Authenticity And Sense Of Place In The Tourism Development Experience Of Older Retail Districts

Abstract

Certain older retail districtsprovideparticularfascinationfortourists by offering experiences of the past or of otherplaces. Tourism and retail development are major components in these "thematic" retail districts. A survey of theme-oriented older retail districts in Washington, Oregon, and northern California found three basic development orientations: conservation, image development, and economic development. The different characteristics of each orientation afford a basis for formulating appropriate development plans.