Heritage
and tourism have become inextricably linked. Depending on the view point, the
effect of this link can be seen either negative or positive. Does tourism
produce inauthentic and falsified tradition, threatening cultural heritage? Or
does it, in fact, help to preserve heritage, culture and folklore in a changing
and globalising world? In this
book, Tuomas Hovi investigates heritage in the context of Dracula tourism in
Romania: tourists visiting places connected with either the fictional vampire Dracula
or the historical Dracula, Vlad the Impaler, a 15^th century Romanian
ruler. How is Romanian heritage and culture presented and
promoted through a seemingly superficial Dracula tourism based on Western popular
culture? And is it even possible to find Romanian heritage through popular
fiction in Dracula tourism? Finding Heritage Through Fiction in Dracula
Tourism offers new perspectives on the research literature concerning
tourism and heritage, and a folkloristic view of tourism research.

PhD Tuomas Hovi is a folklorist from the
University of Turku. His areas of expertise include tourism, heritage,
authenticity, cultural identity, and popular culture.