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DR. MAHESH KAUL
World Heritage Convention in 1972 established that heritage that is sometimes called as natural heritage can be linked tangibly with intangible. This is interesting to note that tangible and intangible heritage are linked like body and the soul. Tangible may be termed as the body that suffers degradation with the passage of time but the intangible aspects like living traditions act as the soul. These living traditions keep the heritage alive in totality and in terms of artistic work and literary works having universal significance. If the development of heritage tourism product has to be sustainable the tourism marketers have to be conscious of the distinction between tangible and intangible heritage .it helps to deliver the marketing strategies that cater to the product specifically. It has been argued elsewhere that living heritage is expressed in terms of intangible and built heritage is the tangible. Intangible is dynamic and as such it has the tendency to be relevant with value addition in the market, these are developed by response of the groups to the environment.These should be utilized as the elements of identity and continuity in the marketing strategies to reach out to the target market. It must be acknowledged that heritage is practically transmitted through intangible heritage from generation to generation. It has the tendency to act as the medium to nurture heritage though it is the heritage itself. Tangible and intangible heritage are the different expressions of the same heritage and represent the comprehensive picture of the universal cultural traditions; out of which the heritage is evolved or derived.2004 Yamato Declaration on Integrated Approaches for Safeguarding Intangible and Tangible Cultural Heritage suggests that safeguarding the tangible and intangible cultural heritage requires an integrated approach that accepts their interdependence and distinct characters and features.It has been noted that intangible heritage has been treated as secondary to the tangible heritage be it dance forms, handicrafts, songs, music and other features. It has resulted in devising anomalous marketing strategies .that yield dismal results. Marketing strategies that consider heritage as the outcome of both the tangible and intangible are well equipped to retain the product in the market .
Social systems are the binding forces that act as the anchors for the tangible and intangible heritage and as such they enrich it and sustain it. It has to be borne in mind that conceptual definition of heritage is based on inheritance and this basic structure makes it continuous. It is not only the inheritance of the past but the inheritance of the present for the heritage in making in case of future .If tangible heritage has evolved from the cultural core and found expression in cultural landscape on the landforms then intangible heritage is the transfer of traditions and rituals besides art forms from generation to generation. Tourism has immense impact on the essence and basic nature of heritage. Adaptability of heritage for the sake of marketing may be the necessity but it has to be seen that it does not violate the message of culture in the heritage and keeps intact its aura. As heritage is the identity of the social group or community by other means. If this sense of identity is violated, it renders the heritage ineffective to retain the faith of the niche segment.
Various studies have brought to the fore the degradation and vandalisation of the tangible heritage by the irresponsible influx and behavior of the tourists.The lack of heritage sensitization of the tourists results creating numerous threat to the heritage asset in terms of the carrying capacity.When a tourist who views even the heritage tourism destination a the place of recreation and indulges in disfiguring the walls of the monument then the tourist is posing a threat. The basic
of the heritage tourism is violated that advocates for the sustainable development of the asset by tourist activity.
As has been already discussed that intangible heritage is a transmission process. Tourism’s impact on intangible heritage can be judged from changes brought about in its transmission process. Social dependence of the intangible heritage has an impact on the families that are connected with the handicrafts and other forms of intangible heritage. Incentive that is associated with the craftsmanship of this heritage develops a different paradigm .the control of the economic muscle of tourism on the intangible heritage enhances its transmission but it the real element of identity, status and recognition are sidelined. It is the main reason that while marketing the intangible neglect of these elements cause the rupture of the desired long term strategies.It can be argued that the artisans learn the craft from their parents without being fully aware of the economic incentives.
Negative role played by the tourism in terms of heritage and especially the intangible heritage lies in the argument that it often declares arts and crafts as ‘ careers’ or the sources of livelihood that are available for the consumption of the visitors. It is the major area of disagreement between the tourism industry and the heritage professionals and rightly so.This approach hampers the strengthening of the social foundation where it has its roots of transmission. There are examples that arts and crafts have sustained in the atmosphere of co operation among the members of the social groups and not by competition. Example of Laotian woven textiles is based on this principle of c operation and it has strengthened the social context of the intangible heritage and saved it from commoditization.Marketing strategies that co opt this principle have proved to be the effective tools to social, political and economic harmony through heritage tourism.
Another challenge is the interpretation of the both forms of heritage .it matters a lot as to who is involved in the interpretation. It has been observed and argued that the only real interpreter of the heritage is the person who is the continuous living embodiment of the cultural traditions of the community or the group. Thus the real transmission of heritage can take place through those who have inherited
it from generation to generation and not from the persons who have induced it from imitation or have taken cue from the nontraditional systems that make people rot the technique. No doubt tourism creates the demand for heritage but it does not mean that it indulges in developing pseudo stakeholders who are not from the social group; who actually are the inheritors of this asset. It led to the teaching and transmission of the distorted version of the traditional forms of heritage that will lack the lusture and will have no takers in future. the end result being the failed marketing strategies that cant withhold the pseudo carriers of the heritage at the destination area of the asset.
(Author is Editorial Director,The Chancellor)
