Case Study

Tourism, Heritage and Creativity: Divergent Narratives and Cultural Events in Mexican World Heritage Cities

Marco Hernández-Escampa, Daniel Barrera-Fernández

2020

Creative Cities off the Beaten Path
Journal of Arts Management and Cultural Policy 2020 (1)

P. 79-100

DOI: doi 10.14361/zkmm-2020-0105

Language: English

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Abstract

This work compares two major Mexican events held in World Heritage cities. Guanajuato is seat to The Festival Internacional Cervantino. This festival represents the essence of a Mexican region that highlights the Hispanic past as part of its identity discourse. Meanwhile, Oaxaca is famous because of the Guelaguetza, an indigenous traditional festival whose roots go back in time for five centuries. Focused on cultural change and sustainability, tourist perception, identity narrative, and city theming, the analysis included anthropological and urban views and methodologies. Results show high contrasts between the analyzed events, due in part to antagonist (Indigenous vs. Hispanic) identities. Such tension is characteristic not only in Mexico but in most parts of Latin America, where cultural syncretism is still ongoing.

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