Heritage Managemant: Dicovery Point in Dundee - Coursework Example

Heritage Site Management at Discovery Point in Dundee Executive Summary If a person’s heritage is important, so is a natural or cultural heritage, perhaps even more so. Heritage is what we have to leave behind to others. It is a lasting legacy that can pass from generation to generation. In terms of attractions worldwide, both manmade and natural, we must strive to protect, preserve, and maintain all types of history and culture for decades and centuries to come. As mankind enters the 21st century, action must be taken to preserve world heritage sites for future generations. It is up to everyone to work to make sure that such attractions preserve our world’s history and culture so that we can learn from the past, understand the present, and look forward to the future. Introduction When people think of a World Heritage Site, thoughts often go to a monument or natural attraction. While this aspects of human civilization are certainly on display in numerous UNESCO sites around the world, heritage attractions are much more broad that this simple definition. Such sites can include a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or even a city. Such sites on the list have been deemed to have a special cultural or physical significance to the global community. If a committee of experts believe such a site or attraction to merit World Heritage status, then they are committing numerous resources devoted to the preservation and maintenance of the location for decades to come. Of utmost significance is the impact that World Heritage Sites have on tourism. Sustainable tourism is import to preserve culture and promote an understanding of history and of different people groups. Such sites often create a boom for local tourism, creating the need for authorities to focus on the preservation of such attractions in the midst of an ever-increasing number of visitors. This has created a strong need to look at other areas as well in terms of maintaining world heritage attractions. Governments must examine, for example, the ethics of heritage management. Ethical considerations include deciding which attractions merit world heritage status, understanding that this will impact the growth of such areas for years to come. In addition, communities with an attraction need to evaluate different types of heritage attractions and use technology to their advantage in attracting the postmodern visitor. Subsequently, government legislation and public policy must be carefully crafted in order to ensure the effective marketing and promotion of the site in a way that does not infringe upon the rights of the people. Finally, all people involved in the process must manage and promote the site in order to give the public enjoyment. These areas can be examined by looking at a heritage asset in the form of Discovery Point at Dundee. The Ethics of Heritage Site Management As stated, one of the primary goals of labeling an attraction a heritage site is to preserve and, in many cases, restore the natural or manmade artifacts that have contributed significantly to the landscape of all civilization. There are hundreds of such sites around the world, but one site of particular importance to this study is Discovery Point in Dundee. This particular location is centered on a maritime museum highlighting the achievements of the ship RSS Discovery. This vessel, being the first such ship designed specifically to conduct scientific research, became a central figure in the exploration of Antarctica. Because one of the stated goals of the Heritage concept is to educate society about significant events in our history, the Dundee Heritage Trust was formed to preserve and restore this ship so that today’s generation, and those to follow, can explore and relive these important expeditions. There were many primary ethical considerations to reflect upon before turning Dundee into a Heritage site. Prior to its consideration, the city was primarily working class and was not really considered a prime tourist destination with the United Kingdom. To label this site a Heritage site would mean the influx of much capital and would turn the town into a centre of Scottish tourism. Such drastic turns in a community’s way of life cannot be taken lightly. The very landscape and function of the city was about to change, and the people of the city deserved to have a say in how this took place (Grek, 2009, p. 195). As Sotiria Grek (2009) pointed out, upon becoming a Heritage site, “Dundee has experienced a shift from being mainly working class to an educational, cultural and tourist centre” (p. 195). At some point, the heritage foundation determined that the need to educate society about the legacy of the ship and all that was accomplished during its expeditions was more important than simply maintaining the status quo in Dundee. It is more than just tourism. The Discover Point at Dundee, like all Heritage sites, serves to preserve our legacy. At the end of the day, our legacy is one of the few aspects of life that we hand to future generations. While it is true that tourists flock to Dundee now to view this important museum and all of its holdings, it is also important to remember that ethics were considered at every step of the process. Being a responsible tourist destination that promotes scientific exploration, people in the U.K. and beyond can relive important moments in history. Perhaps a visitor will be inspired to continue the work that was begun more than a century ago. When visiting other Heritage destinations, perhaps visitors will grow a deeper appreciation for other cultures and turn into agents of peace themselves. Whatever the basis for designating a site a Heritage location, the underlying goal of promoting and furthering educational pursuits through the industry of tourism remains. Technology and the Postmodern Visitor Years ago, it did not take much to attract a visitor to a tourist site. Few items in this world were competing for our attention. Computers were non-existent and entertainment consisted of going out with friends and family to explore cities and communities. Today, it has become much more difficult to create a destination that is exciting and captivates the attention of multiple generations. Teenagers are much more keen to chat with their friends via a messaging system than they are to explore the city with their parents. Even adults are increasingly connected to their workplace and find it difficult to truly escape. The postmodern visitor expects and demands to be entertained. Much care must go into creating a program for visitors that does all of the aforementioned. Enter a World Heritage Site. By their very nature, such locations are designed to be not only tourist attractions, but they have become centres of education as well. As we know, it is often difficult to create an educational institution that is lively and appealing to all people. The key is to give people an enjoyable and memorable time, all the while educating them on important aspects of history, culture, and science. It is a delicate balancing act, but one that has been made much more feasible with the advent of modern technology. Yaniv Poria (2006) points out that, “Individuals’ perceptions comprise a key factor in understanding both motivation to visit [heritage sites] and their expectations of the interpretation provided” (p. 162). The way that tourists interact with the attraction become of primary importance. Many sites, Discover Point included, have invested a great bit of resources into technology. Such modern innovations as three-dimensional videos, simulated rides or motion based vehicles, and attractive and stimulating computer based attractions all serve to draw in tourists of all types. Technology has enabled people from multiple language groups to come together under the same roof and learn in unison. Through the use of portable MP3 players, families and groups of people are able to tour a heritage site with a ‘tour’ guide in the form of a spoken voice in their own language. This has revolutionized the educational experience at many such sites around the world. In years past, tourists were dependent on having a human guide available that spoke their own language. While this provided great human interaction and the ability to ask questions, it limited the number of people that could tour the site any one time. In addition, one had to tour the attraction at the tour guide’s pace and could not pause at certain locations that they were particular in. The postmodern visitor is more independent. They want to tour at their own leisure, all the while learning information that is relevant and important to them (Young, 2004). Technology has also proven quite useful in the maintenance of world heritage sites. One such area of innovation that has recently been implemented at numerous locations is the Geographical Information System. Such a tool has proven useful in the preservation and management of ancient civilizations, and is now being used to maintain the integrity of all types of important and historical attractions. This tool relies on space-age technology and is increasingly becoming relied upon to protect world heritage sites. Freddie Ng (2009) pointed out that, “GIS can be used to build detailed databases and record the geometry and location of real-world features in layers of a computerised map” (p. 9). Sites like Angkor Wat in Cambodia can now be explored in-depth, looking at different layers of civilization that before could not have been analyzed. This technology has discovered ancient locations in Greece, for example, that otherwise would have been destroyed as a result of modern progress (Timothy, 2007). Instead, GIS was able to locate these areas and serve to encourage the protection and restoration of the remains. While this technology may not be relevant at many attractions, such as Discover Point in Dundee, it serve as a stark reminder that such innovation can go a long way towards the preservation of these site for generations of tourists to come. Government Oversight The naming of a heritage site is not an easy process. UNESCO has strict guidelines before naming such a location, as it impacts a variety of agencies and segments in society. Once such a site is named and the government agrees, legislation is often implemented to ensure that the location is protected and that any negative impact is minimized. In many cases, most people in the community embrace the naming of a heritage site; while in some instances there may be opposition (Bozany, 2007). As the government considers how to best maintain cultural attractions essential to a countries heritage, it must also remember to focus on the citizenry and current needs as well. There are some who believe that management of heritage sites should be privatized. In such cases, the government would retain ownership sites, but private staff would be retained to run the daily operations. Many people in government argue that in this era of increasing redundancy measures and forced budget cutbacks, the amount of money required to maintain and restore heritage sites simply cannot be justified. Because private foundations usually are involved in such attractions, governments have been willing in recent years to turn over the day-to-day operations to private people or civic organizations. Not every is keen on the notion of individuals taking over the upkeep of such important cultural and historical sites. Jones (2009) contends that, ‘Government is there to do things that the private sector can’t, and you can’t have a historic site with a mandate for conservation and education that can make money” (p. 141). The contention is that heritage sites will eventually suffer if private organizations take over. If such individuals are responsible for the attractions, they must make money, even if they are governed by non-profit organizations. There have already been success stories of heritage sites being handed over to the private sector. In Canada, by way of illustration, the Emily Carr House in Victoria and the Grist Mill in Keremeos are both under private control and have performed quite well. The fear, of course, is that sorely needed restorations will be neglected if the government gives up its oversight over such projects. The Discovery Point in Dundee, however, appears to have bridged this gap by creating a trust foundation that services the museums under its control. The Dundee Heritage Trust is a charity formed in 1985 that is charged with preserving Dundee’s industrial past. Typically, the trust consist of a committee of people made up of local people that have a keen interest in making the heritage site a lasting and memorable experience for not only this generation, but future generations to come. They depend largely on donations and admission fees charged to all visitors. A such, the Dundee Heritage Trust has succeeded in an endeavor of running such an important cultural attraction when many believed it could not be done effectively outside of government control. In summary, governments continue to grapple with legislation to balance the needs of tourism and the preservation of heritage sites with the need to lessen any economic impact on the city and its citizenry. It is a delicate position to be in as the desire to educate and remember is paramount, but so is the desire to progress in a positive and forward leaning direction. Overall, it certainly appears that most government legislation has succeeded in protecting sites deemed important to the heritage of the world and they continue to work hard to ensure that this continues to take place for decades to come (Albrecht, 2010). Public Relations Not everyone is thrilled when a site in his or her locality is designated as a heritage asset. Their everyday way of life may be threatened and they are worried about future prospects. They could be fearful of the influx of tourists that the site will attract and of the impact that this will have on their own livelihood that they have grown used to. These and other concerns need to be addressed via a public relations effort that must be designed to maintain and foster effective relationships amongst all parties involved. Quite often heritage sites do not live up to initial expectations as the public relations efforts falter. One such case can be seen in Luang Prabang, Laos. The entire city received World Heritage status in 1995 and many consider it to be among the most important assets in all of Asia. Since that time, tourists have certainly flocked to the communist country in record numbers as people strive to understand the culture and intricate workings of this centuries old city. The tourist boom has come and gone. Many have “called into question the validity of Lung Prabang’s heritage status’ (Reeves and Long, 2011). The growth of tourism and the growing pains that have gone with it have caused even more people to question the authenticity of the designation. Once again, the issue is raised that such sites must be maintained from a viewpoint of cultural advancement and education. When tourists are looked at as merely people to earn a few quid off of, then the intention of the designation is lost altogether. Such locations need to first education their own community as to the reason behind the designation and train them to protect and preserve their own way of life for those who come to learn and benefit from the site. It is important to remember that some visitors do frequent heritage sites because they want to relax or have a bit of holiday. Others do genuinely visit the asset in order to appease their curiosity of history or out of cultural interest. Whatever the reason, the public must be prepared to deal with all types of visitors and provide them with what they desire, while maintaining the authenticity of the location. This is not an easy feat indeed. The tourist industry today is in a growth mode worldwide, the United Kingdom certainly not being an exception. As the industry grows, particularly at heritage locations, careful care must be given to maintaining proper infrastructure. This will inconvenience the general public in the short term, while ensuring the lasting preservation of the asset for the long term. Because we tend to often be shortsighted in our thinking, efforts must be taken to educate the public behind the reasons for the preservations efforts. As the number of tourists to a heritage location blossoms, adequate efforts must be in place to house and to provide with necessary needs. Much of this depends on local communities to really embrace the project and take ownership in the ideals of the site. Failing to do so, the location will likely fail as a tourist attraction, and will lose its cultural legacy as a result of a lack of planning and resources. For these reasons, a massive public relations effort is in store for any designated heritage site (Holland, 2001). In the case of Discovery Point in Dundee, the public has truly embraced the museum the preservation of the ship, and the promotion of tourism to the area. All of these factors have united the community in a common cause where they are able to showcase their small towns contribution to the global scientific community. There have certainly been pains and struggles along the way, yet project has largely succeeded out of a desire to preserve their own cultural legacy (Boyle & Wilson, 2008). Heritage Sites and Conservation Efforts According to Bozany (2007), “World Heritage Sites are among the most emblematic tourism destinations and attractions, facing numerous challenges due to an ever increasing tourism activity and related development issues” (p. 65). Given this notion, it is important that tourist organizations work together with site management teams to ensure that local communities receive all of the extended benefits of having a heritage attraction. In addition, it is important that congestion from the added tourism numbers is reduced. Furthermore, it is critical that any potential adverse environmental impacts be minimized as much as possible. In order to promote these conservation endeavors, there must be adequate financing of the location and tourist efforts, through marketing, must be expanded to support the project itself (Roders, 2011, p. 180). When considering the conservation efforts at a heritage site, one first has to consider the rationale behind the attraction receiving the designation in the first place. In the case of Discovery Point, for example, the foundation felt it important to preserve the location that began so many of the great scientific explorations of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Only through this preservation and promotion of educational pursuits, many argued, would Scotland be able to highlight their cultural achievements and their contributions to great humanity. Failing to do so would mean losing the legacy that those before us left behind, thereby depriving future generations of a full understanding of the contributions made by their ancestors. This is truly heritage defined. Some would argue that heritage sites are seen as materialistic endeavors where profit is put in front of cultural preservation. In this case, conservation occurs simply out of a desire to continue a promotion of tourism and attract visitors to the location. Under such circumstances, education becomes subservient to the need to make a few quid for the surrounding communities. It is interesting to note, however, that even if this became the rationale for conservation efforts, some would argue that at least the site was being taken care of. The problem, of course, is what happens to the site when tourists begin to fade and the interest in the site wanes. Conservation of heritage sites should occur irrespective of profit or other economic interests. Such a designation is given to an asset because of its cultural value. A price tag cannot be placed upon this concept because society is truly striving to preserve its lasting legacy through the advancement of such heritage locations, Discovery Point not excluded. Anthropologists and other social science experts argue that preservation efforts should be authentic and carried out with the purest of motives and intents. Conversation efforts, therefore, should be undertaken from the constructivist approach. From a cultural point of view, this entails building upon a cultural heritage and conserving it for all people. Great effort must be taken, either by local government agencies or private organizations, to ensure that such assets are protected (Jones, 2009). Promoting Public Enjoyment of Heritage Assets Civic organizations taut the educational and cultural impacts of heritage sites, but one must also point out that such attractions provide enjoyment for the millions of travelers that visit their respective locations annually. Education does not need to be mundane and lacking in excitement. Rather, such locations need to strive to provide an entertaining atmosphere that will keep people of all ages interested and desiring to come back time and again. It is important to remember that assets listed on the World Heritage List are extremely diverse. While Discovery Point in Dundee resides in the city center and has various attractions around to peak the interest of tourist, other destinations do not have that luxury. Some sites are simple monuments or valleys, or other forms of cultural landscapes. Interestingly, the entire city of Rome is designated a heritage location due to the vast number of historical landmarks residing within its border. Whatever the location, it is important to promote the enjoyment of such assets in order to encourage people to come and truly learn about a unique heritage and legacy that has been left to us (Cleere, 2010). Recommendations It is important to the preservation of our history and the promotion of cultural understanding that certain cultural and physical landmarks be preserved and showcased. Since the inception of the World Heritage designation, sites around the world have worked to make this ambition a reality. In order to educate future the public about each heritage asset, it is important that local governments work in harmony with private organizations to ensure that the sites are properly maintained and serviced. Upon considering Discovery Point in Dundee, Scotland it certainly appears that private organizations have taken ownership of the project. Through the effective promotion of the site, and through civic involvement, current interest in the city is at levels never below dreamed of. A recommendation, however, needs to be made that the local authorities take more of a vested interest in the site. Depending on charitable donations may not be enough in the future. The ship itself is aging and must be cared after, with repairs and renovations undertaken frequently. If donations and visitor numbers were to drop off for any reason, the preservation of the site could be in jeopardy. Accordingly, it would be helpful to leave the maintenance of the site in control of private organizations, but the local government should allocate a budget line item and have a member or two on the board of the Heritage Trust in order to ensure that the needs and concerns of the community are continually looked after. This recommendation can cover all Heritage site destinations as local and national governments need to work in conjunction with private individuals and foundations to streamline the preservations of our world’s most precious assets. Conclusion Discovery Point in Dundee serves as a reminder of the contributions that various people have made throughout the years. It also designates sites as significant to the wonderment and amazement of the landscape pleasant in this great and vast earth or ours. Preserving such sites enables each of us to dig deeper into our soles, appreciate one another to a greater extent, and to better understand our place in this world. While the features of each given site may differ, the educational purpose remains. Preserving a lasting legacy is important. Young people may not understand that today, but in years to come they will appreciate the efforts of community leaders and other stakeholders in preserving a part of their culture that they can then pass onto their own children. If we do not take action today, we cannot ensure that this trans-generational passing of knowledge takes place. Absent that would be a sad moment indeed as the achievements of those who lived before us would be forgotten and their ideas relegated to the dark pages of a history text. Heritage assets are definitely a step in the right direction to ensure that culture and history are not forgotten, but rather preserved for generations to come. REFERENCES Aas, C., Ladkin, A., & Fletcher, J. (2005). Stakeholder collaboration and heritage management. Annals of Tourism Research, [Journal], 32(1), 28-48. Albrecht, M. (2010). Transboundary governance of the Curonian Spit World Heritage Site. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, [Journal], 53(6), 725-742. Biran, A., Poria, Y., & Oren, G. (2011). Sought experiences at heritage sites. Annals of Tourism Research, [Journal], 38(3), 820-841. Boyle, E., & Wilson, L. (2008). BoylInteroganisational collaboration at UK world heritage sites. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, [Journal], 27(6), 501-523. Bozany, A. (2007). Heritage site area type classification for facility management purposes. Journal of Facilities Management, [Journal], 5(1), 62-77. Cleere, H. (2010). Management plans for archaeological sites: A world heritage template. Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, [Journal], 12(1), 4-12. Fowler, P. (1999). Avebury world heritage site management plan. Antiquity, [journal], 73(218), 719. Fullerton, L., McGettigan, K., Stephens, S. (2010). Integrating management and marketing strategies at heritage sites. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, [Journal], 4(2), 108-117 Grek, S. (2009). In and against the museum: The contested spaces of museum education for adults. Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, [Journal], 30(2), 195-211. Holland, L. (2001). Whose heritage? Far Eastern Economic Review, [Journal], 164(17), 56. Ibbetson, A. (2000). Visitor management: Case studies from world heritage sites. Journal of vacation marketing, [Journal], 6(2), 189-191. Jones, S. (2009). Experiencing authenticity at heritage sites: Some implications for heritage management and conservation. Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, [journal], 11(2), 133-147. Leask, A & Yeoman, I (eds.) (1999) Heritage Visitor Attractions, London: Cassell. Lennon, J & Foley, M (2000) Dark Tourism, London: Continuum. Lorraine, N., & Brijesh, T. (2010). Visitor perspectives on sustainable tourism development in the Pitons management area world heritage site, S. Lucia. Environment, Development, and Sustainability, [Journal}, 12(5), 839-857. McCarthy, J. (1998). Waterfront regeneration: Recent practice in Dundee. European Planning Studies, [Journal], 6(6), 731. Molyvann, V. (2002). Management of the Angkor site: National emblem and world heritage site. Museum International, [Journal], 54(1-2), 110-116. Ng, F. (2009). Using space-age technology to care for heritage sites. News Straits Times, [Periodical], 5(13), 9. Poria, Y., Reichel, A., & Biran, A. (2006). Heritage site management. Annals of Tourism Research, [journal], 33(1), 162-178. Reeves, K., & Long, C. (2011). Unbearable pressures on Paradise?: Tourism and heritage management in Luang Prabang, a World Heritage Site. Critical Asian Studies, [Journal], 43(1), 3-22. Robinson, M, Evans, N, Long, P, Sharpley, R & Swarbrooke, J (eds.) (2000) Tourism and Heritage Relationships, Sunderland: The Centre for Travel and Tourism. Roders, A. (2011). World heritage cities management. Facilities, [Journal], 29(7), 276-285. Roders, A. (2012). Guidance on heritage impact assessments. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, [Journal], 2(2), 104. Russell, M., & Murphy, L. (2010). Balancing historic preservation, science, and the environment in underwater cultural heritage site management: Long-term management strategies for the sunken battleship USS Arizona. Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites, [Journal], 12(1), 13-38. Shackley, M. (ed.) (1998) Visitor Management, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Sigala, M & Leslie, D (eds.) (2005) International Cultural Tourism, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinermann. Su, M., & Wall, G. (2011). Chinese research on world heritage tourism. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, [Journal], 16(1), 75-88. Timothy, DJ (ed.) (2007) The Heritage Tourist Experience: Critical Essays, Volume Two, Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Limited. Wai-chung, L. (2003). Facilities management and planning for heritage sites: Lessons learnt from a pilot study on disused military sites. Facilities, [Journal], 21(3-4), 80-89. Wang, T., & Zan, L. (2011). Management and presentation of Chinese sites for UNESCO world heritage list. Facilities, [Journal], 29(7), 313-325. Young, C. (2004). Hadrian’s wall and its associated museums. Museum International, [Journal], 56(3), 15-21. Read More