From monument to visitor attraction: How historic buildings are positioned in the leisure and tourism market

Abstrakte Malerei in rot, pink, lila und blau ineinander verlaufende Farbflaechen — shutterstock//wedphotoline

10.09.2026

News I Image: David Heilbron, unsplash

The use of historic buildings is caught between conflicting demands: their cultural significance necessitates heritage protection and authenticity, whilst economic viability requires appropriate use and adaptation of functions.₁ How can ‘historic infrastructure’ be put to viable use? Successful projects find answers beyond purely museum-based use: they develop strategic and sustainable utilisation concepts that integrate heritage conservation with the visitor experience and position themselves within the leisure and tourism market.

Studies on tourism show that historic buildings – particularly castles and palaces – rank among the most important tourist attractions for travellers, second only to experiences in the natural environment.₂ At the same time, owners and operators face significant challenges in successfully delivering these attractions: structural preservation, heritage protection, economic pressures and the challenge of positioning themselves clearly and sustainably within the tourism market.
Against this backdrop, it is not enough simply to preserve individual buildings in accordance with heritage conservation standards and open them to the public from time to time. What is needed are concepts that envisage castles and palaces as integrated destinations offering unique experiences, with clear positioning, offerings tailored to specific target groups and, later in the project, the development of viable operating models.₃
Castles, fortresses and palaces with very different starting points – ranging from complexes deliberately staged as ruin landscapes, through historically restored castles, to fully preserved fortresses used as cultural and event venues – demonstrate just how varied sustainable use can be in practice. What the following three examples have in common is that they are understood not merely as historical sites, but as strategically developed destinations that preserve cultural authenticity whilst being clearly positioned within the leisure and tourism market.

Three real-life examples:

Kufstein Fortress in Tyrol

illustrates how a historic site can be developed into a cultural and events venue that can be used on a long-term basis. Financially, the fortress now relies on a broad mix of income streams. The fortress arena serves as an open-air stage for concerts, festivals and theatre performances, complemented by regular guided tours, catering facilities, a fortress shop and the venue being hired out for weddings, corporate events and conferences. This continuous use makes a decisive contribution to the preservation of the fully intact fortress complex, whilst the Panoramic Funicular, as a barrier-free inclined lift, improves accessibility without detracting from the historic character. As a landmark visible from afar and a symbol of the town, Kufstein Fortress is today a central stage for regional cultural life and one of Tyrol’s most visited tourist attractions.₄

The Ehrenberg Castle Complex in Reutte

demonstrates how a historic fortress complex can be repositioned through a clearly tourism-focused development concept. Under the joint brand ‘Burgenwelt Ehrenberg’, four sites – the Klause im Tal, the Ehrenberg castle ruins, the Schlosskopf fortress and Fort Claudia – are brought together to form a single, integrated offering. Central to this is the integration of various attractions and service elements: revenue-generating features such as the over 400-metre-long highline179 suspension bridge, two inclined lifts, the DragonFly zipline, the ‘Dem Ritter auf der Spur’ interactive museum, as well as catering facilities and a hotel, are strategically combined and marketed. Seasonal events such as the ‘Lumagica’ light park further enhance the focus on events and experiences. The site’s location directly on the B179 Fern Pass road ensures excellent accessibility and makes the complex attractive to travellers passing through as well. The result is a destination that attracts visitors from far beyond the region and safeguards the historic site through continuous use, educational outreach and a carefully curated visitor experience.₅

The Hohkönigsburg Castle in Alsace

is a prime example of an inclusive visitor experience within a historic building. Run by the Collectivité européenne d’Alsace, it sees itself as a place where “900 years of history come to life” for a wide variety of visitor groups. At its heart lies a comprehensive range of inclusive services: there are dedicated information resources and visitor routes for people with intellectual disabilities, hearing or visual impairments, and those with reduced mobility. To this end, special guided tours, orientation aids, accessible routes and educational materials are provided. In addition, programmes, audio guides and activity books are specifically tailored to school groups, extracurricular groups and families. Inclusion is therefore not an add-on, but an integral part of the core offering. Hohkönigsburg makes history accessible and understandable to as many people as possible, thereby establishing itself as a cultural landmark in the region that combines participation with heritage conservation.₆

actori supports owners of historic sites throughout this entire process, from the initial idea (Phase 0) to a viable utilisation concept. We carry out potential analyses and develop integrated utilisation scenarios that bring together heritage conservation, visitor experience and economic prospects. We place particular emphasis on involving all relevant stakeholders – from heritage conservation bodies and local authorities to tourism partners and the local community – in order to strengthen acceptance, a sense of identification and regional roots. In this way, historic sites that were once a financial burden are transformed into vibrant destinations that preserve cultural authenticity, stimulate regional economic growth and enhance the tourism profile of their region. Please feel free to contact us (team@actori.de).

Sources:
1) projekt2508 GmbH / Tourismus NRW e.V., „Themencluster Schlösser und Burgen", KulturReiseLand NRW, (2018).
2) Tourismus NRW e.V., ReisePuls Deutschland Kulturtourismus, (2022/2023).
3) MWIKE NRW, „Burgen und Schlösser in Nordrhein-Westfalen touristisch in Szene setzen", (2025).
4) Festung Kufstein, (festung.kufstein.at).
5) Burgenwelt Ehrenberg, (ehrenberg.at).
6) Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg, Collectivité européenne d'Alsace, (haut-koenigsbourg.fr).

–

A contribution by Leonie Philipp, consultant/architekt