Tourism and Cultural Heritage at the Seaside: A Match Made in Heaven

This article deals with the relationship between tourism and intangible cultural heritage from an unexpected angle: tourism as intangible cultural heritage. At the Belgian coast many cultural practices such as making paper beach flowers , eating ice cream and riding a go-cart or billenkar exist today because of the growth of tourism in the coastal area in the last hundred years. Since congé payé (paid leave) was introduced in 1936, for many Belgian people the Belgian coast became the preferred nearby holiday destination. Many cultural practices were, therefore, formed at the Belgian coast, wherein tourism and intangible cultural heritage are undeniably linked to each other. The traditions and customs are upheld by both locals and tourists who do not always see the importance of these practices from a heritage perspective. Therefore, heritage institutions such as the erfgoedcel have a unique role in promoting consciousness about what intangible cultural heritage is, why these practices are an important dimension of our cultural heritage and how each and every one of us keeps it alive just by going on holiday. Erfgoedcel Kusterfgoed believes that this institution-based approach creates opportunities to start a dialogue about this intangible heritage and can also serve as a way to address tourism in a more conscious and sustainable way.