Sustainable Marketing of Transformative Heritage Tourism

Book excerpt: This book proposes that sustainable marketing should be founded on a higher level of consciousness, governed by the Eastern ethical principles of dharma and karma. It suggests a socially responsible, integrated marketing strategy to boost transformational heritage tourism. The book puts forward a framework to promote and inspire transformative heritage tourism from a sustainable marketing perspective. Drawing on examples from different parts of the world such as Thailand, China, the USA, India, Australia, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Hong Kong, it takes a unique approach by integrating elements associated with distributive justice, procedural justice, morally motivated existentialist authentic experiences and the well-being of visited and visiting environments. The book pivots on the planning and marketing of heritage of communities such as local, descendent and indigenous across eight broad themes: (1) promotion and sustainable branding of heritage tourism; (2) empowerment of indigenous communities; (3) authenticity and conservation of heritage; (4) safeguarding of art, culture and cultural landscapes; (5) economic viability for the host communities; (6) interpretation and resolution of dissonant heritage representations; (7) stimulating audience engagement and co-created mindful spaces and; (8) facilitating moral consciousness and stimulating lasting inner transformation in guests and hosts. Scholars can replicate and/or test the proposed guided sustainable marketing model, referred to as the transformative heritage tourism pathway, which is adapted from a) the needs, activities and well-being sequential path of transformation and, b) the socially responsible sustainable marketing doctrine guided by the principles of 'dharma' and 'karma'. This book is unique as it stresses eudaimonia as the ultimate goal of well-being and argues that its pursuit can steer the sustained transformation route toward a higher sense of consciousness and responsible production and consumption of heritage resources. In summary, this book contributes toward advancing the dialogue on sustainable marketing and transformative heritage tourism. It will appeal to researchers, undergraduates and practitioners interested in sustainable marketing, transformative heritage tourism and social, ecological, cultural and economic welfare of visited and visiting destinations.