Over the past few years, a new idea sprang up to help bring Southeast Colorado out of the economic doldrums. The effort is known as heritage tourism, and it was expected to make a big difference in the area. So, what went wrong? High Country News asked that question in an in-depth investigation last week. Garnering support for heritage tourism in the region has proven untenable. Opponents insist that heritage areas are a mechanism to expand the power of the federal government.
Heritage tourism brings in visitors who want to experience an area’s natural and human history. Since 1984, the National Park Service has designated 49 national heritage areas across the country.
Unlike national parks, the government neither owns nor manages all lands within a heritage area. Instead, heritage areas recognize “lived-in landscapes” with a cohesive identity.