Heritage Tourism and Inherited Institutional Structures: The Case of Falun Great Copper Mountain

A strong institutional preference for educational and historical preservation of the 17th-century mining landscape at Falun's Great Copper Mountain World Heritage Site shapes contemporary tourism management, often overshadowing broader visions for heritage tourism development. This study reveals that while stakeholders share a goal to promote tourism, there is little consensus on defining the tourist product or interpreting the site's role in tourism activities. Skepticism exists regarding entertainment-focused attractions without educational value, reinforcing the prioritization of historical accuracy and mining heritage. The research combines interviews with stakeholders, official documents, and marketing materials to analyze path dependency and institutional structures, illustrating how inherited social and economic frameworks influence local development strategies.

Cassel, S. H., & Pashkevich, A. (2011). Heritage Tourism and Inherited Institutional Structures: The Case of Falun Great Copper Mountain. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 11(1), 54–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250.2011.540795