Os museus e o património cultural imaterial: Estratégias para o desenvolvimento de boa práticas

omando como referência fundamental o trabalho desenvolvido pela UNESCO em matéria de proteção do Património Cultural Imaterial (PCI), muito particularmente a Convenção para a Salvaguarda do Património Cultural Imaterial (2003), considerou-se oportuno refletir sobre as implicações que este enfoque traz para os museus. São indiscutíveis as repercussões que este instrumento trouxe para o reconhecimento da importância do PCI à escala internacional, motivando um crescendo de iniciativas em tomo da sua salvaguarda. São vários os agentes envolvidos na preservação deste património, no entanto o International Council of Museums (ICOM) reconhece um papel central aos museus nesta matéria. Mas para responder a este repto, os museus terão que repensar as suas estratégias de forma a relacionar-se mais com o PCI, contrariando uma longa tradição profundamente enraizada na cultura material. O presente estudo reflete sobre as possibilidades de actuação dos museus no sentido de dar resposta aos desafios da Convenção 2003, sendo certo que a partir das catividades dos museus é possível encontrar formas de estudar e de dar visibilidade a este património. Em função das especificidades de cada museu, podem ser encontradas estratégias de salvaguarda do PCI, entre as quais se pode incluir o inventário e a documentação (audiovisual, texto, áudio, imagem), a investigação, a divulgação através de exposições e publicações, difusão através da internet, educação não formal, entre outras actividades. Alguns museus começaram já a desenvolver abordagens integradas para a salvaguarda do PCI, cujos exemplos se apresentam. Este tema suscita vários desafios, implicando práticas museológicas inovadoras que possam reflectir o papel dos museus como promotores da diversidade e criatividade cultural. ABSTRACT: Recalling the UNESCO's work towards the protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), in particular the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage adopted in 2003, I took this opportunity to reflect upon the implications that this recognition brings to museums. The overwhelming success of this document has raised the importance of ICH at international level, motivating a growing number of initiatives towards its safeguard. Accordingly, to the 2003 Convention, there are many agents involved in the preservation of this heritage, yet the International Council of Museums (ICOM) recognizes a central role for museums. Nevertheless, to face this challenge, museums will have to rethink their relationship with ICH in opposition to their deep rooted tradition in material culture. The present study reflects upon the possibilities that museums have to answer the changeling 2003 Convention, recognizing that it’s possible through museum activities to find ways to study and give visibility to ICH. According to each museum specificities, it seems clear that strategies can be engaged in order to promote the safeguard of ICH, including inventory and documentation (audiovisual, audio, text and image), research, promotion through exhibitions, publications, dissemination trough internet and other means, informal education, among other activities. Many museums have already started exploring integrated approaches towards the safeguard of ICH and some of these examples are presented in this study. This theme is challenging, implying innovative museum practices which reflect on museums role towards the promotion of cultural diversity and creativity.

Expenditure pattern analysis of cultural tourists at World Heritage Sites: an empirical evidence based on CHAID analysis

Nowadays, World Heritage Sites (WHS) have been facing new challenges, partially due to a different tourism consumption patterns. As it is highlighted in a considerable amount of studies, visits to these sites are almost justified by this prestigious classification and motivations are closely associated with their cultural aspects and quality of the overall environment (among others, Marujo et al, 2012). However, a diversity of tourists’ profiles have been underlined in the literature. Starting from the results obtained in a previous study about cultural tourists’ profile, conducted during the year 2009 in the city of Évora, Portugal, it is our intend to compare the results with a recent survey applied to the visitors of the same city. Recognition of Évora by UNESCO in 1986 as “World Heritage” has fostered not only the preservation of heritage but also the tourist promotion of the town. This study compares and examined tourists’ profile, regarding from the tourists’ expenditure patterns in Évora. A total of 450 surveys were distributed in 2009, and recently, in 2015, the same numbers of surveys were collected. Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) was applied to model consumer patterns of domestic and international visitors, based on socio demographic, trip characteristics, length of stay and the degree of satisfaction of pull factors. CHAID allowed find a population classification in groups that able to describe the dependent variable, average daily tourist expenditure. Results revealed different patterns of daily average expenditure amongst the years, 2009 and 2015, even if primarily results not revealed significant variations in socio-demographic and trip characteristics among the visitors’ core profile. Local authorities should be aware of this changing expensive behavior of cultural visitors and should formulate strategies accordingly. Policy and managerial recommendations are discussed.