Abstract
This paper explores the tensions between access to heritage as a social good, its commercialization and the subsequent impact this has on service delivery. Using mobile qualitative methods, data was gathered amongst staff in a variety of roles in an urban public heritage organization. Drawing on the context of ancestral tourism, a growing heritage tourism segment requiring a high level of personalization, it develops arguments about the structural irreconcilability implicit in contemporary museum service delivery when staff resources do not meet the individualized demands of specialist market segments. Its findings bring the tensions surrounding the commercialization of public heritage and inclusive access into relief, highlighting the challenges associated with delivering and coordinating bespoke services in sites which attract many thousands of visitors. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are discussed, as well as recommendations for future research.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Heritage Tourism, Heritage Management, Ancestral Tourism, Personal Heritage, Diaspora Tourism
