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Tejashree Lakras, Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research Pune, IndiaAbstract
Architectural heritage site (AHS), as a commercial filming location attracts significant tourism, including a distinct type- Film-Induced Tourism (FIT). Tourism academia has been extensively documenting the impacts of this tourism type on the management of respective destinations. The scholarships, however, exploring the specificity of heritage sites are limited and rooted in the global West. Studies on the Indian scenario are negligible. This paper, therefore, analyses the encounter of the FIT with the Indian heritage sites and following management challenges, through select illustrations. The interdisciplinary theoretical framework consists of: ‘FIT Taxonomy’, Bakiewicz et al.(2022),‘Layers of Meanings’, Weiler & Gutschow (2017), ‘Film impact on audiences’, Roberge (2010), and 'Emotional Heritage and Conservation', Smith (2006). The framework guided the identification of qualitative methods, including random and purposive sampling, participant observations, personal interviews, and focus group discussions with open-ended questionnaires to capture the diverse experiences of tourists, tour guides, site authorities, and local residents. The interpretative themes emerging through the experiential insights include: Tourists' taxonomy, Heritage interpretation, and Site Management Challenges. The results showed, that the receipt of FIT footfall while filming is as large as post-film appearance, particularly, at Indian AHS, creating unique taxonomy. Lack of awareness about the phenomenon from authoritative side, values only the commercial aspects and puts pressures on the maintenance of the historicity and conservation of AHS. The conclusions, therefore, substantiate the immense need for more scholarly knowledge production on this topic, which can develop holistic conservation strategies for such heritage sites at both national and global levels.a
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