Saving Culture Through Tourism
Jun 2, 2009 | Filed Under Adventure Tourism and Social/Environmental Issues
In some cases, tourism signals an end to local culture. In other cases, it offers one of the few compelling reasons to retain it. Sadly, in the case Kashgar, an historic Silk Road City in western China, tourism’s being developed in a way that spells disaster for one very historic cultural place. A recent article in the New York Times exposes Chinese plans to raze Kashgar’s Old City in Xinjiang, China.
As part of a 2005 Adventure Travel Trade Association delegation to Xinjiang, we were shocked at what we learned about tourism development in this part of the world.
Once this historic city is torn down officials plan for to widen alleys into avenues and create reproductions of ancient Islamic architecture “to preserve the Uighur culture.” Why create reproductions when you have the real thing?!
In the adventure community we’ve been trying, through the 10 Principles of Adventure Market Competitiveness, to communicate the values of sustainable development - the values driving adventurers’ spending - in the hopes of discouraging this kind of cultural destruction.
Articles like this just remind me why its important that we not give up on initiatives like these. Want to learn more, or get involved? Comment here or send an email to info@adventuretravel.biz or info@xolaconsulting.com.
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