Answer to Question #262587 in History for Dimakatso

Question

critically argue the advantages and disadvantages of conserving a heritage site of your choice on the local community and environment.

The Tourism industry is fundamentally tasked with ensuring sustainable tourism development practices that ensure healthy and conducive environments for future generations. The primary task of this assignment is to encourage you to research the benefits of good tourism practices on heritage sites and their surrounding communities. To achieve this objective, you are expected to choose any heritage site of your choice in South Africa and reflect on the manner in which they have been successful in maintaining the heritage site. In addition, you are expected to provide content on the historical background and developmental phases the heritage site has been through in order to evaluate the organisations change over time. Furthermore, you are expected to reflect on the nature of the relationship between the heritage site, the environment and the local community

Answer 1

As a source of identity, heritage is a valuable factor for empowering local communities and enabling vulnerable groups to participate fully in social and cultural life. It can also provide time-tested solutions for conflict prevention and reconciliation.

From a conservation perspective, tourism can raise funds for protecting natural areas, enhance local and tourist awareness of biodiversity and conservation issues as well as discourage local people from unsustainable livelihoods.

Without proper management, heritage tourism can lead to a lack of understanding and appreciation of the culture and heritage of the place within the wider community as a result of inadequate or inappropriate presentation; it can diminish the protection and conservation of cultural heritage overtime.