Sustainability of Visitor Attractions and Events Sector in Japan

Visitor attractions and events/festivals are often a key element that has a power to allure day trippers and tourists to a certain locality. Generally, visitor attractions are understood as tangible tourism resources, whilst events/festivals are seen as intangible tourism resources. However, it is common to visitor attractions and events/festivals that a specific kind of cultural heritage serves as a main theme or purpose of both. This chapter looks at six types of visitor attractions each of which can be examined with Leask’s model for the categorisation of visitor attractions. These six can also be investigated in terms of the original meaning of cultural heritage they feature. Basically, religious sites, historic buildings, gardens, museums and galleries, and industrial heritage have their original and primary purposes other than tourism when they are built. On the other hand, amusement parks, including theme parks, are constructed mainly to entertain their visitors. Overall, the economic and socio-cultural sustainability of visitor attractions can be maintained or even improved by serving as tourism resources, whilst the environmental sustainability of visitor attractions, especially amusement or theme parks, can be challenged if they are closed without well-considered plan after closure. Of different types of events, mega or hallmark events such as the Olympics have a power to influence the economy, society and environment of hosting cities and beyond. Although they may be beneficial for the city or country’s economy and increase the level of local or national pride, facilities or structures built for mega or hallmark events always have a risk to be white elephants. Traditional festivals of Japan are called matsuri and they often represent a sort of cultural heritage unique to or prominent in a region; thus, their socio-cultural sustainability is crucial for the conservation of the cultural heritage.