Historical Replication Preserves Cultural Heritage

Abstract

We propose a radically new approach to deal with major negative effects resulting from over-tourism. The major attractions of heavily visited historical sites are to be identically replicated in a new location emphasizing a vivid historical experience supported by modern technology. In the near future, an enormous increase in the number of tourists is predicted due to low flight prices and a great increase of cruise ship passengers. The local populations will be exposed to strong negative external effects, the cultural site will be damaged, and the environment polluted. Under our proposal, tourists will no longer visit the historical sites but will be exposed to Historical Replicas (HIRE) with more intense historical experience achieved through modern technology (such as holograms). Our proposal provides an alternative to today’s overcrowded historical sites doomed to destruction by over-tourism.

Keywords: historical replication, overtourism, overcrowding, cultural tourism

JEL Classification: R11, Z10, Z28, Z30, Z32