OECD Culture and Local Development.pdf - PACA

2. LOCAL DEVELOPMENT BASED ON ATTRACTING VISITORS AND TOURISTS
reflecting the search for values or reference points, and it is for this reason that they
are protected. By contrast, while some studies have attempted to place a value on
these landscapes, they have generally approached the issue from the viewpoint of
environmental economics rather than cultural resource economics. Their purpose
has been primarily to see whether encroachments on these landscapes can be offset
by other, positive economic values 64 .
This problem of placing a value on landscapes as a source of economic spin-offs
is becoming more important, as shown by the study of Portugal’s olive groves
(Madureira, 2004). The question was whether a region of the North Douro should
conserve its traditional landscape of olive trees or let them continue to deteriorate
and then reforest the areas. The question was answered in two ways. First, using
contingent valuation, visitors were asked whether they would be willing to pay to
maintain the existing landscape, and how much (Cameron, 1998). The answers
suggested that the proceeds would not be enough to cover maintenance costs. The
second approach, which related more closely to debate over the future of the
Common Agricultural Policy, sought to determine whether farmers could be subsidised.
The weakness of the first method was that beneficiaries considered only part of the
benefits they would derive, and they underestimated some of the collective benefits.
Conversely, a government decision to subsidise producers could help to internalise
those benefits. These subsidies might not make up for the opportunity cost of
maintaining traditional activity, as other, more lucrative uses for the lands might appear.
Everyone is aware of the interest in conserving such landscapes, but producing the
public good that the landscape represents requires much more than conventional
financial incentives.
The four conditions of value-added
To summarise these points, it would seem that the contribution of cultural activities
depends both on the type of activity and on the features of the local territory. Culture
does not bring automatic benefits for a territory. There are four conditions that deserve
attention.
• Permanent activities seem to have the greatest potential. This is understandable,
for they can give rise to expectations and investments. On the contrary, many
fairs or festivals do not have the same effects: they may not succeed in
restructuring the local economic fabric in a positive way, or worse, they may
lead to the import of all the required resources, leaving the territory to pay
the bill. Having recognised their positive fallout in terms of image, we can still
speak of festivals of the wrong kind (“curse festivals”). The only solution for
the territory, then, is to use the festival as a basis or starting point for other
activities of an educational or economic nature, and some are certainly able
to do this.
CULTURE AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT - ISBN 92-64-00990-6 - © OECD 2005 83