Intangible cultural heritage in travel content

It’s a mystery as to why the UN’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage is not better known in sustainable tourism circles. The whole idea of this list is that they don’t become so intangible that they disappear completely. From culinary to poetry traditions, dances to dramatic performances, there are cultural heritage gems around the globe that the UN seeks to protect. And when they gain this recognition of being not only intangible but also indispensable, they are added to the UN’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. 

“Georgians were making wine eight thousand years ago...we respect our past very much and we are building new experiences from our past. And I think this is very healthy.” - Keto Ninidze, winery owner, Georgia

How to touch on the intangible in your travel content

We were honored to film these traditional wine producers of Georgia whose wine producing methods date back 8000 years. Kvevri (or qvevri) wine-making, named after the egg-shaped earthenware vessels where the wine is stored, often underground, is still practiced in many villages. Communities pass down these methods through generations, and all partake in the grape harvesting and wine-making traditions. This is why they now feature on the UN’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, in the hope that this official protection has meant that these traditions will be preserved.

Special qualities are often sustainable ones

Your organization or destination may have intangible traditions which have not reached the heights of the UN, but which are still worth creating content about. Ask yourself the following questions and see if they evoke content ideas that you can use to promote your tourism business or destination. That way you can not only create unique content but also get back in touch with aspects of a place that are, quite simply, special to the people who live there. 

The love factor

What is it about the place you live that you love most? Is it the way local people always picnic in the park in summer? Is it the smell of cinnamon from the local bakery? Is it the community festival that happens every year? Where are the stories that capture a real sense of place and which aren't told to visitors? It may be time to share the love in your content. 

“I think Maine’s Midcoast is really unique because it’s an exciting place and very invigorating to be around people who are doing things that they really love.” - Sarah McNeil, Co-founder Odd Alewives Farm Brewery, Maine, USA

Stories of sense memories

Which sense memories do visitors retain when they leave your destination? It may be the smell of the sea as the lobster fishermen bring in their catch. Or the sound of the women sifting fonio grain on the streets of Dakar, Senegal. The taste of a locally brewed beer after a sunset swim, or the feeling you get as you walk through a springy Estonian bogland, with cranberries bouncing underfoot. Do they skate on frozen lakes in winter? If so, what sound memories do they have? The groaning ice or the sound of steel cutting through ice ? Have you captured that on film, podcasts or in poetry even? The senses conjure content galore. Sometimes, your visitors may just treasure the memories of the sound of silence.

“I can save a product like fonio by introducing it to the world, and food is a great way to introduce a culture.” - Chef Pierre Thiam

You are the influencers

In some parts of the world there is an innate sense of positivity that emanates from a community that is passionate about place. Sometimes this community is so deeply invested emotionally in sharing this with visitors, that they are oblivious to the fact that it is actually them, and their infectious passion that visitors love so much. In this case, you are the real influencers in a place, not the social media ones. So think about the content you can create around your own stories. The poets, the singers, the farmers, the community gardeners or the local soccer team even. Take control of your own stories and share them with the world.

In our film Thai Wisdom and Wellness, Supan Inthachai, founder of Baan Rai Kong homestay community in Thailand’s Chiang Mai region, hits the nail on the head talking about local and organic food: “We use food as medicine. When your heart is full you’re not stressed. We have a good heart. Bright smiles on our faces. It’s connected.”

Hungry for food stories

On the UN list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, there are many goodies in the food and drink departments. These include the ‘Knowledge, know-how and practices pertaining to the production and consumption of couscous’ in Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia; Il-Ftira, which is the traditional art of making sourdough bread in Malta; or Nsima, the culinary tradition of Malawi which uses maize flour to make a staple porridge. The list is long and fascinating, and makes you think that nearly every place has some tasty tale to tell.

“We’re here for our guests. We’re here for them. They put food on our table, right? And so we need to make sure we respect that.” - Chando Madrigal, CEO and founder, Chando’s Enterprises, Sacramento, USA.

Crafts and artisan skills

Arts festivals, craft markets and artisan quarters have long been a feature of tourism. Sometimes these skills and traditions are unique to your area and engaging content can be built around this. In many cases, they are being regenerated as part of a contemporary tourism product. The handmade Christmas tree decorations of Czechia (Czech Republic) is one fine example of this, a tradition that has been added to the UN list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Or the artisan skills of making iron cowbells in Alcáçovas in Portugal, the sound of which rings through the region. It’s time to get crafty with content. 

“Fiskars isn’t just an art and design destination. It’s a very diverse place and it’s that diversity that makes this a highly sought after place to visit, with a high amount of returning visitors.” - Kari Selkälä, General Manager Fiskars Village