Periódico: Journal of Tourism and Heritage Research
Fonte: Journal of Tourism and Heritage Research; Vol 7 No 2 (2024): Journal of Tourism and Heritage Research; 130-148
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Resumo: The systematization of creative tourism practices implemented in the context of Mexico's Creative Cities program is the central objective of this paper. These nine cities, recognized by UNESCO for their cultural vitality, offer a unique intersection of creativity, cultural heritage and tourism, positioning them as a catalytic network for sustainable development in the contemporary tourism landscape. Thus, the concept of creative tourism is unveiled to facilitate meaningful interactions between travelers and local culture; the backdrop of the Mexican Creative Cities is established, analyzing the use of their designation by UNESCO with the promotion of creative industries and the preservation of intangible cultural assets through tourism. It delves into the creative tourism offer, showing how visitors actively engage with the creative essence of the cities and examines the narratives constructed by and for tourists, considering the potential for exoticization or commodification of local cultures by foreigners. The overall picture of the influence of creative tourism practices on the transformation of urban cultural identities is discussed, as well as a nuanced understanding of their impact on both tourists and host communities. Finally, the contribution of creative tourism to the preservation or transformation of cultural heritage in the cities analyzed is concluded.