Eremenko Yu.A. Cultural values in the system of commercialization of cities: the experience of the world cultural heritage of Veliky Novgorod and Pskov. Bulletin of Tver State University. Series: History, 2019, No. 3(51), pp. 4-14.

Abstract

Under conditions of competition between cities on the tourist market, a city’s image is constructed through emphasizing individuality and cultural value. This article considers the position of the World Heritage status in the system of the commercialization of cultural values, inside the conditions presented by Russian urban space. The research question focuses on the extent to which objects with recognized cultural value, such as World Heritage Sites, are included in commercialization strategies. The article also considers what assessments internal experts make of this status and how it affects the popularity of Veliky Novgorod and Pskov among tourists. Empirically, the research is based on expert interviews with representatives of the city administration, employees of museums and tourist centers, and representatives of local businesses and city activists. The study showed that the World Heritage Sites in Veliky Novgorod and Pskov are not participating in a commercialization strategy related to tourism. Cultural values are commercialized in Russia regardless of the status of World Cultural Heritage. Through the examples of Veliky Novgorod and Pskov, we see that objects that do not have the status of World Heritage can be as commercially beneficial as objects without this status.