ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 analyses the economic dimension of heritage assets, in terms of both related business activities and attempts to make these assets more economically productive, that is greater sources of income. This valorisation process should not be conceived in terms of commodification, but as a way to conserve assets due to the income they generate. The chapter continues with an analysis of the micro- and macroeconomic profiles of heritage assets. From a microeconomic perspective, the need to separate cultural and landscape assets from their value as tourist attractions is particularly evident, since each of these aspects requires a different theoretical approach. The macroeconomic analysis, on the other hand, focuses on the complexity of defining the heritage asset sector, identifying its performance indicators and determining the multiplier effects that heritage assets can determine on the local economy.
