By: Dianne Jacob, Visit Tampa Bay
Throughout the centuries anthropologists have studied cultures to understand how they lived and one of the most reliable sources of historical record is the art and artifacts of the people. We leave our imprint on this world through our creative pursuits in many mediums and depicting all aspects of our daily lives. Our country, our cities and our neighborhoods are rich with impressions from our pasts. That cultural imprint becomes the very fabric and flavor of our modern culture in Tampa Bay.
We all play a role in creating history in our community, as well as continuing its legacy. From family traditions passed down from generation to generation to new customs and behaviors created as we adapt to our ever-evolving communities, we must share our culture with others, visitors, so that it continues to thrive. The flavor of our community, of any community, belongs to us, and it’s ours to share.
Just as it is ours to share, visitors pursue those things that make a city unique, and allow them to insert themselves, if only for a short time, into a culture that is not their own. Cultural tourism is one of the fastest growing segments of the travel industry with travelers hungry to see, experience and taste the history, architecture and art of the destination they visit. Not to mention this is a group that contributes $192 billion annually to the US economy and tends to spend more and stay longer than the non-cultural and heritage travelers.
Becoming immersed in a destination’s culture and welcomed like family is the experience they seek and what makes them desire to return. Tampa offers a tremendously rich environment for cultural tourism with our ethnically diverse historic neighborhoods, such as Ybor City and West Tampa, not to mention Tampa icons such as Plant Hall at the University of Tampa, originally the most expensive hotel in the world, and the Tampa Theatre, both in the Moorish architectural style of the era.
Although there is a subset of cultural tourists that follow a particular genre of art, architecture, ethnic interest or festivals, we know that cultural tourists are not generally drawn to a destination to study its culture as the primary reason for the trip. Rather, they tend to seek out their interests once they are here and rely on residents to point out the local gems.
Tampa provides artistic treasures and iconic symbols as part of a culture that can be found nowhere else in the world, but may not be easy to find. Those who reside in any given community or culture are the ambassadors for sharing that culture. Essentially, residents are the most vital component of any culture. They are the experts and aficionados of that community and the richness of its history. As such, it is vital that they embrace the concept of cultural tourism and invite visitors to experience the cultural depth of Tampa Bay.
So the next time you have family or friends visiting Tampa, be sure to point out the uniqueness of our wonderful city, the melting pot it has become over many generations and treat them to an experience that is authentically Tampa.
