CULTURE and HERITAGE Tourism i 1 UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUES AND SUCCESS FACTORS

Centres Program. STCRC is Australia's largest dedicated tourism research organisation, with over $187 million invested in tourism research programs, commercialisation and education since 1997. The aim of STCRC research is to underpin the development of a dynamic, internationally competitive and sustainable tourism industry. STCRC is a not-for-profit company owned by its industry, government and university partners. STCRC falls under the Commonwealth CRC program, which aims to turn Australia's research and innovations into successful new products, services and technologies, making our industries more efficient, productive and competitive. The program emphasises the importance of collaboration between business and researchers to maximise the benefits of research through an enhanced process of utilisation, commercialisation and technology transfer. STCRC's objectives are to enhance: x the contribution of long-term scientific and technological research and innovation to Australia's sustainable economic and social development x the transfer of research outputs into outcomes of economic, environmental or social benefit to Australia x the value of graduate researchers to Australia x collaboration among researchers, between researchers and industry or other users; and x efficiency in the use of intellectual and other research outcomes. This document profiles key Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre (STCRC) research in the field of cultural and heritage tourism, an important and growing component of the Australian tourism landscape. This publication has been developed with both industry and custodians of cultural and heritage assets in mind. It brings together summaries, statistics, key findings and recommendations in an easily accessible resource.