Relevance of World Heritage Sites in Meaningful Tourism

Abstract

The World Heritage Site (WHS) brand is a universally known tag for the “outstanding value” it brings to natural and cultural sites. The WHS is comprised of the core and augmented products that are used together in the site's marketing. The current study explores the area of using the WHS brand in augmented products for meaningful tourism based on the gaps identified in the literature. A total of six categories of augmented products are used to highlight the WHS brand that help to build meaningful tourist experiences. The study site selected was Delhi, known for its rich cultural history, and has three sites listed on the World Heritage Sites list. The data was collected using three sets of questionnaires, namely tourists, tour operators, and hotels. The study has represented its findings graphically using correspondence analysis, helping to identify the augmented categories that are significant for meaningful tourism. The study has identified two augmented products: i) Gastronomical experiences and ii) Cultural events and audio-visual presentations that tourists feel need the attention of tour operators and hotels. These are vital for building meaningful tourist experience.