Problematic cultural heritage in the context of tourism and Bulgaria: Key concepts, main features, and contemporary research

Global trends of widening the scope of heritage for tourist consumption, as well as the growing interest among both producers and consumers in a more truthful and balanced representation of the past impose paying special attention to problematic cultural heritage in the context of tourism. Since the topic remains quite unpopular for tourism researchers in Bulgaria, this paper aims to present the key concepts explaining problematic heritage, outline the main features of such heritage as well as sketch contemporary research trends and gaps in this underestimated but promising academic field. Given the variety of terms used interchangeably in extant literature, the term “problematic” cultural heritage is proposed as appropriate for the Bulgarian context, emphasizing the notion of dissonant/contested heritage as a “problem to be solved”. Its relevance to Ottoman and communist heritage in the country is justified.