Page 38 - World Heritage and Tourism Innovation

Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage

value of intangible heritage has affected its inclusion as a tourist attraction can prevent it from losing its
in tourism (Melis & Chambers, 2021), and a strong- authenticity (Park, 2014), which can hurt the local
er tourism valorisation of intangible heritage assets and regional identity in a way that cannot be fixed.
has been noticeable only in the last fifteen or so years Intangible and tangible cultural assets included on the
(Petronela, 2016; Drpić & Rudan, 2019). As with tan- UNESCO World Cultural Heritage lists are protected
gible cultural heritage, the crucial role in better pro- and saved from oblivion but are branded more than
tecting intangible cultural heritage is raising aware- other intangible and tangible cultural assets and,
ness of its value, promoting it, and strengthening the therefore, exposed to excessive commodification
tourism valorisation contributed by UNESCO. In 2008, when transformed into tourism products (Cole, 2007;
the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage was Adie, 2014). This commodification has initiated inten-
established. Today, there are three lists of intangible sive discussions in academic circles as to whether the
cultural heritage under UNESCO: 1) the Representative inclusion of cultural assets on the UNESCO lists is a
List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humani- blessing or burden (Pyykkönen, 2012; Moy & Phong-
ty; 2) the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need panichanan, 2014; Caust & Vecco, 2017) and whether
of Urgent Safeguarding; and 3) the Register of Good the UNESCO lists contribute to “producing heritage”
Safeguarding Practises (UNESCO, 2022). (Hameršak & Pleše, 2013; Zebec, 2013).
Croatia has recognised the value of its intangible Though there are many examples of good practises
cultural heritage early on, as reflected in the many in integrating all forms of intangible cultural heritage
protected intangible cultural assets under the Croa- included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, there
tian Ministry of Culture and Media. The Intangible
Cultural Property Register of the Republic of Croatia are no generally accepted models of valorising it in
includes 209 secure intangible cultural assets classi- terms of tourism. Therefore, the Sinjska Alka, a case
fied into the following five categories: 1) oral tradi- study for this research, is an example of the tourism
tion, expressions, and speeches; 2) performing arts; 3) valorisation of Croatian intangible heritage included
customs, rituals, and ceremonies; 4) knowledge and on the UNESCO world heritage lists.
skills; and 5) traditional crafts (Ministry of Culture
and Media of the Republic of Croatia, 2022b). Among Research Goals and Methods
these, 18 intangible cultural assets have been on the This research aims to analyse the transformation of
UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage list, i.e., the Sinjska Alka, an intangible cultural asset, into a
sixteen of them on the Representative List of Intan- tourism product of the Town of Sinj. The Sinjska Alka,
gible Heritage of Humanity and one intangible asset a knights’ tournament, has been held continuously
on each of the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in every year since 1715 and has been included in the
Need of Urgent Safeguarding and on the Register of UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultur-
Good Safeguarding Practices for Intangible Assets, al Heritage of Humanity since 2010. The Sinjska Alka
placing Croatia 7th in the world and 3rd in Europe in was an example of good practice when the Sinjska
terms of the number of intangible cultural assets on Alka Museum was opened in 2015, transforming the
the UNESCO lists (Ministry of Culture and Media of Sinjska Alka from a one-day to a year-round tourist
the Republic of Croatia, 2022a; 2022b; UNESCO, 2022). attraction and branding the new museum as an iden-
The question remains as to the manner of ade- tity builder for Sinj as a tourist destination.
quately valorising intangible cultural assets in terms The research is based on analyses of tourism statis-
of tourism and preserving them for future generations tics for the Town of Sinj, registered visits to the Alka
while, on the other hand, enriching tourism supply Museum and the Sinjska Alka event, presentations of
while not excessively commodifying intangible cul- the Sinjska Alka and the Alka Museum in tourist bro-
tural heritage (Du Cross & McKercher, 2020). More chures published by the Sinj Tourist Board, and in-
commercialisation of any intangible cultural heritage terviews with key stakeholders from the local public.

34 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference