Green Heritage tourism implementation plan in Vidzeme.old.vidzeme.com/faili/20140730102407459.pdf · 2014-07-30 · applying stilistics characteristic to a particular period of time

Green Heritage tourism implementation plan in Vidzeme.

By Anda Vilka, MA in Museology and Indra Vīlistere, Chief Collection Keeper, Valmiera Museum

Definitions

What we consider to be a historic or culture historic park in Vidzeme with repespect to tourism?

How these parks are related to idea/term “green heritage”?

Historical parks are....

"A historic garden is an architectural and horticultural composition of interest to the public from the historical or artistic point of view". As such, it is to be considered as a monument.” (Fiorenece Chart, Article 1, 1981)


•„ ... it is an environment, that presents a biotop created by a human using natural resources, applying stilistics characteristic to a particular period of time and facilitation elements, thus creating a pleasant environment for recreation of customers.” At least with the history of 25 years. (K.Dreija)


•“... Decorative plantings

created by the activity of a

human, or territories, that

present a little transformed

natural environment that is

appropriate for recreation of

people.” (T.Grizāne)


• Parks as tourism recreation

places include: utilitarian,

enjoyment, simbolic, creative,

spiritual and social aspects of

human activities that can be

passive, active or social. (J.

Connell)

Historical Parks in tourism context

.... are such at human living spaces created horticultural territories, that possess social values representing inherited knowledge, traditions and ideas, as well as have sufficient recreational, educational and infrastructure resources to be used for the needs of tourism.

Is “green heritage” a literrary description only?

•That reflects ideas related to nature and countryside, green thinking and lifstyles...

Or it presents a particular group of socio-cultural and natural resources?

•That can become meaningfull in tourism context...

What culture- historical and nature heritage elements can become a part of “Green

Heritage”?

Everything of socio- cultural value!!!

• World Heritage Charter (1972) – term “heritage” includes both culture - historical and nature heritage, because nature heritage is socially constructed.

When do we need to distinguish among:

• Heritage as a whole

•Nature Heritage

• Culture-historical Heritage

•and Green Heritage?

Nature Heritage Culture Heritage Green Heritage

Heritage

Why do we need to distinguish among heritage?

• For research of heritage

• For protection of heritage

• For increasing of socio – economic value of heritage sites (including in tourism)

What constitutes Green Heritage?

• Certainly historical parks (manor and public);

• Some archaeological sites (sacral trees, quells, stones, cliffs)

• Some other historical sites ( trees, gardens etc., that present inherited social values)

• Some modern sites (gardens, farms, horticultural collections that present inherited social values)

So, what is Green Heritage?

• Green Heritage sites always will present both elements of Culture - Historical Heritage (material and non-material) and Nature Heritage;

• These sites must be present social value (international, national, regional or local), that is defined by inherited past knowledge, traditions and ideas.

How Green Heritage would function in tourism?

Historical parks & modern GH sites

Archaelogical & other historical GH sites

Historical manors & parks

Modern parks& gardens in country side,

Horticular collections

Green Heritage sites in tourism would be most seemingly marketed in smaller, thematically and interest related groups, and as a part of other tourism products in particular area.

Ancient cult sites Historical sites

Historical manor parks in Vidzeme

In terms of territory Vidzeme covers Vidzeme Administrative Planning Region and a part of Rīga Administrative region limited by Daugava river – totally 41 administrative units.


Statistics

Problems

• There is no data base on manor parks in Vidzeme that could provide structured (by time, significance, location) information on these sites.

• The situation (ownership, condition etc.) in manor parks is changing permanently and fast, that raises issue on validity of this information (Liepupe manor case).

•There are few options to check the validity of information available.


Statistics

111 manor parks in Vidzeme were identified as presenting tourism resource (present or future)

The total territory covered by these parks is about 1160 sq.km oralmost 2% of land in Latvia.


Distribution of manor parks among administrative

regions in Vidzeme

0 2 4 6 8 10

Aloja regionAlūksne region

Amata regionApe region

Burtnieki regionCarnikava region

Cēsis regionCesvaine region

Ērgļi regionGulbene region

Inčukalna regionJērcēni region Krimulda regionĶegums region

Lielvārde regionLimbaži region Madona regionMālpils region

Ogre regionNaukšēni region

Mazsalaca regionPārgauja regionPļaviņas region

Priekuļi regionRauna regionRopaži regionRūjiena region

Salacgrīva regionSalaspils region

Sēja regionSigulda region

Smiltene region Valka region

Valmiera regionVarakļāni region

VecpiebalgaViesīte region

37

34

28

9

Distribution of manor parks in major tourist areas


Heritage significance of manor parks in Vidzeme

29

5

77

0 20 40 60 80 100

State significance

Local significance

Significance not

identified

5

17+3

2+1

5+1

Distribution of manor parks in major tourist areas by cultural

significance (State+local)

Property types in relation to manor parks in Vidzeme

Distribution of ownership

59

53

3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Private

Local governments

State

General public accessibility in manor hauses and parks by property type

N.B. General accessibility as such tells little about tourism potential of the place!

Accessibility of 59 manor parks owned privately

38

16

Closed

Accessible

Accessibility of manor parks owned by local

governments

53

0

Accessible

Closed

Socio – economic functioning of manors and their parks by property type

Functioning of manor houses and parks owned by

local governments

12

14

6

7

4

4

2

5

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Administration

Schools

Museum

Culture house, library

Social function

Public park

Sports hall

Private

About 30% of manor houses and attached territories (parks) could be considered as linked with or appropriate for developing of tourism

Socio – economic functioning of manors and their parks by property type

Functioning of manors and parks owned privately

41

11

1

1

0 10 20 30 40 50

Private area

Hotels, guesthouses, recreation

centres

Culture centres

Museums

In more than 75% cases manorhauses and attached territories are being used for private needs.

4

13

2

8

Distribution of manors and parks in major tourist areas by tourist

accessibility

4 parks only function as independet tourism atractions.

Can and should the historic parks become independent tourist attractions in Vidzeme in the future?

• Visitation of parks and gardens is extremely popular all over the world, and is continuing to grow as a branch of tourism.

There were 16 milj. Visits registered in the gardens and parks in Great Britain, in 1999.

Historical parks & modern GH sites

Historical manors & parks

Modern parks& gardens in country side,

Horticular collections

• There are no direct data available about tourist visits in Vidzeme manor parks, since these parks do not function as independet tourist attractions, or visits are not registered (public parks). Simulation of possible visits showed 15% of all tourists (T.Grizāne)

• But we can trace historically founded tradition of gardening and country farm visiting in Latvia.

• Latvia and Vidzeme is becoming internationally popular with horticultural markets.

In 2014, such a market place in Sigulda was visited by 25 000 people during a day!

Can the historic parks become independent tourist attractions in Vidzeme in the future?


Challenges to face:

• Seasonal character of park

and garden tourism;


Challenges to face:

•Strong impact of weather conditions on numbers of visitors

during a season (J.Connel);


Challenges to face:

•Generally poor condition of historical parks in Latvia, and in

Vidzeme in particular (K.Dreija,T.Grizāne);


Challenges to face:

•As a consquence large

financial resources have to be

invested in conservation and

reconstruction of parks;


Challenges to face:

•Lack of professionals in Latvia,

that could lead and manage

such works (T.Grizāne);

Challenges to face:

•Reconstruction of a park is a long term project;


Challenges to face:

• Poor understandig among

various groups of society

(including tourism

professionals) of the potential

value of manor gardens as

tourism resources (Dž.

Okonnela, K.Dreija, T. Grizāne);


Challenges to face:

•Selling of a tourist product, that is not worth of a value

promissed.


Challenges to face:

•Simulation of financial sustainability vitnessed, that investing about

EUR 130000 in 21 park, within 3 years their economic impact would

increase to EUR 8,5 milj. , reaching on average from 6% to 60% of

total income in the particular administartive.


Should the historic parks become independent tourist attractions in Vidzeme in the future?

•Parks cover 2% of teritory of Latvia, that is still little used for

socio – economical development of the region and the state.


•The tourism industry in Vidzeme is looking for new

products and new markets.


•Increase of socio- economical value of manor parks will attract

financial resources, that will ensure survival of this heritage

group.


•Manor gardens are one of few heritage representatives, that does

not require the change of its original functioning (recreation),

therefore they need less interpretation and are easy mentaly

accessible.


•The physical pressure

and destruction, that are

consequences of

tourism in heritage sites

can be overcome by

sound management.

Conclusions

Recomendations:

• Central and North- east part of Vidzeme (Gulbene, Ape, Alūksne, Madona, Smiltene, Vecpiebalga) demonstrate the biggest potential in developing park and garden tourism in Vidzeme.

• Although in territories along seacost and in GNP this potential has been used to a lesser degree, there are lots of opportunities for the future.

High priority

Recomendations

• Regional and local governments in their planning documents to state documents their strong will of tourism development (historic parks in particular) and present a clear plan of how the aims would be reached (both in public and private sector).

• It essential that the most influencial state institutions on the value of park and garden tourism, the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Agriculture (T.Grizāne) include this group of heritage in their planning documents, thus ensuring financial support in conservation and reconstruction of historical parks (infrastructure).

At a political level:

Tourism product profile:

• A GH segment, parks and gardens in Vidzeme;

• Collection of data and their updating. There must be a data base founded, that would allow getting of a clear understanding of a situation in a given moment of time

• Target audience - over 60’s, 35-60 couples without children and hard working people without country house?(J.Connell);

• Main focus –product quality;

• A number of auxilary services, that would provide necessary income (J.Connell, T.Grizāne);

• Visit of the manor house would increase value of visitor experience (J.Connell)

• Preferably passive recreation in silent, beautifull, ordered environment (74% was sitting, 5,9% painting, 51% photo taking, 48% taking notes, J.Connell)

• Specialisation, finding something unique or supprising about the place (J.Connell)

• One EU fianced example project (Lost Gardens, the UK), that would explore parks, produce knowledge, and raise public awareness.

Recomendations

Marketing:

• Collection of information, visitor registration, questionaries etc., wherever possible.

• Those tourists, who are interested in cultural and nature tourism (only 8,6% of garden visitors visit also theme parks, Dž.Connell);

• Joined marketing, particulary to those parks with less than 20 000 visitors a year.

Recomendations

Thank you!

Documents

Green Heritage tourism implementation plan in Vidzeme.old.vidzeme.com/faili/20140730102407459.pdf · 2014-07-30 · applying stilistics characteristic to a particular period of time