Identify the main Cultural Heritage Attractions in either north/south/east/west of
Mauritius. What are the Prospects and Challenges of promoting Cultural Heritage
Tourism in the said region? Further, devise an ‘integrated tourism pathway/corridor’
in the region
1.0 Introduction
Cultural Heritage Tourism has long history and its roots in the Grand Tour (Richards, 2003).
It is one of the forms of Tourism that most policy makers seem to be betting on for the future.
The World Tourism Organization, for example asserted that Cultural Tourism accounted 37%
of global tourism, and forecast that it would grow at a rate of 15% per year. Such figures are
often quoted in studies of the cultural tourism market (Bywater, 1993), but are rarely backed
up with empirical research.
In Mauritius recent cultural heritage development is fostered to be one of the tourism
marketing strategies of the policy makers since two cultural heritage sites have been inscribed
UNESCO`s World Heritage List respectively; The `AapravasiGhat` (stepping stone of
,immigrants) on the 13th July 2006, earlier known as the `Coolie Ghat` and Le Morne Cultural
Landscape on the 6th July 2008, a rugged mountain that just in the southwest of Mauritius
was used as a shelter by runaway slaves, maroons, through the 18th and early years of the
19th centuries. These inscriptions to the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO represent an
excellent opportunity to promote cultural heritage tourism. This study will broadly portray
the potentials and challenges of `cultural heritage tourism` in the City of Port Louis.
Mauritius is an island found in the Indian Ocean with an area of 1865 km². It consists of nine
districts where Port Louis is the smallest but most important district within the island. This is
so because it is the capital of Mauritius and host the only sea port of the country.
Nevertheless it consist many cultural heritage sites which has the potential to be exploited as
well as to rehabilitate and give the real value.
Cultural tourism has been defined as “the movement of persons to cultural attractions away
from their normal place of residence, with the intention to gather new information and
experiences to satisfy their cultural needs”. Richards, G. (1996)
Not every community can have a successful cultural heritage tourism program. Communities
that have lost too much of their heritage, or not nurtured their cultural potential may not have
the historic, cultural and natural resources it takes to develop a program that will attract
cultural heritage visitors.
When cultural heritage tourism development is done right, it also helps to protect our nation’s
natural and cultural treasures and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
Linking tourism with heritage and culture can do more for local economies than promoting
them separately. That’s the core idea in cultural heritage tourism: save your heritage and your
culture, share it with visitors, and reap the economic benefits of tourism.
1.1 Overview
“Cultural tourism can be defined as that activity which enables people to experience the
different ways of life of other people, thereby gaining at first hand an understanding of their
customs, traditions, the physical environment, the intellectual ideas and those places of
architectural, historic, archaeological or other cultural significance which remain from earlier
times. Cultural tourism differs from recreational tourism in that it seeks to gain an
2
, understanding or appreciation of the nature of the place being visited.”(ICOMOS Charter for
Cultural Tourism, Draft April 1997). There are many types of cultural tourism, i.e. Heritage
Tourism, Ethnic Tourism, Festival Tourism, Religious Tourism, Creative tourism and others.
Types of cultural tourism Tourism products, activities
Natural and cultural heritage (very much
connected to nature-based or ecotourism);
Material
- built heritage,
Heritage Tourism - architectural sites,
- world heritage sites,
- national and historical memorials
Non material
- literature,
- arts,
- folklore
Cultural heritage sites
- museums, collections,
- libraries,
- theatres,
- event locations,
- memories connected to historical
Persons
3
, Ethnic Tourism Local cultures’ traditions
Ethnic diversity
Festival Tourism Cultural festivals and events
- Music festivals and events (classic
and
light or pop music)
- Fine arts festivals and events
Religious Tourism Visiting religious sites and locations
without religious motivation (desired
by the architectural and cultural
importance of the sight)
Pilgrimage routes
traditional cultural and artistic
activities
- performing arts,
- visual arts,
Creative Tourism - cultural heritage and literature
cultural industries
- printed works,
- multimedia,
- the press,
4
Mauritius. What are the Prospects and Challenges of promoting Cultural Heritage
Tourism in the said region? Further, devise an ‘integrated tourism pathway/corridor’
in the region
1.0 Introduction
Cultural Heritage Tourism has long history and its roots in the Grand Tour (Richards, 2003).
It is one of the forms of Tourism that most policy makers seem to be betting on for the future.
The World Tourism Organization, for example asserted that Cultural Tourism accounted 37%
of global tourism, and forecast that it would grow at a rate of 15% per year. Such figures are
often quoted in studies of the cultural tourism market (Bywater, 1993), but are rarely backed
up with empirical research.
In Mauritius recent cultural heritage development is fostered to be one of the tourism
marketing strategies of the policy makers since two cultural heritage sites have been inscribed
UNESCO`s World Heritage List respectively; The `AapravasiGhat` (stepping stone of
,immigrants) on the 13th July 2006, earlier known as the `Coolie Ghat` and Le Morne Cultural
Landscape on the 6th July 2008, a rugged mountain that just in the southwest of Mauritius
was used as a shelter by runaway slaves, maroons, through the 18th and early years of the
19th centuries. These inscriptions to the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO represent an
excellent opportunity to promote cultural heritage tourism. This study will broadly portray
the potentials and challenges of `cultural heritage tourism` in the City of Port Louis.
Mauritius is an island found in the Indian Ocean with an area of 1865 km². It consists of nine
districts where Port Louis is the smallest but most important district within the island. This is
so because it is the capital of Mauritius and host the only sea port of the country.
Nevertheless it consist many cultural heritage sites which has the potential to be exploited as
well as to rehabilitate and give the real value.
Cultural tourism has been defined as “the movement of persons to cultural attractions away
from their normal place of residence, with the intention to gather new information and
experiences to satisfy their cultural needs”. Richards, G. (1996)
Not every community can have a successful cultural heritage tourism program. Communities
that have lost too much of their heritage, or not nurtured their cultural potential may not have
the historic, cultural and natural resources it takes to develop a program that will attract
cultural heritage visitors.
When cultural heritage tourism development is done right, it also helps to protect our nation’s
natural and cultural treasures and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
Linking tourism with heritage and culture can do more for local economies than promoting
them separately. That’s the core idea in cultural heritage tourism: save your heritage and your
culture, share it with visitors, and reap the economic benefits of tourism.
1.1 Overview
“Cultural tourism can be defined as that activity which enables people to experience the
different ways of life of other people, thereby gaining at first hand an understanding of their
customs, traditions, the physical environment, the intellectual ideas and those places of
architectural, historic, archaeological or other cultural significance which remain from earlier
times. Cultural tourism differs from recreational tourism in that it seeks to gain an
2
, understanding or appreciation of the nature of the place being visited.”(ICOMOS Charter for
Cultural Tourism, Draft April 1997). There are many types of cultural tourism, i.e. Heritage
Tourism, Ethnic Tourism, Festival Tourism, Religious Tourism, Creative tourism and others.
Types of cultural tourism Tourism products, activities
Natural and cultural heritage (very much
connected to nature-based or ecotourism);
Material
- built heritage,
Heritage Tourism - architectural sites,
- world heritage sites,
- national and historical memorials
Non material
- literature,
- arts,
- folklore
Cultural heritage sites
- museums, collections,
- libraries,
- theatres,
- event locations,
- memories connected to historical
Persons
3
, Ethnic Tourism Local cultures’ traditions
Ethnic diversity
Festival Tourism Cultural festivals and events
- Music festivals and events (classic
and
light or pop music)
- Fine arts festivals and events
Religious Tourism Visiting religious sites and locations
without religious motivation (desired
by the architectural and cultural
importance of the sight)
Pilgrimage routes
traditional cultural and artistic
activities
- performing arts,
- visual arts,
Creative Tourism - cultural heritage and literature
cultural industries
- printed works,
- multimedia,
- the press,
4
