Critical gaps in cultural sustainability within Irish tourism policy

Leonova, Yaroslava (2025) Critical gaps in cultural sustainability within Irish tourism policy. Undergraduate thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

This study explores critical gaps in cultural sustainability within Irish tourism policy, where heritage is often instrumentalised for economic growth at the expense of community agency and intangible cultural heritage (ICH). Through qualitative analysis of national heritage strategies (Heritage Ireland 2030), regional tourism frameworks (e.g., Wild Atlantic Way), and county-level plans, supplemented by the case study of the Burren Ecotourism Network, the research reveals systemic fragmentation: policy silos, spatial inequity, and the marginalisation of ICH persist despite rhetorical commitments to sustainability. Findings demonstrate that community-led initiatives sustain cultural vitality but lack institutional integration. In response, the study proposes the Renaissance of Heritage framework—a conceptual intervention reframing cultural sustainability as a dynamic, participatory process centred on four principles: (1) Community Agency in governance, (2) Institutional Recognition of ICH, (3) Spatial Equity, and (4) Institutional Coordination. Rather than rejecting tourism, the proposed paradigm reinterprets it as cultural exchange that promotes local continuity. While operational indicators require further development, this framework offers the critical foundation for realigning tourism policy with living heritage practices, advocating for institutional collaboration and community authorship as essential for authentic sustainability.

Item Type:	Thesis (Undergraduate)
Supervisors:	Name Email -, - UNSPECIFIED
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > Economics J Political Science > JN Political institutions (Europe) > Ireland H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Specific Industries > Tourism Industry
Divisions:	School of Business (- 2025) > BA (Honours) in Business Studies
Depositing User:	Ciara O'Brien
Date Deposited:	19 Mar 2026 14:37
Last Modified:	19 Mar 2026 14:37
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/9184

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