Lyudmila S. TIMOFEEVA, Maria I. KADYROVA, Albina R
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Lyudmila S. TIMOFEEVA, Maria I. KADYROVA, Albina R. AKHMETOVA The historic city as an object of cultural tourism (on the example of Yelabuga) Lyudmila S. TIMOFEEVA, Maria I. KADYROVA, Albina R. AKHMETOVA Kazan State Federal University Abstract. This paper deals with the experience of the existence of historic cities, their opportunities as centers for tourism development. At present, there are 41 historic settlements in Russia with different status. The tourist appeal of historic cities is determined primarily by their historic and cultural heritage. In recent years, such form of tourism as cultural has become more popular. Among the objects of cultural tourism is the historic and cultural heritage in its material and non-material, intangible forms. These are historic territories, including historic cities, architectural structures and complexes, archaeological excavations, art and historic museums, folk crafts, festivals, folklore, household ceremonies, traditional values, activities and the daily life style of the local population. Within the framework of cultural tourism, an individualization of demand occurs. Travelers are interested not only in getting acquainted with the well-known sights, but also in a kind of "immersion" in the historic environment, in the knowledge of the traditions and customs of the local population. Management of their historic and cultural heritage is carried out, for the most part, by reserve museums. The project activity of Yelabuga Reserve Museum is being studied as a means to increase the tourist flow and attract new partners. Keywords: historic city, cultural tourism, reserve museum, historic and cultural heritage, Yelabuga. Introduction The UN General Assembly proclaimed 2017 the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. The resolution adopted on December 4, 2016 expresses the hope that the proclamation of an international year of sustainable tourism will contribute to better understanding between peoples, the dissemination of knowledge of the rich heritage of various civilizations and the development of respect for the imperishable values of different cultures, which generally leads to the consolidation of peace in all over the world (United Nations declares 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development). A crucial role in these processes belongs to cultural tourism, which has been developing rapidly in recent years. The term "cultural tourism" is already quite often found in publications devoted to the problems of tourism, museum activity, and cultural studies.1 In Russian research, terms such as "cognitive" or "cultural- cognitive" tourism are used in parallel. Among the objects of cultural tourism is the historic and cultural heritage in its material and non-material, intangible forms. These are historic territories, including historic cities, architectural structures and complexes, archaeological excavations, art and historic museums, folk crafts, The work is performed according to the Russian Government Program of Competitive Growth of Kazan Federal University. 1 R. A. Corbos, R. I. Popescu, "Museums, Marketing, Tourism and Urban Development. The British Museum – a Successful Model for Romanian Museums," in Management&Marketing, CCCIII (2011), vol. IX, Issue 2, p. 303-313; E. G. Moiseeva, "Cultural tourism as a strategic resource of Russia," in Bulletin of the Moscow State University of Culture and Arts, V (2012), no, 1, p. 96-100; R. F. Westervelt, Museum and Urban Revitalization: Regional Museumas Catalysts for Physical, Economic, and Social Regeneration of local communities, New Jersey, Seton Hall University, 2010. 177 The historic city as an object of cultural tourism (on the example of Yelabuga), Astra Salvensis, V (2017), no. 10, p. 177-183 festivals, folklore, household ceremonies, traditional values, activities and the daily life style of the local population. They also include the current culture, contemporary art and performance arts.2 Cultural tourism is not just an opportunity to get acquainted with a certain cultural object, but also to understand its interpretation, to learn new meanings through the environment, to evaluate the context (to feel the atmosphere of the place), in other words, to learn the intangible culture of the place and its inhabitants.3 An essential feature of cultural tourism is not only and not so much the aspiration of the tourist to get a complete picture of the object or destination. It goes, rather, about gaining impressions, i.e. about stimulating the emotional- sensory sphere of a person. This is achieved through the "immersion" in the cultural life of the local community, acquaintance with its traditional values. Accordingly, a new hierarchy of interests of tourists and objects of these interests arises. Cultural tourism allows diversifying traditional tourist products, adding new components to it, creating new complexes of tourist goods and services. The speed of movement of tourists changes. It is no coincidence that today more and more people are talking about a new type of flaneur tourists, well-informed, sophisticated, critical of the proposed tourist services. The flaneur tourist is more selective and demanding of offers, focused on independent scheduling of the travel program; he shifts away from standards and manifests his individuality. He is guided by the new formula of tourist preferences - "three L" (Lore-Landscape- Leisure). This is a tourist who shows an increased interest in local color, the peculiarities of everyday life, the customs of another culture. 4The influence of consumers of cultural tourism triggers changes in the museum concept. Museums gradually move away from the function of storing artifacts. According to the famous researcher N. Kotler, the main function of the museum is to provide attractive and memorable impressions.5 These changes give rise to a new approach to the visitor-tourist, the desire to best meet his needs. Methods To study the opportunities of the historic city as an object of cultural tourism, the following methods were used: the narrative method, which became the basis for in-depth analysis; comparative and typological methods, which made it possible to identify groups of similar phenomena and processes. The principle of the system approach was also used. 2 COMOS, International Tourism Charter, (2002). (Electronic resource) URL http://heritagemalta.org/erdf032/documents/06_ICOMOS%20International%20Cultural%20Tou rism%20Charter.pdf, accessed 25. 05. 2017. 3 V. E. Gordin, M. V. Matetskaia, Cultural tourism as a strategy for city development: the search for compromises between the interests of the local population and tourists, 2017: electronic resource - URL http://tourlib.net/statti_tourism/gordin.htm, accessed 25. 05. 2017. 4 A. V. Liashko, "Museum tourism. Evolution of the format," in Bulletin of St. Petersburg State University. VI (2012), no. 3, p. 21-26. 5 Neil G. Kotler, (2008). Museum marketing and strategy: designing missions, building audiences, generating revenue and resources, 2nd edition, . San Francisco, Jossey-Bass publ., 2008. 178 Lyudmila S. TIMOFEEVA, Maria I. KADYROVA, Albina R. AKHMETOVA Results The main principle of cultural tourism is the principle of sustainable development, which means supporting local culture, preserving cultural and natural sites and improving the living standards of the local population. Thus, cultural tourism can seriously stimulate the development of historic cities. Article 3 of the International Charter for the Protection of Historic Cities emphasizes that the participation of residents is a prerequisite for the preservation of the historic city. Protection of historic cities and neighborhoods, above all, concerns their inhabitants. This means that it is impossible to preserve the historic environment of the city by unilateral actions of the state through legislation or carrying out restoration work. The inhabitants themselves should feel their involvement in the history of the place where they live, identify themselves with this place, and contribute to the maintenance of this environment.Tourism, implemented on the principle of sustainable development, is an important means of ensuring employment of the population and economic development of the region, as well as the preservation and involvement of cultural objects in the socio- economic development.6 On the other hand, one of the levels of cultural tourism is cultural quasitourism, which includes the movement of residents of a given locality, one of the motives of which is the consumption of cultural goods. These conditions provide significant opportunities for historic cities, which are an optimal platform for the development of cultural tourism. Discussion The concept of a "historic city" was introduced by architects and historians of architecture with the aim of drawing attention to the town-planning heritage, resolving questions on its restoration and preservation. Later, the historic city as a civilizational phenomenon began to be studied in the context of geography, economics, history, and sociology. In recent decades, interest in the essence and capabilities of the historic city has been actively manifested in tourism 7. The 6 http://media.unwto.org/press-release/2015-12-07/united-nations-declares-2017-international- year-sustainable-tourism-develop, accessed 25. 05. 2017; International Charter for the Protection of Historic Cities. (Electronic resource) URL http://rossigr.narod.ru/170399/4_3.html, accessed 25. 03. 2017. 7 T. I. Agishina," Experience