COMMODIFYING CULTURE AND TRADITIONS

Culture has become a commodity of some sort is undeniable, yet there is also a widespread belief that there is something so special about certain cultural products and events (be they in the arts, theatre, music, cinema, architecture or more broadly in localized ways of life, heritage, collective memories and affective communities) as to set them apart from ordinary commodities like shirts and shoes.

Tourism is the new favorite strategy for central city planners and is a central component of the economic, social and cultural shift that has left its imprint on the world system of cities in the past two decades. As a result, urban culture itself has become a commodity, and cities have a competitive advantage over suburbs. The most important group of travelers economically are those traveling on business, since these travelers spend the most. Globalization has greatly increased business travel, despite telecommunications, because decentralized production and outsourcing makes travel a necessity.

For those cities of the industrialized world, particularly those which have lost manufacturing, tourism has become the newest powerful transformation. It is the favourite strategy for local governments trying to develop their economies. This is because in many aspects the tourist economy resembles the manufacturing economy, in being able to employ people who do not have very high level of skills .The problem of the tourist economy is that it does not pay most people in it very well.  Eventhough tourism itself may be mass tourism, it is still part of the changing world, where the urban setting is much less dependent on its traditional industries than was the case in the past.

It is also a central component of the economic, social and cultural shift that has left its imprint on the global system of cities in the past two decades. So we have had this move toward the increasing importance of culture as a commodity as people are becoming more educated, as travel is becoming easier, as people are seeking places that are different.

With the help of the globalization,  technology has increased networking, increased travel, because even with e-mail, even with faxes, long distance telephone, and teleconferencing, travel is a necessity to maintain control.

In hong Kong, the culture venue such as Arts and Craft we displayed in a exhibition for free, but now they are charging to make money. Hong Past cultural heritage was showcasing their Arts and Crafts, their traditons, daily practices, cultural museum but now due to the westernised culture, Hong Kong have be influenced as well. They are also following the western concept to boom their tourism destination.

The world is becoming inter-connected through globalisation due to rapid changes in technology, mass media and communication.

The commercialisation of scientific and cultural activities through the increasing pressure conveyed through “funding mechanisms” to orient activity towards serving commercial rather than human interests.