Abstract
This paper analyzes the political involvement and relationships that influenced the progress of a tourist heritage site in Korea. It explores the dynamics of collaboration and shows how initial advantages can become conflict and inertia over time. It outlines the continuing discord among interested groups, investigates the relationships that surround the developmental process, and demonstrates how perceptual differences became embedded. The paper illustrates that a structure dominated by power relations leads to conflict and inertia caused by alienation, and emphasizes the need for collaborative structures in cultural heritage tourism development. [Copyright Elsevier Ltd.]