Thirteenth International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

Re-Rooting RITCHES (Responsible Tourism Interpretations of Community Cultural Heritage for Evolving Sustainability), a project espoused by the University of Carlos III (Madrid, Spain) from its Master’s Course in Tourism Management of Cultural and Natural Resources, the University of East London (London, UK) and the University of Aveiro (Aveiro, Portugal) is designed to broaden contextualised cultural heritage interpretation, management, and access to the general community (understood as the people who work and live in any one place, that is, public and private business including educational centres, policymakers, associations and private individuals) in a regeneration of positive differential cultural identity. This is to be achieved through co-responsible heritage tourism training for co-production of contextualised “edutainment” experiences designed to re-engage residents and tourists alike in the promotion of their rooted cultural values. The benefits of this co-creative circular economy of reinvestment and re-integration of “sense of place” will improve the quality of life and social cohesion in their environment for residents (new and old) and visitors alike. It will also build resilience and enriched cultural heritage for the future. Re-Rooting RITCHES takes cultural heritage from within and beyond the walls of the museums to a re-vision of cultural tourism away from the dangerous excesses of fast-food consumption of “sites and sights” typical of the over-tourism of day-excursionists suffered by many major cities (causing them to reject “tourists” and exclude perceived “outsiders”). It re-roots (and re-routes) cultural tourism toward a more respectful and reposed “slow tourism” understanding of the different cultural values and lifestyles.