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WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS
Tourism & creative industry . Valencia, July, 11&12th, 2013
166
Finally, the use of festivals as a tool for the development of the tourism sec-tor,
in particular, and source of economic growth, in general, has gained impulse
in recent years (one of the clearest examples of branding cultural tourism
destination is the Tomatina of Buñol). It’s undeniable the beneficial economic
impact of festivals in the local economy (there are interesting studies about it)
over the days of the celebra-tion but this fact clashes with other interests.
Therefore, we see that to use cultural heritage as tourism resource has some
controversies. The ICOMOS (Conseil International des Monuments et des Sites)
warned of these difficulties in Principle 2 of the International Cultural Tourism
Char-ter (1999): “relationship between Heritage Places and Tourism is dynamic
and may involve conflicting values. It should be managed in a sustainable way
for present and future generations.” So it’s essential to assume sustainability
criteria in the develop-ment of heritage-based tourism.
It’s necessary a serious and deep analysis of the network of actors and stake-
holders involved in this conflict between cultural tourism and festivals. In this
context, the World Tourism Organization, in its study Tourism and Intangible
Cultural Herit-age (2012), offers some recommendations to all stakeholders
involved, considering: the public and the private sectors, destination
management organizations, NGOs, host communities, the education sector
management and the heritage industry.
Since 2011, there is in Valencia the Consell de Festes Tradicionals, created
by the Valencian Government. It’s composed of representatives of regional
and local administration, of the most important valencian festivals and the
citizenship (some absences can be appreciated). Its principal aim is related to
development, implementa-tion, protection and improvement of the festivals;
we should expect the Consell can mediate between the actors involved to get a
sustainable relationship.