From blue to grey tourısm: cultural brand or culture of trademarks

Abstract

This communication aims at analyzing the fact that tourist destinations are changing in recent times; as Ashworth called it ‘a change from blue to grey tourism’. It moves away from the traditional commonplace model of "Sun and Beach", towards another range of products designed to exploit the existing or made up heritage. The rising number of tourists with 'specific interests' attracted to places with their own identity does not match the original product of ‘Sun and Beach’ and its consequent acculturation. The new tourist consumption includes new products: culture and heritage. The final result is a series of 'blue and grey' products: natural or historic heritage, arranged in a catalog, and manufactured, packaged and distributed with the intention to be consumed. As a consequence, what should above all be a "cultural landmark" given its transcendental value for all human beings, is suffering extreme commercialization that is leading us to labeling it as a "culture of trademarks".