Globalization and Emerging Roles of Cultural Tourism

Abstract

Today globalization is a reality, and controversial. The controversy centers on whether globalization aggravates or mitigates economic disparities in the world. The global espousal of capitalism has certainly aggravated disparities in economic activities and opportunities between a few metropolitan centers and many peripheral areas. Tourism in general, and cultural tourism in particular, has the potential to mitigate this imbalance, by bringing economic activities and opportunities to the peripheral areas. Realization of this potential entails a paradigm shift in the tourism industry. The industry has to nurture cultural heritage as a viable economic resource for the people, and with the people, who have kept them for generations. Exploitation of cultural heritage as an expendable tourist attraction must halt, and the tourism industry should lead the effort for development of social compact among all the local stakeholders. This act will avoid the tragedy of commons for the cultural heritage at issue. Furthermore, the act will serve as an effective instrument for cooperation between all the stakeholders concerned toward the enrichment of our society.