoy the links that are made between important literary or artistic works and what they are seeing.
