Tourism - significant driver shaping a destinations heritage

Tourism is a complex socio-economic phenomenon and without doubt one of the most important forces shaping the society in which we live. Tourism is becoming a significant instrument for economic rejuvenation and development and for enhancing and preserving an area's heritage. Tangible-intangible, movable-immovable or spiritual heritage assets become promoters for regeneration and growth of a destination. This paper deeply analyses the way in which tourism can be associated with the sustainable development pattern, by valorising the destinations heritage. The analysis is qualitative and divided into two parts: argumentation of the tourism importance for economy; explanation of South East Europe context, in particular five member states of UE, insisting on the main tourism heritage correlations, from the point of view of the sustainable development pattern. The study directs to the better understanding of the potential contribution which tourism can have to the sustainable development of the developing regions and their heritage. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.