CULTURAL & HERITAGE TOURISM 

IN THE UNITED STATES

A Position Paper on

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PHOTO CREDITS

Front Cover:

Chuck Davis of the African American Dance Ensemble at Durham’s Festival for the Arts, 

 courtesy of the North Carolina Arts Council.

Poster for Montana Festival of the Book, courtesy of the Montana Committee for the Humanities.

Patrick Kastoff in N.C. Dance Theatre’s “Nutcracker,” photo by Rolland Elliott.

Minnesota Historical Society, Fort Snelling, courtesy of the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Cherokee soapstone carving, photo by Cedric N. Chatterley.

Young fi ddler at Bluff Mountain Festival, Madison County, N.C., photo by Cedric N. Chatterley.

Back Cover:

Children’s Theatre Company, “A Year with Frog and Toad,” courtesy of the Minnesota State Arts Board.

North Dakota Prairie Church, photo by Jim Lindberg, courtesy of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Blacksmith at John C. Campbell Folk School, Brasstown, N.C., courtesy of the North Carolina Arts Council.

Asheville’s Urban Trail, courtesy of the North Carolina Arts Council.

Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum (architect Frank Gehry), courtesy of the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra harpsichordist Layton James, courtesy of the Minnesota State Arts Board.

San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers, photo by Kevin J. Frest, courtesy of the National Trust 

 for Historic Preservation.

A Position Paper on Cultural & Heritage Tourism 

Th is position paper was developed by the U.S. Department of

Commerce and the President’s Committee on the Arts and the 

Humanities for the 2005 U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Summit.

Design: Christopher Jacobi
2

BACKGROUND

Ten years ago a seminal blueprint for cultural and 

heritage tourism was adopted by the more than 

1,500 dedicated political and industry leaders and 

practitioners as part of their national agenda for 

the travel industry, which they developed at the 

1995 White House Conference on Travel and 

Tourism. Recognizing the extraordinary opportunity presented by this landmark event to expand 

the creative dialogue between this industry and 

America’s cultural and heritage institutions, a coalition representing the arts, historic preservation, 

humanities organizations and the federal cultural 

agencies—the National Endowment for the Arts, 

the National Endowment for the Humanities, the 

Institute of Museum Services, and the President’s 

Committee on the Arts and the Humanities— 

submitted a white paper, Cultural Tourism in the 

United States, to provide specifi c responses to the 

industry’s nine issue areas and outline goals for the 

culture and heritage tourism segment. 

In that paper, the authors encapsulated a defi nition for cultural and heritage tourism—“travel 

directed toward experiencing the arts, heritage, 

and special character of a place. America’s rich 

heritage and culture, rooted in our history, our 

creativity and our diverse population, provides 

visitors to our communities with a wide variety of 

cultural opportunities, including museums, historic 

sites, dance, music, theater, book and other festivals, historic buildings, arts and crafts fairs, neighborhoods, and landscapes.”

Its adoption at the 1995 conference initiated new 

relationships between unlikely partners—the cultural, heritage and tourism sectors—who sought 

to fulfi ll its key values and vision of a sustainable 

industry with appropriate growth. Collaborations 

spread across the country following the white 

paper’s roadmap of action steps, and the results 

have surpassed expectations: six regional forums 

that catalyzed state action on cultural and heritage tourism; cultural and heritage tourism staff 

positions established at convention and visitors 

bureaus, in state agencies and regionally; groundbreaking research by the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) on the impact of cultural 

and heritage tourism that spawned subsequent 

national and local studies; and broad-based multisector initiatives such as North Carolina’s awardwinning Blue Ridge Heritage Initiative, Maine’s 

New Century program and the White House’s 

Preserve America program. 

Over the last decade, travel industry research confi rms that cultural and heritage tourism is one the 

fastest growing segments of the travel industry. 

For some travelers, cultural and heritage experiences are “value added,” enhancing their enjoyment of a place and increasing the likelihood that 

they will return. For a growing number of visitors, 

however, who are tired of the homogenization of 

places around the world, authentic experiences 

are an important factor and motivator for their 

travel decisions and expectations. 

CULTURAL & HERITAGE 

TOURISM TODAY

The industry today encompasses cultural and heritage specialists, who are an important resource for 

the travel and tourism industry in providing these 

customers with accurate, insightful interpretation of 

local assets. Communities throughout the U.S. have 

developed successful programs linking the arts, humanities, history and tourism. Cultural and heritage 

organizations—such as museums, performing arts 

organizations, festivals, humanities, and historic 

preservation groups—have formed partnerships 

with tour operators, state travel offi ces, convention 

and visitors bureaus (CVBs), hotels, and air carriers 

to create initiatives that serve as models for similar 

efforts across the U.S.

An integral but often invisible component of the 

cultural and heritage sector are the artists, performers, writers and other creative workers whose 

A Position Paper on Cultural & Heritage Tourism 
3

skills and vision bring to life our nation’s genius and 

ideas. These living traditions are often supported 

by the cultural and heritage tourism infrastructure 

of institutions, galleries, performance spaces and 

other community venues that make a signifi cant 

contribution to economic and community development. The arts, humanities and heritage involve and 

benefi t local residents in developing the narrative 

that creates a sense of place, which the travel and 

tourism industry can promote, market and brand. 

Cultural and heritage tourism also provides a means 

of preserving and perpetuating our nation’s cultural 

heritage through education, increased revenues 

and audiences, and good stewardship. 

Yet cultural and heritage tourism is different from 

other “mass market” travel industry segments in 

several ways. First, many cultural and heritage institutions are nonprofi t organizations where tourism is only one strategy that meets their mission. 

In many cases, funds are dedicated to an artistic or 

educational mission or the preservation, interpretation and management of a resource rather than 

to marketing. Second, limited capacity or the fragility of cultural, natural and heritage resources and 

sites sometimes constrains the number of visitors 

that can be hosted annually or seasonally. Overuse 

or excess capacity can result in negative impact 

on resources and can diminish the quality of the 

visitor and resident experience. Many cultural and 

A SNAPSHOT OF CULTURAL & HERITAGE TOURISM

Domestic

 • Eighty-one percent of the 146.4 million U.S. adults who took a trip of 50 miles or

 more away from home in the past year can be considered cultural and heritage tourists. 

 Compared to other travelers, cultural and heritage tourists:

 • Spend more: $623 vs. $457

 • Use a hotel, motel or B&B: 62 percent vs. 55 percent

 • Are more likely to spend $1,000+/-: 19 percent vs. 12 percent

 • Travel longer: 5.2 nights vs. 3.4 nights

 • Historic/cultural travel volume is up 13 percent from 1996, increasing from 192.4 

 million person-trips to 216.8 million person-trips in 2002.

 • Th e demographic profi le of the cultural heritage travel segment today is younger,

 wealthier, more educated and more technologically savvy when compared to those

 surveyed in 1996.

 • 35.3 million adults say that a specifi c arts, cultural or heritage event or activity

 infl uenced their choice of destination.

Source: Travel Industry Association of America and Smithsonian Magazine, Th e Historic/Cultural Traveler, 2003 Edition.

International

In 2004, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, there were over 10.6 million overseas 

visitors who participated in cultural and heritage tourism activities while within the country. 

Th e top fi ve markets interested in cultural and heritage tourism as a share of their total visitors 

are: United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, France and Australia.

 • Th e average overseas cultural and heritage tourism traveler visits the country for over 19 

 nights (16 nights for all overseas travelers).

 • More than 72 percent are here for leisure/holidays as one of the purposes of their trip 

 (62% for all overseas travelers).

 • Th ey are more willing to visit more than one state (41percent) compared to only 30 

 percent for all overseas visitors.
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heritage sites are open year round, but some resources—including performance groups—have 

limited schedules or operations. 

Finally, cultural and heritage assets are traditionally “one of a kind” and seek to provide unique 

experiences not replicated in any other community. Additionally, the artistic or educational missions of these institutions, as well as the interests 

and work of the artists, performers and artisans, 

all contribute to a place’s authenticity. Hence, authenticity is a key value and infl uencer in branding 

a destination that includes, but is not limited to, 

its events, architecture, music, dance, cuisine, craft 

and artistic traditions. This uniqueness is ill-suited 

to cookie-cutter programming and marketing. 

The travel and tourism industry must work closely 

with cultural and heritage organizations and the 

community to provide quality visitor experiences 

without compromising the integrity of message or 

negatively affecting these authentic resources and 

living traditions. Each constituent group should be 

proactive in helping its partners in learning more 

about how their respective industries work.

THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY

The 2005 U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Summit is another watershed moment for growing 

this industry sector. There has never been a more 

important time to convene key leaders and decision makers, whose sectors and efforts have 

contributed to its current success. Cultural and 

heritage tourism has been an engine of growth 

over the last decade, and we can learn much from 

each other in developing strategies to sustain that 

growth into the future. This Summit also comes 

at a time when many believe that as a global 

power the U.S. has a vital interest in welcoming 

visitors from abroad and sharing with them a rich 

and nuanced picture of the diversity of America’s 

cultural heritage. 

The goal of the Summit is to forge a new vision 

and design a national fi ve-year strategy that will 

expand and develop cultural and heritage tourism 

for the benefi t our nation’s economy, residents, 

traveling consumers, cultural and heritage institutions, and the travel and tourism industry. 

To enhance and sustain this industry segment, 

we believe the recommendations set forth in this 

document must be addressed and adopted. Each 

citizen, practitioner, and elected and appointed 

offi cial plays a pivotal role in developing this 

industry segment. 

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Uniquely American Experiences

Product development encompasses the preservation, enhancement and promotion of our 

nation’s natural, historic and cultural resources. 

Cultural and heritage specialists can assist the 

travel and tourism industry in developing new 

tour itineraries, regional circuits and thematic 

packages of attractions and activities. However, 

we must fi rst assure that the natural, historic and 

cultural resources that are the basis of such products are identifi ed, preserved and enhanced. 

Sustaining and developing these historic and cultural resources, which are often within the public 

domain, depends in part on the need to increase 

public and private sector investment. For cultural 

and heritage organizations such investment depends on: 1) adopting sound business practices; 

2) increasing advocacy of the economic and social benefi ts of their assets; and 3) diversifying 

both their product mix and partnerships. 

Over the last decade, the success of cultural and 

heritage tourism has prompted many states, regions and cities to undertake a comprehensive 

look at their cultural and heritage industry as a 

tool for economic and community development. 

This holistic policy and investment approach 

to nurturing the physical and human resources 

of culture and heritage, both its for-profi t and 

nonprofi t sectors, has been labeled the creative 

economy, which includes (but is not limited to) 

A Position Paper on Cultural & Heritage Tourism 
5

the arts, preservation, design, fi lm and music 

industries. Such a holistic investment by the public 

and private sectors will create a more competitive economy and a more vibrant community. 

Every place in America—rural area, small town, 

Native American reservation, urban neighborhood and suburban center—has distinctive 

cultural and heritage assets that can potentially 

attract visitors and their spending. Each must discover and value its own culture and heritage and 

decide for itself what kind of tourism and how 

many visitors are appropriate/desired to meet 

their tourism goal, and what assets it wants to 

share with visitors. Each must tell its own collection of stories to visitors using various traditional media such as maps, publications, Internet 

sites and tours and through creative expressions 

including exhibits, songs, paintings, dance demonstrations and interpreters. Each community 

seeking to develop its tourism potential can 

build on its foundation of cultural and heritage 

resources by engaging local residents—from an 

existing network of volunteers who contribute 

services to their local cultural and heritage institutions, to artists and other experts employed in 

these disciplines—to help tell its story, which can 

be packaged in numerous ways. 

Authenticity and Quality 

Historic and cultural attractions express, interpret 

and preserve our national cultural heritage. Their 

contribution to the visitor experience is twofold: 

fi rst, the interpretive programs and materials they 

present must be of high quality, providing accurate 

information in engaging and memorable ways. Second, the artisans, performers, writers and artists 

that bring a place to life for visitors should meet 

the highest standards of that community. The 

cultural and heritage segments should fulfi ll their 

important role in the travel and tourism industry 

by increasing understanding of the signifi cance of 

authenticity and its effect on visitation, marketing 

and branding. Travel and tourism industry professionals should recognize visitors’ desires to experience the “real America,” which can best be done 

through its historic sites and monuments, its living 

traditions and landscapes, museums and other cultural organizations, and, above all else, its people. 

Tourism Planning

Comprehensive planning for cultural and heritage 

tourism development is crucial to assuring positive 

visitor experiences with minimal adverse impacts 

on local residents and resources. Tourism planning must be locally driven and focused on the 

connections between natural, historic and cultural 

resources and the life of the community itself. 

Expertise provided by local cultural and heritage 

organizations and specialists can help the tourism 

industry satisfy visitor interest in “real places” by 

providing accurate interpretation of a destination’s 

history and assuring the continued vitality of community life for residents and visitors alike.

The tourism planning process should take advantage of technology in coordinating and assisting efforts amongst the different sectors in the 

cultural and heritage tourism industry. It should 

also recognize and encourage the growth of small 

businesses—both for-profi t and not-for-profi t 

services, such as local guided tours, cooperatives 

selling authentic arts and crafts, galleries, bed and 

breakfasts, museum shops, and ethnic restaurants, 

which are all important components that refl ect 

and support the local culture. Training and education will assist these institutions and self-employed 

creative artists to improve their business success, 

which furthers their sustainability and contribution to the tourism industry. Capital investments 

and technical expertise can enhance the cultural 

and heritage experiences for all audiences through 

increased programming and special attention to 

the requirements and spirit of the Americans with 

Disabilities Act.

Public-Private Partnerships

Cultural and heritage organizations; federal, state, 

local, and tribal arts and humanities agencies; other federal, state, local and tribal government agencies; and the travel and tourism industry should 

establish public-private partnerships to identify 

opportunities for cultural and heritage tourism development. A foundation of these collaborations 

should be the implicit recognition of the value of 

cultural and heritage tourism to a community’s 

quality of life and economic well-being. Equally 

important to partnerships is the recognition of 

the value of public sector leadership since many of 

these cultural and heritage resources belong to all 

Americans. As part of a knowledge base, there is 

a need to increase understanding and use of partnership examples at the local, state and federal 

levels that refl ect broad coordination in delivering 

needed human, technical and fi nancial resources. 

These partnerships can implement cooperative 

programs and projects and ensure the preservation of unique resources by creating greater incentives to attract private sector investment whether 

it be human, fi nancial or technical. Such collabora-
6

tion can leverage the potential of existing institutions, expand the economic impact of cultural and 

heritage tourism, and ameliorate or even avoid 

adverse effects of unplanned tourism. 

PROMOTION

Revealing Our Character

Historic and cultural attractions and their living 

traditions make each destination unique. Promotional campaigns must follow a thoughtful product development process to ensure that quality 

services, attractions or experiences are in place 

before a destination is promoted.

Success will depend on all sectors—tourism, culture, heritage, nature—seeing themselves as part 

of the cultural and heritage tourism industry. Given the technological and media savvy of the next 

generation of consumers, the industry needs to 

reinvent and reposition itself in promoting cultural 

and heritage resources. Promotion will need to 

stay current with trends in technology in reaching 

new consumers, and be committed to cooperative messaging, programming and marketing that 

cuts across sectors, generations and interests.

Building Blocks for Tours 

and Conventions

Cultural and heritage assets, as well as natural resources, should be primary ingredients for group 

tour experiences that seek to develop new regional and thematic packages. Cultural, natural and 

heritage resources are also important components 

for individual travelers and groups who create their 

own itineraries by drawing on the Internet and 

other resources. Cultural and heritage institutions 

also represent a resource for destination management organizations, meeting and convention planners seeking to promote shoulder season and offseason travel. 

Destination USA

Promotional campaigns for U.S. tourism should 

feature our nation’s unique natural, historic and 

cultural resources, as well as the creative talent, 

that defi ne and sustain our country’s distinctive 

character. The U.S. needs a well-funded international presence that draws on the richness of 

these resources and artists. A successful international promotional effort depends on a proactive 

approach to developing new international markets 

and expanding public and private sector support 

for cooperative marketing at the local, regional 

and national levels. National branding campaigns 

need to be localized and involve community leaders and residents in articulating their heritage, culture and image.

Thematic Tourism

Thematic tours should be inclusive of natural, cultural and historic assets to maximize the opportunities 

for attracting a cross-section of audiences to multiple 

sites and events that transcend geographic boundaries. The stories, themes and partners should refl ect 

the diversity of the U.S. and include the broader 

cultural and historic tourism industry. Linking similar 

assets together as a linear “strings of pearls” 

allows consumers to travel by motivation and interests—such as military history, ethnic settlements, 

music, commerce and industry, architecture or landscapes—to expand opportunities for these visitors 

to stay longer and spend more.

RESEARCH

A Lens on the Landscape

Research supports and intersects with all the 

key issue areas in cultural and heritage tourism. 

It helps identify the consumers and key trends in 

the industry and supports case making, advocacy 

and policy efforts. Although an abundance of information is being collected, there is a continuing 

need to increase access to the information and 

improve distribution of research and consistency 

in fi ndings. 

A Position Paper on Cultural & Heritage Tourism 
7

Data Collection and Dissemination 

for Domestic Tourism

Communities, their cultural and heritage institutions, and the tourism industry need national market research that identifi es domestic travelers’ interest in cultural and heritage activities and tracks 

their actual visitation to specifi c sites and organizations. The tourism industry and relevant federal 

agencies should better publicize and make easily 

available existing travel and tourism data, using existing Internet sites and other vehicles to publish 

and distribute studies and key information. All the 

sectors in the cultural and heritage tourism industry should examine using new tools to measure 

the impact of the industry, from the North American Industry Classifi cation System (NAICS), to 

travel and tourism satellite accounts and current 

employment data, to the broader examination of 

culture, heritage and tourism’s contribution to the 

creative economy.

International Visitors

The Offi ce of Travel and Tourism Industries, a 

division of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s 

International Trade Administration, conducts 

important and relevant research on international 

inbound visitation to America. Given that international consumer understanding of cultural and 

heritage tourism is different from that of their 

counterparts in the U.S., it is recommended that 

the federal agency broaden its research and develop more detailed international visitor surveys 

to identify and analyze foreign visitors’ motivations and activities regarding culture and heritage. 

Specifi cally, the research should capture information on interest in and visitation to national 

parks, heritage sites and areas; historic buildings, 

neighborhoods and districts; and performing arts 

centers, museums and other arts organizations, as 

well as rural and multicultural tourism experiences, including the appeal of regional and thematic 

tours. Public access to this additional detailed information is vital for cultural and heritage tourism 

practitioners to proactively develop and market 

desired experiences. 

Data Collection by Cultural 

and Heritage Institutions

Individual cultural and heritage institutions, and 

their national affi liates, should collect meaningful 

data about their visitors including, but not limited 

to, projected visitation, actual visitation, and economic and cultural impacts and make it available 

to the travel industry. Cultural and heritage institutions involved in regional or thematic promotion 

should improve the quality, consistency and frequency of their respective regional data. Cultural 

and heritage institutions should share the results 

of their research with their local destination marketing organizations (DMOs) including convention 

and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce and 

other like entities. These DMOs should use their 

surveys to obtain information that will assist their 

local heritage and cultural institutions in promoting themselves as visitor attractions and activities. 

Return on Investment Studies

The initiatives currently defi ning and measuring 

the for-profi t and nonprofi t sectors of the creative 

industry should incorporate, examine and build 

on the travel industry’s studies of the economic 

impact of tourism. All sectors in the cultural and 

heritage tourism industry should agree on a set 

of common data points so that comparisons can 

be made and impacts measured between these 

sectors. All data should be collected and analyzed 

to demonstrate how investments, activities and 

visitation contribute to the overall cultural heritage tourism goal and benefi t cultural and heritage resources, residents, customers, institutions 

and industry.

TECHNOLOGY

Communications Tools for 

Today and Tomorrow

The explosive growth in technology has made 

a signifi cant impact on every aspect of the cultural and heritage tourism industry. Striking a 

balance between keeping current with technology and having the resources to deploy these 

tools, as well as using these tools to enhance and 

not undermine an authentic experience, are key 

considerations for all the sectors in cultural and 

heritage tourism. Technology in this case encompasses three areas: 1) technology that supports 

business/industry strategy; 2) programmatic 

technology to deliver content; and 3) operational effi ciency technology that helps administrators 

and experts work smarter. 

Delivering Content 

Using technology to map assets, analyze impact 

of potential infrastructure improvements and 

interpret sites will streamline the planning and 

development process. The design of interfaces, hyperlinks, calendars and other Internet information 

systems should make it easier for both individu-
8

als and groups to access, organize and customize thematic, rural and regional trip itineraries. 

Management software will allow practitioners 

to track visitation and sources of revenue and to 

monitor capacity.

Business Application

Technological advancements should be shared 

among all the sectors in the cultural and heritage 

tourism industry, from creating and expanding 

shared databases to developing new partnerships 

with other businesses to exploit smart card and 

other emerging technology. With an ultimate goal 

of effi ciency and effectiveness, technology can 

help cultural and heritage institutions provide customers greater fl exibility in accessing information 

and making purchases. Mentoring programs and 

tapping specifi c technical assistance will help level 

the fi eld of knowledge among all sizes of cultural 

and heritage institutions. 

Enhanced Experiences

Cultural, heritage and tourism partners should 

collaborate on developing content for a broad 

range of high- and low-tech vehicles to meet 

customer preferences for information. Technology offers many opportunities to assist visitors in 

planning and experiencing the cultural, natural and 

historic riches of this nation. Exploiting the use of 

handhelds and other devices to overcome barriers 

in language and wayfi nding offers potential areas 

of collaboration for the public and private sectors in the cultural and heritage tourism industry. 

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping 

tools, assistive audio devices, wireless machines, 

handhelds and other technological hardware and 

software provide customers the fl exibility, affordability and convenience they desire.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Access to Excellence

The cultural and heritage tourism industry comprises many components large and small, ranging 

from heritage corridors and living landscapes to 

downtowns and scenic byways to cultural centers and parks. Accurately assessing the physical 

needs and threats to these resources; engaging 

in thoughtful planning to address capacity, access and service issues; and acknowledging that 

infrastructure improvements should benefi t both 

residents and visitors, requires careful delineation 

and coordination of the roles and responsibilities 

of the various levels of government, as well as the 

private sector. Assuring the physical preservation and viability of all of these facilities and maintaining a healthy relationship between a place’s 

natural, cultural and heritage resources is crucial 

to the continued vitality of the industry, to creating a multidimensional and dynamic customer 

experience and to preserving the spirit of the 

community and its residents.

The Visitor and Resident Experience

The travel and tourism industry and cultural and 

heritage organizations must work together to 

ensure that the visitor experiences available in 

the U.S. are memorable, visually attractive and 

rewarding. Quality design of environmentally 

sensitive signage, entryways, streetscapes and 

public facilities—combined with good interpretation— can illuminate the landscape for the visitor, 

provide coherence to the visitor’s experience, and 

ensure that the tourism infrastructure is itself a 

part of a high-quality tourism and resident experience. Good design can also make an important 

contribution to safety and security, mitigating the 

physical and intangible barriers to visitors by creating a sense of welcome for visitors. 

Transportation and 

the Visitor Experience 

The cultural and heritage tourism sectors should 

strengthen partnerships with transportation 

agencies at the local, state, regional and federal 

levels to address how transportation affects the 

visitor experience. In urban areas, public transit 

agencies can improve the visitor experience by 

working with the cultural and heritage tourism 

partners in addressing visitor issues through cooperative marketing and wayfi nding, particularly for 

A Position Paper on Cultural & Heritage Tourism 
9

the international market. In sensitive landscapes 

and historic areas, especially in rural areas, public 

transport can help address the carrying capacity 

issues of these sites. Cultural, heritage, tourism 

and natural resource managers should collaborate 

in examining the opportunities presented by the 

web of bikeways, trails, historic roads and horse 

paths in telling the story of a place. Increasing local fl exibility in developing signage and wayfi nding 

systems that knit together sites and institutions by 

using trails, roads and bikeways allows communities to develop a more positive resident and visitor experience. 

Transportation facilities in rural areas should be 

designed in a way that does not threaten the very 

attributes that make rural areas attractive places 

to live in or visit. Where possible, infrastructure 

development should use art, architecture and site 

design to refl ect or be compatible with local culture and landscape. Transportation plans should 

be sensitive to the value of historic buildings and 

neighborhoods and to the need to preserve local 

communities. Transportation facilities should include services for travelers and be integrated with 

surrounding buildings that serve both visitor and 

resident needs. Finally, Transportation Enhancement and other highway funds should be used to 

address these and other issues, as well as leverage 

more public and private investment.

Impact of Infrastructure Design 

Cultural and heritage organizations should ensure 

that their activities and facilities are accessible for 

travelers with disabilities. Advances in the “universal design” of products, programs, graphics, buildings, and public spaces can enhance America’s 

competitive edge if tapped by all sectors of the 

cultural and heritage tourism industry. 

The cultural impact of infrastructure improvements must be considered in the planning and development of infrastructure design standards. For 

example, in rural areas the landscape/natural environment contributes to the traditions and cultural 

values of the people who settled there. Tourism 

infrastructure planning and development must address broader cultural and geographic regions, not 

just one specifi c tourism destination such as a park 

or resort. Heritage area partnerships and regional 

tour routes such as scenic and historic highways 

and themed corridors are excellent mechanisms 

for such planning and development.

Natural, Cultural and Historic 

Infrastructure

The authenticity of the visitor experience includes many pieces that encompass downtowns, 

living landscapes, heritage corridors, cultural institutions and historic structures and sites. We 

must make sites as accessible as possible to both 

international and domestic visitors while minimizing adverse impacts on these natural, historic and 

cultural resources. The natural resource, historic 

preservation and cultural organizations should 

work with the travel and tourism industry to assure the preservation and appropriate promotion 

of these resources.

Addressing both the capital needs and threats to 

these resources and demonstrating how these 

resources contribute to job creation and other 

economic benefi ts requires new leadership in developing public and private investment. Creating 

new models in economic and community development that focus on the needs of the cultural 

and heritage tourism entrepreneurs and organizations benefi ts visitors, residents, communities 

and the industry. 

Wayfi nding and Visitor Orientation

Advances in technology have created numerous 

opportunities to guide and orient visitors and 

residents to cultural, natural and historic sites and 

attractions. The growth in technology has many 

benefi ts, but it also threatens to create a digital 

divide between visitors and sites trying to meet 

ever-increasing technological changes. Leadership at the local, state and federal levels that includes communities, transportation and the various sectors in the cultural and heritage tourism 

industry should explore how to integrate and 

harness technology into a consistent wayfi nding 

and orientation system. Wireless wayfi nding and 

orientation strategies must complement maps 

and highway signage, which should use consistent 

symbols nationwide to identify cultural, historical 

and natural attractions. 

EDUCATION/TRAINING

Cultural Conversations

Education and training forms a bridge between 

the educational missions of most nonprofi ts and 

the commercial for-profi t sectors in the cultural 

and heritage tourism industry. Community residents should be among the fi rst contingent of 
10

cultural and heritage visitors, fi nding out about 

themselves, their neighbors and their cultural 

and heritage assets. In the process of educating 

residents about the value of its own place, the 

for-profi t and nonprofi t interests in the cultural 

and heritage tourism industry can address opportunities to educate their leaders and staff in 

crafting a cultural and heritage tourism product 

that integrates all the ingredients of place—natural, cultural and historical resources, and living 

traditions. Educating community residents is an 

effective means of using local citizens as tourism 

ambassadors for a region.

Knowledge Base 

A comprehensive set of training objectives, tools 

and materials should be developed for all sectors 

in cultural and heritage tourism. While the knowledge base in each segment of the cultural and heritage tourism industry is different, education and 

training needs to be coordinated to create a unifi ed team, bringing the different sectors together. 

Education and training programs should include 

the signifi cance and value of natural, historic and 

cultural resources, as well as an awareness of 

community development techniques such as land 

use planning, historic preservation and community 

cultural planning. Educators should involve cultural, heritage and business specialists in their training 

programs. Programs should include cultural sensitivity training for cultural and ethnic etiquette. 

All segments in the cultural and heritage tourism 

industry should identify current training materials 

and toolkits, address the gaps with new materials 

and put all this material into a collective national 

toolkit. This information should be made broadly 

available in user-friendly formats through the 

Internet, conferences and training programs. 

Visitor and Resident Education 

and Training

Hospitality issues and concerns should be part 

of the education and training of all sectors of the 

cultural and heritage tourism industry. In addition 

to tourism planning and development issues, this 

should include visitor service issues. All the sectors should assure that needed information about 

the destination community, including any safety issues, reaches front-line staff such as ticket sellers, 

hotel clerks, concierges, bus and taxi drivers, tour 

guides and others who interact with the traveling 

public every day. 

The cultural and heritage tourism industry should 

facilitate cooperation and understanding amongst 

the marketing and communications staffs to broaden awareness and promotion of area attractions, 

and keep them informed about visitor interests, 

needed visitor services, and planned promotional 

campaigns. 

All the interests in cultural and heritage tourism 

should join together in celebrating the diversity 

and uniqueness of place. This includes preparing 

communities to receive visitors, addressing fears 

and concerns, as well as enhancing their appreciation of the value of their own traditions, heritage, 

culture and institutions. In particular, educational 

efforts should assist smaller organizations in participating as equal and full partners. It also means 

educating the community about the benefi ts of 

cultural and heritage tourism and educating travelers about the culture of their destinations. Finally, 

training and education should assist residents and 

visitors in understanding and welcoming different 

cultures in a sensitive and respectful way.

Cultural and Heritage 

Tourism Entrepreneurs

Recognizing and supporting cultural and heritage 

entrepreneurs—business owners, self-employed 

artists and artisans and others—as legitimate 

and important to local economies should be 

part of the training programs developed by the 

cultural and heritage tourism industry. These 

include identifying public and private sources 

of seed funding or training assistance for new 

or existing businesses or artists and artisans. 

All sectors should cooperate in encouraging university or college arts administration and tourism 

A Position Paper on Cultural & Heritage Tourism 
11

management programs, both undergraduate and 

graduate programs, to develop and integrate curricula that address cultural and heritage tourism 

and entrepreneurship. 

SUSTAINABILITY

Preserving a Viable Sense of Place

The 1995 White House Conference on Travel and 

Tourism’s issue paper states, “The responsibilities 

of the travel and tourism industry, the states and 

communities, and the federal government include 

making certain that tourism development and 

activities are carried out in such a way as to sustain or improve the natural, social, and cultural 

foundations of a destination.” 

The stewards of natural, cultural and historical 

assets must be assured that cultural and heritage 

tourism respects the traditions, values and sensitivities associated with these assets. They must 

believe that tourism and other development activities provide sustainable benefi ts that do not 

sacrifi ce the integrity of a community’s assets 

for greater marketability. Sustainability addresses 

both programmatic needs, and the viability of the 

resources themselves. Strengthening local leadership and support from all the stakeholders is key 

to striking a balance between an optimal visitor 

experience and economic opportunity and the 

needs of the community to preserve and sustain 

its historic, cultural and natural resources.

Sustainability 

The implications of tourism and other development 

should include impacts not just on natural resources, but also on historic and cultural resources such 

as the built environment and local ways of life that 

attract visitors to a destination. In planning for tourism, the stakeholders should anticipate developmental pressures and apply limits and management 

techniques that sustain natural resources, heritage 

sites and local culture and institutions. 

Sustainability should conserve resources; respect 

local culture, heritage and tradition; focus on 

quality balanced with economic opportunity for 

residents; optimize the visitor experience through 

a creative mix of cultural, natural and historic 

resources; and measure success not in numbers 

alone, but also in the integrity of the experience 

that contributes to economic viability of the institutions, resources, community and its residents. 

Access with Minimum Impact

The cultural and heritage tourism industry should 

work with local communities to fi nd ways to ensure visitor access to natural, historic and cultural 

resources in ways that will avoid damaging or destroying those resources. New technologies (e.g., 

lightweight viewing platforms in fragile landscapes, 

specialized vehicles, software) and creative management practices (e.g., conservation easements, 

design guidelines) should be used wherever possible to minimize impact. Representatives of the 

industry should be a voice for resource protection 

as well as promotion. 

Cultural Stewardship

Poorly planned tourism development can endanger not only a destination’s environment, but also 

the very culture of the people who live there. 

Local cultural organizations should: 1) work with 

the travel and tourism industry to improve visitor 

awareness of the need to preserve natural, historic and cultural resources by minimizing the impacts of visitation; 2) expand or develop training 

and outreach programs for all the stakeholders in 

cultural and heritage tourism to address planning, 

marketing, product development, technology, 

economic opportunity and their effects on sustainability; and 3) focus on educating government 

agencies, civic leaders, natural resource managers 

and others on the inherent potential of cultural, 

natural and heritage assets, and the need for investment in these assets, to provide educational 

value, recreation opportunities and a stimulus for 

community and economic development.

Stakeholders in Stewardship

In planning and executing development, the involvement of stakeholders—local community 

leaders; resource managers; cultural and heritage 

institutions; artists, interpreters and performers; 

tourism, business and other representatives—is 

key to creating and sustaining cultural and heritage tourism projects and resources. Sustainability 

requires investment in fi ne-tuned assistance like 

micro-lending institutions, common venues, and 

Internet sales and marketing, as well as in other 

areas to help communities and individuals participate and stay viable in the tourism economy. 

Sustainable cultural and heritage tourism should 

strive to give local stakeholders more control over 

their product mix and their story, and instill an 

ethic of inclusiveness and sense of participation in 

a larger global enterprise. 
12

PUBLIC POLICY & SUPPORT 

Cultural and heritage tourism is a major industry, 

and an instrument of federal, state, tribal and local policy (rural and urban; community and regional development; transportation; recreation; 

public education). Arts, humanities and heritage 

resources and their creative workers, together 

with the travel industry, are a key to healthy and 

vibrant communities, increasing their competitiveness as places to live, work and visit. 

There is a public interest and role for supporting 

and sustaining these resources in collaboration 

with the travel industry and the private sector at 

large. The nation’s and local communities’ stake in 

improving, enhancing and sustaining the quality of 

life for Americans, and the contributions of the cultural and heritage tourism industry in this effort, 

need to be taken into account by decision makers 

and responsible planning and management authorities. As a global power and a nation of immigrants, 

the U.S. has a vital national interest in cultural and 

heritage tourism for increasing understanding of 

other cultures and peoples, as well as using the arts 

and humanities to transmit our confi dence in the 

free exchange of ideas to strengthen our economic, cultural and diplomatic relationships. 

Partnership Framework

Legal, fi nancial and policy barriers, both real and 

imagined, to effective cultural and heritage tourism programs exist at all levels of government. 

Business and the not-for-profi t sector should 

work together to support the development and 

expansion of cultural and heritage tourism to the 

maximum extent with appropriate policies, programs and funding. Programs and policies should 

enhance and support partnerships as strategic, 

effi cient and effective and increase federal interagency partnerships, as well as cross-sector state, 

local, tribal and private sector partnerships in support of cultural and heritage tourism. 

Key Values

The cultural and heritage tourism industry should 

develop alliances and messages that effectively 

convey the public benefi ts of its industry, including 

but not limited to economic value, authentic experiences, and “sense of place.” In policy, programs 

and process, leaders should advocate for and implement policies that also align with public values 

of diversity, accessibility and sustainability. Public 

policymakers, the cultural and heritage tourism 

industry and private leaders should recognize and 

actively address the needs of preserving, protecting and sustaining the broad array of cultural, natural and historic resources and creative talent that 

form the backbone of our national identity. 

Investment

Public sector development policies and programs 

often do not acknowledge cultural and heritage 

tourism strategies as true sustainable development in terms of job creation, tax revenue and 

leveraged investment. There is therefore a broad 

lack of understanding of this sector by public 

agencies, and insuffi cient community and entrepreneurial assistance available in the form of 

grants and loans, tax incentives, sales and marketing support, and similar mechanisms to help the 

travel and tourism economy be competitive and 

viable. Civic, government and private sector leaders should build on policies at the state, local and 

federal levels to foster complementary strategies, 

tools and resources to encourage and leverage 

private investment in cultural and heritage tourism and support citizen volunteerism. 

International 

Our nation’s cultural, heritage and natural assets play a signifi cant role in attracting international visitors. With the increasingly global 

reach of our creative industries, public and private sector leaders should cultivate an international approach that puts greater emphasis 

on cultural and heritage tourism as a way to 

A Position Paper on Cultural & Heritage Tourism 
13

illuminate the international roots of our 

history, language and cultural expressions. 

At all levels, leaders should expand sponsorship of 

international scholarly and cultural programs—

exhibits, artistic exchanges and collaborations, 

performances, etc.—tapping into tourism marketing efforts and expertise to raise awareness 

and access to these offerings. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A Position Paper on Cultural & Heritage Tourism in the United States is the work of many talented people who were brought together to review the original 1995 white paper, Cultural 

Tourism in the United States, published by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the 

Humanities and the American Association of Museums. The resulting document refl ects 

their experience and success in developing a thriving cultural and heritage tourism industry. 

A debt of gratitude is also due the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, whose vision and 

leadership in meeting the goals of the original white paper has contributed to this success 

and affi rmed the public sector’s role in supporting the nation’s cultural life. 

Finally, my thanks to the members of Partners in Tourism and the Cultural & Heritage Tourism Alliance for their contributions to revising this white paper, to the Shop America Alliance 

for their support of the 2005 Summit and to Cheryl Hargrove, Helen Marano and Barbara 

Steinfeld for their help in realizing this document. Thanks as well to the National Assembly 

of State Arts Agencies for editorial assistance.

Kimber Craine, Editor

President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities
14

2005 WHITE PAPER WORKING GROUPS

Product Development

Patricia Mooradian (Chair), Chief Operating Offi cer, The Henry Ford

Cathy Herlihy, Deputy Commissioner, Vermont Tourism

David Phillips, Chair, Maryland State Arts Council

Abel Lopez, Associate Producing Director, GALA Hispanic Theatre

Curt Cottle, President, Curt Cottle Consulting

Lorraine Lunow-Luke, Coordinator, Hawa’i Capital Cultural District

Karen Scates, Deputy Director, Arizona Offi ce of Tourism

Research

Adam Sacks (Chair), Managing Director, Travel and Tourism, Global Insight

Dawn Drew , Vice President and Publisher, National Geographic Traveler

Barbara Richardson , Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Amtrak

Suzanne Cook, Senior Vice President, Research, Travel Industry Association of America

D. Bambi Kraus , President, National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Offi cers

Bill Nix, Vice President, Marketing and Government Affairs, Palm Beach County Cultural Council

Bill Hardman, President and CEO, Southeast Tourism Policy Council

Jane Preston, Director of Programs, New England Foundation for the Arts

Infrastructure

Todd Davidson (Chair), Executive Director, Oregon Tourism Commission

Anne Pope, Federal Co-Chair, Appalachian Regional Commission

Jo Ann Haden-Miller, Director, Cultural Tourism, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau

Carole Summers, Director of Tourism, Handmade in America

Reshma “Rae” Sinanan, Director of Promotions and Packaging, CulturalTouirsm DC

Annie Harris, Executive Director, Essex National Heritage Area

Promotion/Marketing

Christine Szalay (Chair), Director of Marketing and Tourism, NorthPark Center

Mary Margaret Tate, CEO, ATI/American Tours International

Dexter Koehl, Vice President Industry Relations, Travel Industry Association of America

Susan Wilcox, Chief Deputy Director, California Tourism Commission

Judy Billings, Chair, Kansas Humanities Council

Felicia W. Shaw, Program Manager, City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture

Randy Fluharty, Senior Vice President, Biltmore Estate

Karen MacDonald, Director of Communications, Taubman Company

Technology

Mark Sherouse (Chair), Executive Director, Montana Committee for the Humanities

Lalia Rach, Ed.D. , Dean and HVS International Chair, Preston Robert Tisch Center for

 Hospitality, Tourism & Sports Management, New York University

Anne L’Ecuyer, Director of Arts Policy Information, Americans for the Arts

Tracey Wickersham, Director of Cultural Tourism, Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau

Liz Bittner, Executive Director, Travel South USA

Beverly Barsook, Executive Director, Museum Store Association

Sustainability

Jon Smith (Chair), Director, Division of Historic Preservation, Indiana

Vicki Dixon, Special Assistant, U.S. Department of the Interior

Michelle Johnson, Deputy Director, America’s Byways Resource Center

Colleen Kalchthaler, Assistant Director, Cultural Heritage Tourism, Greater Pittsburgh

 Convention & Visitors Bureau

Geraldine O’Brien, Arts & Tourism Manager, San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau

Kerri Post, Vice President of New Product Development, Visit FL USA

Martha Ketelle, Assistant Director, Recreation, U.S. Forest Service

Debby Silverfi ne, Deputy Director, New York State Council on the Arts
15

Education

Amy Jordan Webb (Chair), Director, Heritage Tourism, National Trust for Historic Preservation

L. B. Spike Herzig, Commissioner, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor

Patricia Washington, Vice President, Grants, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation

Bruce Beckham, Executive Director, Tourism Cares For Tomorrow

Mark Pachter, Director, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institute

Deborah Doyle Schechtman, Cultural Heritage Tourism Consultant

Tom Aageson, Executive Director, Museum of New Mexico Foundation

Chris Howell, Member, National Council of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial-Circle of Tribal Advisors

Public Policy & Support 

Ron Anzalone (Chair), Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation

Bonnie Carlson, President & CEO, Bloomington (Minnesota) Convention & Visitors Bureau

Kris Tucker, Executive Director, Washington State Arts Commission

Chad Prosser, Director, South Carolina Dept. of Parks, Recreation & Tourism

Janie Headrick, State Coordinator, Texas Historical Commission

Sen. Nick Jordan, Kansas State Senate

Rep. Diane Winston, Louisiana House of Representatives

National Partners

Americans for the Arts

www.artsusa.org

Alliance of National Heritage Areas

www.nationalheritageareas.com

Cultural & Heritage Tourism Alliance 

www.chtalliance.com

Federation of State Humanities Councils

www.statehumanities.com

National Assembly of State Arts Agencies 

www.nasaa-arts.org

National Association of Tribal Historic 

Preservation Offi cers

www.nathpo.org

National Conference of State Historic 

Preservation Offi cers 

www.ncshpo.org

National Geographic Society

www.ngs.org

National Trust for Historic Preservation

www.nthp.org 

Travel Industry Association of America 

www.tia.org

Corresponding Federal Partners

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

www.achp.gov

National Endowment for the Arts

www.nea.gov

National Endowment for the Humanities

www.neh.gov

Institute of Museum and Library Services

www.imls.gov

President’s Committee on the 

Arts and the Humanities

www.pcah.gov

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Natural Resources Conservation Service

www.nrcs.usda.gov

U.S. Forest Service

www.fs.fed.us

U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

www.cr.nps.gov/heritageareas

U.S. Department of Transportation

Federal Highways Administration-National Scenic 

Byways Program 

www.byways.org

PARTNERS IN TOURISM: CULTURE AND COMMERCE

Partners in Tourism is a coalition of national associations and federal agencies building a 

common agenda for cultural and heritage tourism.

www.culturalheritagetourism.org
This publication funded through 

a generous contribution from: