The Tourist Spectacularization of World Cultural Heritage: the Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

Abstract

The management of cultural references, converted in heritage through administrative actions by the State, and its spectacular representation in the tourist space of historic cities is the central object of the present work. Here, will be analyzed the process of transformation of the material set built Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay, World Cultural Heritage, into core of tourist-cultural spectacle that attracts eager visitors for sensory and experiential contact with the past. Through a theoretical and critical discussion about the dynamics of actions and activities developed at the site, will present itself here, the results of the local spectacular dimension associated with practices, services and products developed and offered in the Historic Quarter, which project the spectacle as the central object of th visitation experience (dramatization, colorization, interactive interpretation, souvenirs stores and promotion of sensory experiences). Investigate and discuss theoretically this reality allows us to compose a set of critical results about symbolic redefinition of heritage seen, in front of the projected image around in the past, as allegorized goods for tourist consumption.