Issues in heritage and culture in the Asia Pacific region

This paper examines a range of issues that are affecting the use of heritage and cultural resources in the Asia Pacific region as tourism resources. The temptation for communities to commercialize their heritage and culture as a means of tapping into the growing demand by the tourism industry for new attractions is strong. However, short-term gains must be assessed against long-term consequences. Issues canvassed include authenticity, interpretation, heritage contestation, social exclusion, contested space, personal heritage, control and preservation. This paper offers a simple framework that can be used to compare sites, places and events within nations and between nations.