Heritage Education as a Basis for Sustainable Development. The Case of Trujillo, Monfragüe National Park and Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Geopark (Extremadura, Spain)

Abstract

Tourist activity offers numerous possibilities for socioeconomic growth while promoting the dissemination, recognition, and appreciation of heritage. Nevertheless, tourism based on a mercantilist approach, oriented mainly towards the maximization of economic benefits and the massive attraction of visitors, can pose a threat to the conservation and integrity of heritage assets. In this panorama of vulnerability, heritage education stands as a primary strategy to resolve the tensions between heritage and tourism. Based on this premise, research aimed at stimulating tourism activity committed to education and sustainability is presented. Said study is framed in three counties of the region of Extremadura, selected for being great centers of tourist attraction: the Monfragüe National Park, the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Geopark, and the monumental city of Trujillo. The results reveal that introducing educational principles is decisive in improving the value and competitiveness of tourist destinations and contributing to regional development. Despite this, the approaches of heritage education are not yet sufficiently integrated into tourism plans, which distances the territories from sustainability.

Intangible Heritage of the Dehesa: The Educational and Tourist Potential of Traditional Trades

“…In addition, demand is beginning to take an interest in the offer of experiences rich in emotions, which allow direct contact with the culture, history, and environment of the populations [51]. This new type of tourist is looking for new forms of learning opportunities, as well as the enjoyment that the environment can provide [34,39]. This is why new products are emerging, ancestral methods are being revalued, and experiences based on relational and emotional contact with the destinations are being promoted.…”

“…Thus, landscapes have begun to be understood as a reflection of the nature, culture, and material and immaterial heritage of territories [32]. This contributes to the consideration of the landscape, territory, and heritage as an inseparable trinomial [33,34].…”

“…New tourists are looking for a greater component of action, participation, and interaction with the environment, authenticity, the return to cultural roots, and the enhancement of heritage [48][49][50]. The demand has begun to be interested in active and emotional experiences, seeking new learning opportunities and a variety of activities that allow contact with the history, the environment, and the culture of the population [34,39,51].…”

University Students’ Perception of the Dehesa and the Associated Traditional Trades

“…The strategies identified include financial support [106], fostering local markets [35], increasing the dissemination of intangible heritage [19], promoting networking among institutions [107] and designing education and awareness-raising programs [84], as well as responsible tourism [86,108] to promote an ethical and environmentally friendly experience. These measures are essential to preserve and revitalize the valuable cultural legacies of rural communities in an increasingly globalized world.…”