Local Development Policies for Heritage Tourism

The central purpose of this paper is to question to which extent local heritage may function as a facilitator for local tourism development. In other words, the often unremarkable nature of heritage components within the boundaries of a municipality is a common deterrent for successful commodification and marketization, yet they are always present in any local tourism plan. Two case studies, namely Oliveira de Azeméis in Portugal and Al Ain in the UAE, are used to substantiate this discussion, and to advocate for feasible, well-dimensioned approaches, both from a top-down and a community-based perspective.