Relationship between tourism and heritage from a tourist perspective: synergy, complementarity and antagonism

For decades, scholars have emphasized the strong relationship between tourism and heritage. Many scholars have already shown that they are an inevitable couple. Considering the significant research that confirms their connection, the relationship between heritage and tourism was not fully explored from a tourist point of view even though a heritage experience exists only through the eyes of those who look at it. Consequently, in this study, conducted in Gyeongju, South Korea, we explored the bond between heritage and tourism from the eyes of tourists. This study utilizes ethnographic approaches ranging from in-depth interviews to friendly conversations with domestic tourists. Three types of relations between tourism and heritage are proposed based on individual interpretations and narratives that articulate and confirm tourism experiences: synergistic, complementary and antagonistic.