Tourism and the symbols of identity

This article discusses some of the issues surrounding the relationship between heritage tourism and national identity (focusing upon England). It argues that heritage tourism is a powerful force in the construction and maintenance of a national identity because it relies upon the historic symbols of the nation as a means of attracting tourists. Thus, the tourism industry, through its use of ‘our heritage’, becomes yet another means by which contemporary concepts of nation-ness are defined. Such a position has implications for the way in which sites are managed and promoted.