About partners for livable

Tourism by the Numbers
 
• Tourism is directly responsible 
for 5% of the world’s GDP.
• The tourist sector employs 1 out 
of every 12 people around the 
world, and 1 out of 8 in the US.
• In the US, tourists spend more 
than $800 billion each year.
• 2.7% of US GDP can be 
attributed to travel and tourism.
• Travel is among the top 10 
industries in 48 states and the 
District of Columbia.
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Cultural Heritage Tourism
CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURISM
As the term implies, cultural heritage tourism involves visiting places that are significant to the past or 
present cultural identity of a particular group of people. In the United States, America’s rich history has 
created a vibrant and complex patchwork of cultural heritages. Americans are accustomed to an array of 
compound identities—African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Irish Americans, Italian 
Americans, Native Americans—that jointly indicate the communities from which they come and the 
nation they now share. 
While this lively history has long been honored in festivals and parades, cultural heritage goes deeper 
than merely an occasion for celebration. Cultural heritage encompasses what a particular group of people 
has in common that makes them different from others. At a broad level, there is an American culture that 
helps to define all Americans, but there are also a host of different traditions that shape a range of more 
distinct cultural backgrounds. For newer immigrants, this heritage is rooted in the language, customs and 
practices brought over from their respective countries of origin. But for Americans whose families have 
been here for generations, cultural heritage comes 
from the history and experiences these groups have 
shared over the years.
While music, movies and other media help tell some 
of the stories about different cultures and heritages, 
there is still much to be learned about the experiences 
of the many communities that make up the United 
States.
Cultural heritage tourism provides an opportunity for 
people to experience their culture in depth, whether 
by visiting attractions, historical or culturally relevant 
places, or by taking part in cultural activities. As 
it is strictly defined by the National Association of 
State Arts Agencies, “cultural heritage tourism is based on the mosaic of places, traditions, art forms, 
celebrations and experiences that portray this nation and its people, reflecting the diversity and character 
of the United States.”
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Put another way, the National Trust for Historic Preservation defines cultural heritage tourism as “travel to 
experience the places, artifacts and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past 
and present, including cultural historic and natural resources.”