TEHIC-Handbook_of_best_practices

3. Outlook for heritage interpretation in Europe and future prospects. 31 Currently, we can identify at least two or three traditions in heritage interpretation within Europe: on the one hand we have the Anglo-Saxon tradition , which has also spread across the countries around the North Sea; on the other hand, there is a southern tradition , which can be found in France, Spain, and Italy, and is characterised by the cre - ation of interpretation centres and itineraries rather than by the drafting of strategic plans. This southern tradition, in turn, draws on what we might call the environmental tradition, inherited from American interpretation, as it was developed by the National Parks of the United States. Although these traditions are specific to certain territories, it is true that projects of all traditions can be found in any country in the world. In fact, a quick review of current training offers in Europe shows that there is a very clear distinction between the sphere of operational interpretation , focused on commu- nication and the creation of interpretive experiences, and the sphere of strategic interpretation , focused on management planning and the social use of heritage. Where- as for many professionals interpretation focuses on its operational side, which answers to the question: how can you create a unique and engaging experience? for many other people, interpretation focuses on its strategic side, i.e., it serves to answer the question: what role can heritage play in local development processes? or how can a heritage pro - cess be organised? Considering that both approaches to heritage interpretation are part of the same dis- cipline, what is the reason for such a distinction? Let us take a look at some training offers in Europe before we attempt to answer this question.