The Interrelationship of Urban Economic and Cultural Development: the Case of Greek Museums

The purpose of the paper is the pinpointing of the role and importance of museums in the cultural and economic development of cities. The starting point is a critical analysis of the international, mainly European, experience, which, especially in the last decade, demonstrates the weight of the cultural factor in urban development focusing on the economic dimension. In the course of searching the relationship between cultural and economic development, the museums have constituted, and continue to constitute, a particularly interesting research object. Examples of the various concepts and practices that are related with museums are: the construction of the ‘cultural image’ of cities, the quest for cultural identity, the support and promotion of these elements as ‘goods’ in the external environment of cities, and the combination of tourist resources. The examination of the international experience constitutes the basis of the attempt to respond to three fundamental questions: a) in what ways, and with what means, is museum management connected with the effective promotion and support of the ‘cultural image’ of the cities?, b) in what ways is the effective promotion and support of the ‘cultural image’ connected with the creation of a competitive advantage for the particular city and its sustainable economic development, and c) does the ‘selling of cultural identity’ of the cities constitute an imperative need or a necessary evil that the cities cannot avoid in both cases? In order to respond to the above questions strategically planned methodologies, ways and means are described and analysed: strategic planning, management, empirical research, segmentation of potential markets-targets, configuration of ‘cultural tourist packages’, place marketing. Particular attention is paid to the role of museums in the urban tourism development process, since tourism constitutes one of the strongest productivity factors in many European cities. The main hypotheses that are going to be tested are the enforcement by the tools of planning and management of the conditions of sustainability and competitiveness, and the contribution of their use to the increasing role of museums in the cultural and economic development of cities. The paper concludes with proposals referring to the case of Greece. In order to examine the role and the importance of museums in the economic and historic development of Greek cities, a threefold structure is followed: framework analysis (i.e. examination of the main weaknesses in the internal environment of museums, identification of the image and administration of museums etc.), secondary data analysis (regional distribution of number and visitors of museums) and presentation of the main research methodology (combination of questionnaires, interviews and statistical data) of an empirical research. The main contradiction is that, while historicity and cultural heritage constitute factors that traditionally characterize Greece, the ways and means with which this factors can constitute dynamic levers of economic development refer to a new reality and new conditions of development which, till the present, have not been taken into serious consideration.

The Nuanced Approaches in Destination Branding and Promotion of Film-Induced Tourism: A Mixed Method Inquiry Based in Puducherry

Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry) is a scintillating tourism destination in south India. Puducherry is a multiUSP destination with a quiet charm that envelops the tourists. Its French heritage is apparent across the length and breadth of the Union Territory. Renowned world over, as the „French Riviera of the East‟, Puducherry sparkles with rich and illustrious culture and history. The spiritual aura, which is a hallmark feature of the destination, rings in the tourists. The tourism industry in Puducherry is booming with both domestic and foreign tourists‟ influx showing a remarkable upward trend in the recent years. This destination dots a prominent place in the tourism map of India owing to the outstanding heritage monuments and cultural manifests. The landscape of Puducherry is quite exciting as it is dotted with exotic beaches and serene resorts. Film tourism is a neo-tourism form which has gained increased attention in Puducherry‟s tourism industry. The study of film tourism is relatively new in tourism research

Urban Design in Neighbourhood Commodification

The intention to promote local economic development through place marketing and urban design based interventions is linked to the commodification of the city, a trend emerging parallel to a new milieu for intercity competition. The aim with this paper is to highlight how urban design is used as a tool by the municipality to sell the city as a place to live, work and invest in. The focus is on the physical characteristics and function of two urban renewal projects and how the municipality has looked into these neighbourhoods in connection to the image that it wants to promote for the city. The analysis focuses on official plans and documentation, and on expert interviews. It distinguishes between product-oriented and process-oriented interventions. The reabilitation of the physical space is used to promote discourses on sustainability, innovation and creativity and, throught these discourses, generate an appealing image for investments. The paper aims to contribute to the discussions on the transformation of the role of the urban design and planning in contexts of entrepreneurial urban governance, place-marketing strategies, and the neoliberalization of planningUrban design; entrepreneurial urban governance; Malmö; Sweden

Insights on the Film Tourism and Archéocinema for the Promotion of Heritage Tourism: A Critical Review

The link between Cultural Heritage (CH), media, and film tourism has gained increasing attention in the literature over the last two decades. The 21st-century film tourism industry edutainment must reflect the experiences of 21st-century digital/virtual requirements. Film tourism is often considered a potential marketing channel for World Heritage Sites (WHS) and CH tourism. Limited research addresses how heritage film tourism providers employ and deal with the film industry and Archéocinema media for marketing communication. This paper attempts to discuss the relationship between the capability of heritage film tourism as a promotional tool combined with Archéocinema in constructing the optimistic destination image of heritage tourism and experience as it flows in both physical places and virtual environments. It argues that both environments, as dynamic and generate meanings, merge, and embody subjectivity and objectivity now in one process. This process suggests building a critical, informative, and promotional purpose by engaging in storyline and storytelling, learning about what and how film tourism and Archéocinema can offer and representing it in a modern key within and beyond the physical dimensions of place in an ethical and transparent approach according to the London Charter and the Seville Principles

Innovation As a Tool for Local Development. Introducing New Technologies for the Interpretation of Cultural Heritage: the Case of the RI-SE Programme in Sterea Ellada.

The introduction and pilot application of innovative methods in the field of cultural heritage can have a significant effect on local development by boosting tourism and the related economic activities, increasing familiarity with new technologies and creating a sense of local pride. The five Centres for Heritage Interpretation that were developed in the Region of Sterea Ellada within the framework of the RI-SE Innovative Actions Programme offer a good example of this process, illustrating the contribution of innovation to local development and the integral role played by the Local Authorities. This paper aims to examine the role of cultural innovation in local and regional development, mainly through the promotion of cultural tourism. The use of new technologies in the interpretation of cultural heritage upgrades the services provided to the visitors of cultural sites and can promote archaeological and historic monuments and sites that are less known to the wide public, therefore channeling the flow of tourists to under-developed areas of a Region. Furthermore, it is a means of introducing new technologies and innovation in a way that is user-friendly and appealing, regardless of the user’s degree of familiarity with information technology. The European Regional Innovation (RI-SE) Programme for Sterea Ellada, was implemented in 2003-2004, and aimed to introduce and incorporate innovation in the region’s economic and cultural activities through the provision of new services and the utilization of high technology. Within the framework of this programme, five pilot Centres for Heritage Interpretation were established in the towns of Orchomenos, Lamia, Gravia, Karystos and Fragista, in close collaboration with the respective Municipalities. The case study will examine the methodology and criteria that were used for the selection of the specific heritage sites from the plethora of monuments of the Sterea Ellada Region. It will also present the different multimedia solutions that were employed in each case and outline the reception of the Centres by the public. In addition, it will focus on the contribution of the Municipalities to the success of the project and analyze its effects on local development, both in the specific Municipalities, but also in the entire Region. Finally, the project’s demonstration effect will be evaluated and the prospects of its implementation in other Regions and other countries will be considered: the RI-SE programme developed an innovative model that can easily and successfully be adapted and implemented in every country with a rich cultural heritage (like, for example, in the Mediterranean countries: Spain, Italy, Turkey), especially in areas that are not included in major tourist routes.

Funding Media, Strengthening Democracy: Grantmaking for the 21st Century

Despite the pervasiveness of media, the amount of philanthropic dollars in support of public interest media remains minuscule and, therefore largely ineffective. The report, based on a survey of the the funding sector, calls on philanthropists to embrace a practice of transparency and information sharing via technology, to determine how existing funds are being used and how they can best be leveraged to increase philanthropic impact within the media field

Destination image in travel magazines: A textual and pictorial analysis of Hong Kong and Macau

Based on the analyses of texts and pictures in the top six outbound travel magazines in Mainland China, this article presents an evaluation of the destination images of Hong Kong and Macau as portrayed in 88 travel articles over a three-year period. The results showed that the projected destination images of Hong Kong and Macau were dominated by attributes related to culture, history, and art and leisure and recreation. Hong Kong was often described by image attributes such as places and attractions, shopping, cuisine and food, hotels, and the creative industries. For Macau, history and heritage, places and attractions, gambling, cuisine and food, and hotels were the most often reported. During the study period, Hong Kong and Macau witnessed several significant changes in the image attributes featured in both texts and pictures. These changes were partly influenced by news and events over the period. In this article, implications for destination marketing organizations and directions for future research were suggested

CREATe 2012-2016: Impact on society, industry and policy through research excellence and knowledge exchange

On the eve of the CREATe Festival May 2016, the Centre published this legacy report (edited by Kerry Patterson & Sukhpreet Singh with contributions from consortium researchers)

Cultural capital investment interim impact evaluation

This report provides interim impact evaluation evidence on a major initiative to develop the quality and opportunity of cultural provision in the East Midlands. Eight venues across the region have been supported through an investment totalling £120 million, which include a mix of brand new buildings and bringing new life to existing facilities. This report sets out what the investment has achieved so far and how information on the impact of the venues will be collected in the future