We present opportunities for the development of alternative cultural tourism related to urban markets.
In our new project we will talk about the markets in Plovdiv and for the first time we will focus on their cultural heritage and how they can be part of cultural tourism in the city.
The markets are an embodiment of the local culture of the people and the city. In their own way, they are living museums that represent the cultural heritage and characteristics of the local communities. They are not only a place for trade and the exchange of goods, but are also spaces for socializing and the intersection of different social, cultural, and religious groups.
Despite many markets being physically transformed, renovated, or entirely rebuilt, they still preserve and uphold specific practices and knowledge that are passed down through generations. So far, Plovdiv does not present the cultural heritage of the markets as an opportunity for alternative cultural tourism in the city.
The commercialization of modern market relations, the increasing frequency of online shopping, which is gradually displacing people’s contact with the market, as well as its transformation into a market threaten the vitality and sustainability of the living culture of people and markets.
Endangered knowledge, skills and practices in selected markets in Plovdiv will be studied, with a focus on culture. The results will be articles and systematized materials published in a free bilingual guide, which will also be available online. Local partner organizations from various fields will be involved in the promotion. A public event is also planned, which will present the results through the method of storytelling.
The project is funded by the National Cultural Fund and is implemented in partnership with the foundation “Localfood.bg” in the face of the Farmer’s Market “Pendara”, The Tourism Council – Plovdiv, “Ariva Travel” and the Faculty of Philosophy and History of the Plovdiv University “Paisii Hilendarski”.
