Cultural Identity in the Tourism Development of Colombia

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1		Martín León Santiesteban	--	2170	2023-11-01 01:48:28	\|
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This entry is adapted from the peer-reviewed paper 10.3390/su152015082

cultural identity tourism development tourism attributes potential

1. Introduction

Cultural identity, a concept deeply ingrained in disciplines like archaeology, history, and anthropology, has been a subject of ongoing discussion for experts across the ages ^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]. It encompasses the unique set of values, traditions, and customs that define a particular group of people. This sense of identity forms the bedrock of a community’s self-perception and serves as a lens through which they view the world.

In the broader context of regional development, cultural identity plays a pivotal role in shaping the strategies employed to foster economic growth and improve the quality of life for the community. Governments worldwide have recognized the potential of tourism to achieve these objectives ^[8]^[9]. However, unlocking this potential requires a comprehensive understanding of the region’s cultural nuances, natural assets, and economic resources.

2. Frame of Reference

Studies carried out at international, national, and local levels allow to understand the state of the question asked and the relevance of addressing this issue, as well as the problems that arise in the general context of the cultural identity of places and how this impacts their positioning as being considered attractive for tourism in each of its manifestations.

In the international arena, the authors of ^[10] analyzed Yogyakarta’s cultural paradiplomacy using a descriptive–qualitative method and concluded that strategies such as visiting foreign territories, participating in international events, attending networks, and representation on behalf of the central government should be applied to disseminate its cultural identity. These strategies can be used as inspiration and a starting point to explore how to disseminate and promote Sincelejo’s cultural identity in an effective and relevant way. It is important to adapt and adjust these ideas to the local context to ensure their relevance and applicability.

The authors in ^[11] analyzed the presentation of cultural identity at three Maori tourist attractions in New Zealand. Through in-depth interviews with managers and staff, they found that Maori identity is conveyed to visitors through the physical setting, activities, and intangible dimensions of meaning. Cultural authenticity, achieved through cultural integrity, honesty, and etiquette, was found to be fundamental to the visitor experience. In conclusion, the text shows how Maori tourist attractions can preserve and share their culture with visitors through cultural authenticity and integrity, and how this can lead to sustainable tourism that fosters appreciation of Maori culture.

It is important to note the work conducted by ^[12], who discuss the Mista’arvim, Jewish undercover agents posing as Arabs to infiltrate Palestinian and Arab societies in the service of the Israeli army. These agents succeeded in their operations by transforming their Arab personalities into a performative imitations of ‘Arabs’. The article examines how the tactic of hista‘arvut sheds light on performative acts in the field of popular music, in which an Israeli Jewish identity is asserted through a ‘masked’ performance of Arabs. The term ‘sonic masking’ is introduced to delve into specific performative uses of an Arab accent and musical characteristics as an example of cultural hista‘arvut in the work of Israeli musicians Shefita, Daniel Sa’adon, and Tuna.

Research on cultural identity in Sincelejo could consider how performative representations and acts of masking can affect how cultural identity is constructed and promoted in the region. This could include an analysis of local cultural expressions, such as music, art, or traditional manifestations, to understand how performative and masking elements are used to assert a specific cultural identity.

The authors of ^[13] conducted a study in Colombia to investigate the country’s cultural identity, considering its ethnic and cultural diversity, and reviewed the literature on the psychological and social characteristics of different regional groups. This study is relevant for understanding Colombia’s cultural identity in the 21st century and its implications for the country, and it considers the pluriculturality and multiethnicity recognized in the Colombian Political Constitution of 1991. The variables considered are essential for analyzing the cultural identity of a country and its regions from a multicultural perspective.

This is why the Colombian Caribbean Region is covered by multiculturalism, composed of the departments of Atlántico, Bolívar, Cesar, Córdoba, Magdalena, Sucre, and La Guajira, which, although they have similarities, also have many differences in terms of their traditions. The author of ^[14] points out that in his study on the cultural manifestations of the region to determine the key elements in the configuration of the imagination of its cultural identity, its expressions contribute to the construction of a community.

Therefore, the notion of cultural identity is consistent with the evolution of the concept of culture and cultural heritage in relation to territory, which is why a universal culture is not determined based on the differences and specificities of the peoples of the world ^[15]. Thus, one of the foundations on which the culture of a territory is based corresponds to the heritage it possesses in terms of monuments, architectural and/or archaeological works, and from the point of view of history in relation to art, science, and places created by nature and or man that have exceptional value and contribute to the aesthetic, anthropological, and ethnological representativeness of a territory ^[16].

3. Cultural Identity: A Determining Factor in Tourism Development

Tourism and cultural identity are closely related in today’s globalized world, allowing contact, communication, and exchange. Cultural tourism is a sustainable alternative to mass tourism and represents the best model for local development in a turbulent global context. This is because it uses authentic destination characteristics and unique elements to differentiate itself from competitors and protect the cultural identity, values, lifestyle, and economy of local communities. Urošević examined tourists, residents, and experts, and it was found that the key elements of destination identity are heritage tourism, creative industries, multiculturalism, and local lifestyle ^[17].

Likewise, ^[18] states that cultural identity is a reaction to globalization as it becomes a wall against uniformity; it claims the relationship of cultures to each other based on their own cultural resources that can mutate or transform as they become available to everyone and according to the responsibility of each one. Moreover, local cultures do not disappear, but they are not transformed either ^[19]; neither are they static, but they are constantly constructed and reconstructed in the context of changing social and political relations ^[20]^[21]. This highlights the relationship between the local and the non-local, and how local identity is constructed and contested as a function of geopolitical dynamics and specific colonial legacies. In this sense, globalization can foster cultural diversity by bringing different cultures into contact with each other and encouraging their dialogue and collaboration.

The linkage between cultural identity and tourism reveals a close relationship between the local cultural context and tourism activity, which endows the territory with capacities for sustainable economic development ^[22]. This interdependence involves the public institution, action policy, environment, local population, and visitors. Integrating a tourism policy into a broader sustainable development strategy is essential to addressing environmental problems ^[23]. In this context, the measurement of cultural identity becomes crucial to understanding how the interaction between stakeholders affects mental well-being and individual and social functioning, ensuring responsible and equitable tourism.

The authors in ^[24] explain that cultural identity is manifested in the daily expressions of a community, such as language, social institutions, idiosyncrasies, popular culture, family relationships, art, and literature, which depend on independent variables that include historical time, geographic space, social class structure, ethnicity, migration, gender, and generations. This cultural identity, as an intangible resource, can be exploited for tourism promotion as it provides a sense of place and identity and influences the motivation and loyalty of tourists to a particular destination ^[25].

Gastronomy and hospitality are essential to cultural tourism and can be key to the economies of countries, regions, and localities ^[26]. According to ^[27], gastronomy is an important factor in niche travel and niche destinations, while ^[28] shows that cross-border collaboration in the wine industry can be used for the development and promotion of culture, regional identity, and tourism. Both studies highlight the importance of gastronomy and hospitality for cultural tourism and offer practical implications for project management and implementation in the sector ^[28].

Culture and identity are closely linked, with the former helping to shape the latter. Music, as a form of cultural expression, can play an important role in shaping the cultural identity of an individual or a group of people. In addition, music can also be a vehicle for promoting cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding, as it often reflects the unique traditions and perspectives of a community or country ^[29]^[30]^[31]^[32].

Cultural identity is expressed through music. In this regard, ^[33] describes how young people in Bangalore, India, use Western music to build a subculture outside the traditional structures of society, such as family, school, work, poverty, bureaucracy, and religion. In this sense, Western music becomes a space to explore and express a unique cultural identity and resist the cultural homogenization imposed by the dominant society.

Likewise, cultural identity is a complex construction that is formed through multiple factors, including history, geography, language, food, music, religion, and other customs, since they can be fundamental elements in the construction of cultural identity as they reflect the values and beliefs shared by a community and can influence their way of life and relationship with the world ^[20]^[34]. Certain authors, such as those in ^[20]^[31]^[32]^[33], have pointed out the importance of these aspects in the formation of cultural identity and their impact on the promotion of cultural diversity and intercultural understanding, manifested in all aspects of daily life and fundamental for the understanding and respect of cultural differences.

Cultural distance between destinations becomes relevant as it represents the cultural differences that influence the perception and experience of tourists when visiting a place. According to ^[35], this distance has a positive impact on foreign tourist arrivals and affects key aspects such as demand, travel group composition, behaviors, expenditures, and satisfaction. It is essential to take care of the presentation and promotion of the destination’s cultural identity to avoid its over-commercialization and, instead, promote sustainable tourism development that respects the local culture, which will contribute to preserving and enhancing the cultural authenticity of the place. Furthermore, the relevance of cultural distance as a determining factor in the choice of tourism destinations and its influence on the composition and behavior of tourism markets are highlighted ^[36].

The cultural identity of a destination is a distinctive and unique element that includes aspects such as history, heritage, traditions, and food. By safeguarding this cultural identity, the destination can attract tourists interested in an authentic experience. However, there is a risk that this culture may be over-commercialized for tourism consumption, which could affect its authenticity, which refers to the perception of a cultural experience, and which may be affected by the commodification of tourism. However, ^[37] argues that authenticity is a negotiable concept and that commercialization does not necessarily destroy the meaning of cultural products but can add new meanings. Furthermore, ^[38] found that cultural identity influences the perception of authenticity, tourist satisfaction, and loyalty to the destination.

4. The Importance of Models for Assessing Cultural Identity

The measurement of cultural identity is crucial because of its influence on people’s mental well-being and both individual and social functioning, and it is closely related to key concepts such as religion, attitudes toward family, leisure, rituals, food, and language. Measuring cultural identity can be complicated, so it is important to have a multifaceted instrument to better understand it ^[39]. One way to do this is through models, creating indicators that allow for a better understanding of the representations of reality and facilitating understanding, in a clear and simple way, of the different variables and relationships established between them. For ^[40], it is an external representation, created by researchers, teachers, engineers, etc., that facilitates the understanding or teaching of the systems or states of the affairs of the world.

Therefore, measurement models are very important for decision-making in tourist destinations as well as for the articulation of the people and communities of these places. a specific case that shows this relevance accounts for the process of integrated and participatory municipal tourism management in the Municipality of Zaña, which, in 2017, revealed that 56% of the people they surveyed were unaware and did not agree with the tourism planning process, indicating a lack of community participation in decision-making ^[41].

To this end, an integrated and participatory municipal tourism management model has been created that strengthens the cultural tourism offer and contributes to local economic and social development, as validated by experts. The implementation of this model seeks to improve community participation and knowledge of tourism issues and promote sustainable tourism in the area ^[41].

These models should consider the components of the tourism product that promote cultural identity and community participation in tourism-related decision-making. These can be fundamental to promoting sustainable and responsible tourism development while fostering local development and preserving cultural identity in an orderly and sustainable manner.

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Martín León-Santiesteban

Martha Cecilia Mendez-Prada

Yolanda Patricia Cardona-Arce

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