culture tourism profile

What is cultural tourism and why is it growing?

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Cultural tourism is big business. Some people seek to embark on their travels with the sole intention of having a ‘cultural’ experience, whereas others may experience culture as a byproduct of their trip. We can argue that there is some form of cultural tourism in most holidays (even when taking an all-inclusive holiday you might try to local beer, for example).

But what do we mean by the term ‘cultural tourism’? What’s it all about? In this post I will explain what is meant by the term cultural tourism, providing a range of academic definitions. I will also explain what the different types of cultural tourists are, give examples of cultural tourism activities and discuss the impacts of cultural tourism. Lastly, I will provide a brief summary of some popular cultural tourism destinations.

What is cultural tourism?

Cultural tourism is the act of travellers visiting particular destinations in order to experience and learn about a particular culture . This can include many activities such as; attending events and festivals, visiting museums and tasting the local food and drinks.

Cultural tourism can also be an unintentional part of the tourism experience, whereby cultural immersion (with the local people, their language, customs, cuisine etc) is an inevitable part of a person’s holiday.

Cultural tourism definitions

It has been suggested that tourism is the ideal arena in which to investigate the nature of cultural production (MacCannell, 1976). Tourism provides endless opportunities to learn about the way other people live, about their society and their traditions. Whether you are attending the Running of the Bulls Festival in Pamplona , visiting the pyramids in ancient Egypt , taking a tour of the tea plantations in China or enjoying the locally brewed Ouzo on your all-inclusive holiday to Greece, you will inevitably encounter some form of cultural tourism as part of your holiday experience.

The World Tourism Organisation (WTO) (1985) broadly define cultural tourism as the movements of persons who satisfy the human need for diversity, tending to raise the cultural level of the individual and giving rise to new knowledge, experience and encounters. Cultural tourism is commonly associated with education in this way, some describing it more narrowly as educational cultural tourism (e.g. Bualis and Costa, 2006; Harner and Swarbrooke, 2007; Richards, 2005).

Although a common, more specific definition has not been agreed amongst academics due to the complexity and subjectivity of the term, there do appear to be two distinct viewpoints. The first focusses upon the consumption of cultural products such as sites or monuments (Bonink, 1992; Munsters, 1994), and the second comprises all aspects of travel, where travellers learn about the history and heritage of others or about their contemporary ways of life or thought (MacIntosh and Goeldner, 1986).

Csapo (2012) pertains that the umbrella term of cultural tourism can encompass a number of tourism forms including heritage (material e.g. historic buildings and non-material e.g. literature, arts), cultural thematic routes (e.g. spiritual, gastronomic, linguistic), cultural city tourism, traditions/ethnic tourism, events and festivals, religious tourism and creative culture (e.g. performing arts, crafts).

Types of cultural tourists

In attempt to understand the scope of cultural tourism academics have developed a number of typologies, usually based upon the tourist’s level of motivation.

Bywater (1993) differentiated tourists according to whether they were culturally interested, motivated or inspired.

Culturally interested tourists demonstrate a general interest in culture and consume cultural attractions casually as part of a holiday rather than consciously planning to do so.

Culturally motivated tourists consume culture as a major part of their trip, but do not choose their destination on the basis of specific cultural experiences, whereas for culturally inspired tourists culture is the main goal of their holiday. 

A more complex typology was proposed by McKercher and Du Cros (2002), who defined tourists based upon the depth of the cultural experience sought, distinguishing them in to one of five hierarchical categories. 

The first is the purposeful cultural tourist for whom cultural tourism is their primary motive for travel. These tourists have a very deep cultural experience. 

The second category is the sightseeing cultural tourist for whom cultural tourism is a primary reason for visiting a destination, but the experience is more shallow in nature.

The serendipitous cultural tourist does not travel for cultural reasons, but who, after participating, ends up having a deep cultural tourism experience, whilst the casual cultural tourist is weakly motivated by culture and subsequently has a shallow experience. 

Lastly, the incidental cultural tourist is one who does not travel for cultural tourism reasons but nonetheless participates in some activities and has shallow experiences. 

Adapting this theory, Petroman  et al (2013) segments tourists based upon their preferred cultural activities.

The purposeful cultural tourist, described as according to Mckercher and Du Cros (2002), enjoys learning experiences that challenge them intellectually and visits history museums, art galleries, temples and heritage sites that are less known.

The tour-amateur cultural tourist is akin with the sightseeing cultural tourist above and they often travel long distances, visit remote areas, enjoy tours and wandering through the streets.

The occasional cultural tourist plays a moderate role in the decision of travelling and enjoys an insignificant cultural experience, their preferred activities being to visit attractions and temples that are easy to reach and to explore, although not to the extent that the tour-amateur cultural tourist does.

The incidental cultural tourist plays a small or no role in the decision to travel and enjoys an insignificant cultural experience, whilst visiting attractions that area within easy reach and heritage theme parks.

The last segment is the accidental cultural tourist, who plays a small or no role in the decision to travel but enjoys a deep cultural experience. This tourist type is diverse and as such has no preferred activities attributed to it. 

Importance of cultural tourism

Cultural tourism is important for many reasons. Perhaps the most prominent reason is the social impact that it brings.

Cultural tourism can help reinforce identities, enhance cross cultural understanding and preserve the heritage and culture of an area. I have discussed these advantages at length in my post The Social Impacts of Tourism , so you may want to head over there for more detail.

Cultural tourism can also have positive economic impacts . Tourists who visit an area to learn more about a culture or who visit cultural tourism attraction, such as museums or shows, during their trip help to contribute to the economy of the area. Attractions must be staffed, bringing with it employment prospects and tertiary businesses can also benefit, such as restaurants, taxi firms and hotels.

Furthermore, for those seeking a deep cultural experience, options such as homestays can have positive economic benefits to the members of the community who host the tourists.

Read also: Overtourism explained: What, why and where

Personally, I think that one of the most important benefits of cultural tourism is the educational aspect. Tourists and hosts alike can learn more about different ways of life. This can help to broaden one’s mind, it can help one to think differently and to be more objective. These are qualities that can have many positive effects on a person and which can contribute to making them more employable in the future.

Cultural tourism activities

Whether a tourist is seeking a deep cultural experience or otherwise, there are a wide range of activities that can be classified as cultural tourism. Here are a few examples:

• Staying with a local family in a homestay
• Having a tour around a village or town
• Learning about local employment, for example through a tour of a tea plantation or factory
• Undertaking volunteer work in the local community
• Taking a course such as cooking, art, embroidery etc
• Visiting a museum
• Visiting a religious building, such as a Mosque
• Socialising with members of the local community
• Visiting a local market or shopping area
• Trying the local food and drink
• Going to a cultural show or performance
• Visiting historic monuments

Impacts of cultural tourism

There are a range of impacts resulting from cultural tourism activities, both good and bad. Here are some of the most common examples:

Positive impacts of cultural tourism

Revitalisation of culture and art.

Some destinations will encourage local cultures and arts to be revitalised. This may be in the form of museum exhibitions, in the way that restaurants and shops are decorated and in the entertainment on offer, for example.

This may help promote traditions that may have become distant.

Preservation of Heritage

Many tourists will visit the destination especially to see its local heritage. It is for this reason that many destinations will make every effort to preserve its heritage.

This could include putting restrictions in place or limiting tourist numbers, if necessary. This is often an example of careful tourism planning  and sustainable tourism management.

This text by Hyung You Park explains the principles of heritage tourism in more detail.

Negative impacts of cultural tourism

Social change.

Social change is basically referring to changes in the way that society acts or behaves. Unfortunately, there are many changes that come about as a result of tourism that are not desirable.

There are many examples throughout the world where local populations have changed because of tourism. Perhaps they have changed the way that they speak or the way that they dress. Perhaps they have been introduced to alcohol through the tourism industry or they have become resentful of rich tourists and turned to crime. These are just a few examples of the negative social impacts of tourism.

Read also: Business tourism explained: What, why and where

Globalisation and the destruction of preservation and heritage.

Globalisation is the way in which the world is becoming increasingly connected. We are losing our individuality and gaining a sense of ‘global being’, whereby we more and more alike than ever before.

Globalisation is inevitable in the tourism industry because of the interaction between tourists and hosts, which typically come from different geographic and cultural backgrounds. It is this interaction that encourage us to become more alike.

Standardisation and Commercialisation

Similarly, destinations risk standardisation in the process of satisfying tourists’ desires for familiar facilities and experiences.

While landscape, accommodation, food and drinks, etc., must meet the tourists’ desire for the new and unfamiliar, they must at the same time not be too new or strange because few tourists are actually looking for completely new things (think again about the toilet example I have previously).

Tourists often look for recognisable facilities in an unfamiliar environment, like well-known fast-food restaurants and hotel chains. Tourist like some things to be standardised (the toilet, their breakfast, their drinks, the language spoken etc), but others to be different (dinner options, music, weather, tourist attractions etc).

Loss of Authenticity 

Along similar lines to globalisation is the loss of authenticity that often results from tourism.

Authenticity is essentially something that is original or unchanged. It is not fake or reproduced in any way.

The Western world believe that a tourist destination is no longer authentic when their cultural values and traditions change. But I would argue is this not natural? Is culture suppose to stay the same or it suppose to evolve throughout each generation? 

Take a look at the likes of the long neck tribe in Thailand or the Maasai Tribe in Africa. These are two examples of cultures which have remained ‘unchanged’ for the sole purpose of tourism. They appear not to have changed the way that they dress, they way that they speak or the way that they act in generations, all for the purpose of tourism.

You can learn more about what is authenticity in tourism here or see some examples of staged authenticity in this post.

Culture clashes

Because tourism involves movement of people to different geographical locations cultural clashes can take place as a result of differences in cultures, ethnic and religious groups, values, lifestyles, languages and levels of prosperity.

Read also: Environmental impacts of tourism

The attitude of local residents towards tourism development may unfold through the stages of euphoria, where visitors are very welcome, through apathy, irritation and potentially antagonism when anti-tourist attitudes begin to grow among local people. This is represented in Doxey’s Irritation Index, as shown below.

Tourist-host relationships

Culture clashes can also be exasperated by the fundamental differences in culture between the hosts and the tourists.

There is likely to be economic inequality between locals and tourists who are spending more than they usually do at home. This can cause resentment from the hosts towards the tourists, particularly when they see them wearing expensive jewellery or using plush cameras etc that they know they can’t afford themselves.

Further to this, tourists often, out of ignorance or carelessness, fail to respect local customs and moral values. 

There are many examples of ways that tourists offend the local population , often unintentionally. Did you know that you should never put your back to a Buddha? Or show the sole of your feet to a Thai person? Or show romantic affection in public in the Middle East?

Cultural tourism destinations

Whilst many would argue that cultural tourism is ingrained to some extent in travel to any country, there are some particular destinations that are well-known for their ability to provide tourists with a cultural experience.

Cultural tourism in India

It is impossible not to visit India and experience the culture. Even if you are staying in a 5 star Western all-inclusive hotel in Goa, you will still test Indian curries, be spoken to by Indian workers and see life outside of the hotel on your transfer to and from the airport.

For most people who travel to India, however, cultural tourism is far more than peeking outside of the enclave tourism bubble of their all-inclusive hotel.

Thousands of international tourists visit the Taj Mahal each year. Many more people visit the various Hindu and Buddhist temples scattered throughout the country as well as the various Mosques. Some visit the famous Varanassi to learn about reincarnation.

Most tourists who visit India will try the local dal, eat the fresh mutton and taste chai.

All of these activities are popular cultural tourism activities.

Cultural tourism in Thailand

Thailand is another destination that offers great cultural tourism potential. From the Buddhist temples and monuments and the yoga retreats to homestays and village tours, there are ample cultural tourism opportunities in Thailand .

Cultural tourism in Israel

Israel is popular with religious tourists and those who are taking a religious pilgrimage, as well as leisure tourists. I visited Israel and loved travelling around to see the various sights, from Bethlehem to Jerusalem . I’m not religious in any way, but I loved learning about the history, traditions and cultures.

Cultural tourism in New York

New York is a city that is bustling with culture. It is world famous for its museums and you can learn about anything from World War Two to the Twin Towers here.

Many would argue that shopping is ingrained in the culture of those who live in New York and many tourists will take advantage of the wide selection of products on offer and bargains to be had on their travels to New York.

You can also treat yourself to watching a traditional West End show, trying some of the famous New York Cheesecake and enjoying a cocktail in Times Square!

Cultural tourism in Dubai

Dubai might not be the first destination that comes to mind when you think of cultural tourism, but it does, in fact, have a great offering.

What I find particular intriguing about Dubai is the mix of old and new. One minute you can be exploring the glitz and glamour of the many high-end shopping malls and skyscrapers and the next you can be walking through a traditional Arabian souk.

Cultural tourism: Conclusion

As you can see, there is big business in cultural tourism. With a wide range of types of cultural tourists and types of cultural tourism experiences, this is a tourism sector that has remarkable potential. However, as always, it is imperative to ensure that sustainable tourism practices are utilised to mitigate any negative impacts of cultural tourism.

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Further reading

Want to learn more about cultural tourism? See my recommended reading list below.

• Cultural Tourism – A textbook illustrating how heritage and tourism goals can be integrated in a management and marketing framework to produce sustainable cultural tourism. 
• Deconstructing Travel: Cultural Perspectives on Tourism – This book provides an easily understood framework of the relationship between travel and culture in our rapidly changing postmodern, postcolonial world.
• Re-Investing Authenticity: Tourism, Place and Emotions – This ground-breaking book re-thinks and re-invests in the notion of authenticity as a surplus of experiential meaning and feeling that derives from what we do at/in places.
• The Business of Tourism Management – an introduction to key aspects of tourism, and to the practice of managing a tourism business. 
• Managing Sustainable Tourism – tackles the tough issues of tourism such as negative environmental impact and cultural degradation, and provides answers that don’t sacrifice positive economic growth.
• Tourism Management: An Introduction – An introductory text that gives its reader a strong understanding of the dimensions of tourism, the industries of which it is comprised, the issues that affect its success, and the management of its impact on destination economies, environments and communities.
• Responsible Tourism: Using tourism for sustainable development – A textbook about the globally vital necessity of realising sustainable tourism.

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility

• Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
• Accessible Tourism

Tourism and Culture

• Women’s Empowerment and Tourism

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The convergence between tourism and culture, and the increasing interest of visitors in cultural experiences, bring unique opportunities but also complex challenges for the tourism sector.

“Tourism policies and activities should be conducted with respect for the artistic, archaeological and cultural heritage, which they should protect and pass on to future generations; particular care should be devoted to preserving monuments, worship sites, archaeological and historic sites as well as upgrading museums which must be widely open and accessible to tourism visits”

UN Tourism Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics

Article 7, paragraph 2

This webpage provides UN Tourism resources aimed at strengthening the dialogue between tourism and culture and an informed decision-making in the sphere of cultural tourism. It also promotes the exchange of good practices showcasing inclusive management systems and innovative cultural tourism experiences .  

About Cultural Tourism

According to the definition adopted by the UN Tourism General Assembly, at its 22nd session (2017), Cultural Tourism implies “A type of tourism activity in which the visitor’s essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination. These attractions/products relate to a set of distinctive material, intellectual, spiritual and emotional features of a society that encompasses arts and architecture, historical and cultural heritage, culinary heritage, literature, music, creative industries and the living cultures with their lifestyles, value systems, beliefs and traditions”. UN Tourism provides support to its members in strengthening cultural tourism policy frameworks, strategies and product development . It also provides guidelines for the tourism sector in adopting policies and governance models that benefit all stakeholders, while promoting and preserving cultural elements.

Recommendations for Cultural Tourism Key Players on Accessibility 

UN Tourism , Fundación ONCE and UNE issued in September 2023, a set of guidelines targeting key players of the cultural tourism ecosystem, who wish to make their offerings more accessible.

The key partners in the drafting and expert review process were the ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) . The ICOMOS experts’ input was key in covering crucial action areas where accessibility needs to be put in the spotlight, in order to make cultural experiences more inclusive for all people.

This guidance tool is also framed within the promotion of the ISO Standard ISO 21902 , in whose development UN Tourism had one of the leading roles.

Download here the English and Spanish version of the Recommendations.

Compendium of Good Practices in Indigenous Tourism

The report is primarily meant to showcase good practices championed by indigenous leaders and associations from the Region. However, it also includes a conceptual introduction to different aspects of planning, management and promotion of a responsible and sustainable indigenous tourism development.

The compendium also sets forward a series of recommendations targeting public administrations, as well as a list of tips promoting a responsible conduct of tourists who decide to visit indigenous communities.

For downloads, please visit the UN Tourism E-library page: Download in English - Download in Spanish .

Weaving the Recovery - Indigenous Women in Tourism

This initiative, which gathers UN Tourism , t he World Indigenous Tourism Alliance (WINTA) , Centro de las Artes Indígenas (CAI) and the NGO IMPACTO , was selected as one of the ten most promising projects amoung 850+ initiatives to address the most pressing global challenges. The project will test different methodologies in pilot communities, starting with Mexico , to enable indigenous women access markets and demonstrate their leadership in the post-COVID recovery.

This empowerment model , based on promoting a responsible tourism development, cultural transmission and fair-trade principles, will represent a novel community approach with a high global replication potential.

Visit the Weaving the Recovery - Indigenous Women in Tourism project webpage.

Inclusive Recovery of Cultural Tourism

The release of the guidelines comes within the context of the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development 2021 , a UN initiative designed to recognize how culture and creativity, including cultural tourism, can contribute to advancing the SDGs.  

UN Tourism Inclusive Recovery Guide, Issue 4: Indigenous Communities

Sustainable Development of Indigenous Tourism

The Recommendations on Sustainable Development of Indigenous Tourism provide guidance to tourism stakeholders to develop their operations in a responsible and sustainable manner within those indigenous communities that wish to:

• Open up to tourism development, or
• Improve the management of the existing tourism experiences within their communities.

They were prepared by the UN Tourism Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility Department in close consultation with indigenous tourism associations, indigenous entrepreneurs and advocates. The Recommendations were endorsed by the World Committee on Tourism Ethics and finally adopted by the UN Tourism General Assembly in 2019, as a landmark document of the Organization in this sphere.

Who are these Recommendations targeting?

• Tour operators and travel agencies
• Tour guides
• Indigenous communities
• Other stakeholders such as governments, policy makers and destinations

The Recommendations address some of the key questions regarding indigenous tourism:

Download PDF:

• Recommendations on Sustainable Development of Indigenous Tourism
• Recomendaciones sobre el desarrollo sostenible del turismo indígena, ESP

UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conferences on Tourism and Culture

The UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conferences on Tourism and Culture bring together Ministers of Tourism and Ministers of Culture with the objective to identify key opportunities and challenges for a stronger cooperation between these highly interlinked fields. Gathering tourism and culture stakeholders from all world regions the conferences which have been hosted by Cambodia, Oman, Türkiye and Japan have addressed a wide range of topics, including governance models, the promotion, protection and safeguarding of culture, innovation, the role of creative industries and urban regeneration as a vehicle for sustainable development in destinations worldwide.

Fourth UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture: Investing in future generations. Kyoto, Japan. 12-13 December 2019 Kyoto Declaration on Tourism and Culture: Investing in future generations ( English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Japanese )

Third UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture : For the Benefit of All. Istanbul, Türkiye. 3 -5 December 2018 Istanbul Declaration on Tourism and Culture: For the Benefit of All ( English , French , Spanish , Arabic , Russian )

Second UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conference’s on Tourism and Culture: Fostering Sustainable Development. Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. 11-12 December 2017 Muscat Declaration on Tourism and Culture: Fostering Sustainable Development ( English , French , Spanish , Arabic , Russian )

First UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conference’s on Tourism and Culture: Building a new partnership. Siem Reap, Cambodia. 4-6 February 2015 Siem Reap Declaration on Tourism and Culture – Building a New Partnership Model ( English )

UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage  

The first UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage provides comprehensive baseline research on the interlinkages between tourism and the expressions and skills that make up humanity’s intangible cultural heritage (ICH). 

Through a compendium of case studies drawn from across five continents, the report offers in-depth information on, and analysis of, government-led actions, public-private partnerships and community initiatives.

These practical examples feature tourism development projects related to six pivotal areas of ICH: handicrafts and the visual arts; gastronomy; social practices, rituals and festive events; music and the performing arts; oral traditions and expressions; and, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe.

Highlighting innovative forms of policy-making, the UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage recommends specific actions for stakeholders to foster the sustainable and responsible development of tourism by incorporating and safeguarding intangible cultural assets.

UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage

• UN Tourism Study
• Summary of the Study

Studies and research on tourism and culture commissioned by UN Tourism

• Tourism and Culture Synergies, 2018
• UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2012
• Big Data in Cultural Tourism – Building Sustainability and Enhancing Competitiveness (e-unwto.org)

Outcomes from the UN Tourism Affiliate Members World Expert Meeting on Cultural Tourism, Madrid, Spain, 1–2 December 2022

UN Tourism and the Region of Madrid – through the Regional Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Sports – held the World Expert Meeting on Cultural Tourism in Madrid on 1 and 2 December 2022. The initiative reflects the alliance and common commitment of the two partners to further explore the bond between tourism and culture. This publication is the result of the collaboration and discussion between the experts at the meeting, and subsequent contributions.

Relevant Links

• 3RD UN Tourism/UNESCO WORLD CONFERENCE ON TOURISM AND CULTURE ‘FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL’

Photo credit of the Summary's cover page:  www.banglanatak.com

Cutting Edge | Bringing cultural tourism back in the game

The growth of cultural tourism

People have long traveled to discover and visit places of historical significance or spiritual meaning, to experience different cultures, as well as to learn about, exchange and consume a range of cultural goods and services. Cultural tourism as a concept gained traction during the 1990s when certain sub-sectors emerged, including heritage tourism, arts tourism, gastronomic tourism, film tourism and creative tourism. This took place amidst the rising tide of globalization and technological advances that spurred greater mobility through cheaper air travel, increased accessibility to diverse locations and cultural assets, media proliferation, and the rise of independent travel. Around this time, tourism policy was also undergoing a shift that was marked by several trends. These included a sharper focus on regional development, environmental issues, public-private partnerships, industry self-regulation and a reduction in direct government involvement in the supply of tourism infrastructure. As more cultural tourists have sought to explore the cultures of the destinations, greater emphasis has been placed on the importance of intercultural dialogue to promote understanding and tolerance. Likewise, in the face of globalization, countries have looked for ways to strengthen local identity, and cultural tourism has also been engaged as a strategy to achieve this purpose. Being essentially place-based, cultural tourism is driven by an interest to experience and engage with culture first-hand. It is backed by a desire to discover, learn about and enjoy the tangible and intangible cultural assets offered in a tourism destination, ranging from heritage, performing arts, handicrafts, rituals and gastronomy, among others.

Cultural tourism is a leading priority for the majority of countries around the world -featuring in the tourism policy of 90% of countries, based on a 2016 UNWTO global survey . Most countries include tangible and intangible heritage in their definition of cultural tourism, and over 80% include contemporary culture - film, performing arts, design, fashion and new media, among others. There is, however, greater need for stronger localisation in policies, which is rooted in promoting and enhancing local cultural assets, such as heritage, food, festivals and crafts. In France, for instance, the Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes , a UNESCO World Heritage site, has established a multidisciplinary team that defends the cultural values of the site, and advises the authorities responsible for the territorial development of the 300 km of the Valley.

While cultural tourism features prominently in policies for economic growth, it has diverse benefits that cut across the development spectrum – economic, social and environmental. Cultural tourism expands businesses and job opportunities by drawing on cultural resources as a competitive advantage in tourism markets. Cultural tourism is increasingly engaged as a strategy for countries and regions to safeguard traditional cultures, attract talent, develop new cultural resources and products, create creative clusters, and boost the cultural and creative industries. Cultural tourism, particularly through museums, can support education about culture. Tourist interest can also help ensure the transmission of intangible cultural heritage practices to younger generations.

StockSnap, Pixabay

Cultural tourism can help encourage appreciation of and pride in local heritage, thus sparking greater interest and investment in its safeguarding. Tourism can also drive inclusive community development to foster resiliency, inclusivity, and empowerment. It promotes territorial cohesion and socioeconomic inclusion for the most vulnerable populations, for example, generating economic livelihoods for women in rural areas. A strengthened awareness of conservation methods and local and indigenous knowledge contributes to long-term environmental sustainability. Similarly, the funds generated by tourism can be instrumental to ensuring ongoing conservation activities for built and natural heritage.

The growth of cultural tourism has reshaped the global urban landscape over the past decades, strongly impacting spatial planning around the world. In many countries, cultural tourism has been leveraged to drive urban regeneration or city branding strategies, from large-sized metropolises in Asia or the Arab States building on cultural landmarks and contemporary architecture to drive tourism expansion, to small and middle-sized urban settlements enhancing their cultural assets to stimulate local development. At the national level, cultural tourism has also impacted planning decisions, encouraging coastal development in some areas, while reviving inland settlements in others. This global trend has massively driven urban infrastructure development through both public and private investments, impacting notably transportation, the restoration of historic buildings and areas, as well as the rehabilitation of public spaces. The expansion of cultural city networks, including the UNESCO World Heritage Cities programme and the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, also echoes this momentum. Likewise, the expansion of cultural routes, bringing together several cities or human settlements around cultural commonalities to stimulate tourism, has also generated new solidarities, while influencing economic and cultural exchanges between cities across countries and regions.

Despite tourism’s clear potential as a driver for positive change, challenges exist, including navigating the space between economic gain and cultural integrity. Tourism’s crucial role in enhancing inclusive community development can often remain at the margins of policy planning and implementation. Rapid and unplanned tourism growth can trigger a range of negative impacts, including pressure on local communities and infrastructure from overtourism during peak periods, gentrification of urban areas, waste problems and global greenhouse gas emissions. High visitor numbers to heritage sites can override their natural carrying capacity, thus undermining conservation efforts and affecting both the integrity and authenticity of heritage sites. Over-commercialization and folklorization of intangible heritage practices – including taking these practices out of context for tourism purposes - can risk inadvertently changing the practice over time. Large commercial interests can monopolize the benefits of tourism, preventing these benefits from reaching local communities. An excessive dependency on tourism can also create localized monoeconomies at the expense of diversification and alternative economic models. When mismanaged, tourism can, therefore, have negative effects on the quality of life and well-being of local residents, as well as the natural environment.

These fault lines became more apparent when the pandemic hit – revealing the extent of over-dependence on tourism and limited structures for crisis prevention and response. While the current situation facing tourism is unpredictable, making it difficult to plan, further crises are likely in the years to come. Therefore, the pandemic presents the opportunity to experiment with new models to shape more effective and sustainable alternatives for the future.

hxdyl, Getty Images Pro

Harnessing cultural tourism in policy frameworks

From a policy perspective, countries around the world have employed cultural tourism as a vehicle to achieve a range of strategic aims. In Panama, cultural tourism is a key component of the country’s recently adopted Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism 2020-2025 that seeks to position Panama as a worldwide benchmark for sustainable tourism through the development of unique heritage routes. Cultural tourism can be leveraged for cultural diplomacy as a form of ‘soft power’ to build dialogue between peoples and bolster foreign policy. For instance, enhancing regional cooperation between 16 countries has been at the heart of UNESCO’s transnational Silk Roads Programme, which reflects the importance of culture and heritage as part of foreign policy. UNESCO has also partnered with the EU and National Geographic to develop World Heritage Journeys, a unique travel platform that deepens the tourism experience through four selected cultural routes covering 34 World Heritage sites. Also in Europe, cultural tourism has been stimulated through the development of cultural routes linked to food and wine , as well as actions to protect local food products, such as through labels and certificates of origin. The Emilia-Romagna region in Italy, for example, produces more origin-protected food and drink than any other region in the country. One of the regions' cities Parma - a UNESCO Creative City (Gastronomy) and designated Italian Capital for Culture (2020-2021) - plans to resume its cultural activities to boost tourism once restrictions have eased. Meanwhile, Spain has recently taken steps to revive its tourism industry through its cities inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List . In this regard, the Group of the 15 Spanish World Heritage Cities met recently to discuss the country's Modernization and Competitiveness Plan for the tourism sector. Cultural tourism has progressively featured more prominently in the policies of Central Asian and Eastern European countries, which have sought to revive intangible heritage and boost the creative economy as part of strategies to strengthen national cultural identity and open up to the international community. In Africa, cultural tourism is a growing market that is driven by its cultural heritage, crafts, and national and regional cultural events. Major festivals such as Dak-Art in Senegal, Bamako Encounters Photography Biennial in Mali, Sauti za Busara in United Republic of Tanzania, Pan-African Festival of Cinema and Television of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, and Chale Wote Street Art Festival in Ghana are just a handful of vibrant and popular platforms in the continent that share cultural expressions, generate income for local economies and strengthen Pan-African identity.

Countries are increasingly seeking alliances with international bodies to advance tourism. National and local governments are working together with international entities, such as UNESCO, UNWTO and OECD in the area of sustainable tourism. In 2012, UNESCO’s Sustainable Tourism Programme was adopted, thereby breaking new ground to promote tourism a driver for the conservation of cultural and natural heritage and a vehicle for sustainable development. In 2020, UNESCO formed the Task Force on Culture and Resilient Tourism with the Advisory Bodies to the 1972 World Heritage Convention (ICOMOS, IUCN, ICCROM) as a global dialogue platform on key issues relating to tourism and heritage management during and beyond the crisis. UNESCO has also collaborated with the UNWTO on a set of recommendations for inclusive cultural tourism recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. In response to the crisis, the Namibian Government, UNESCO and UNDP are working together on a tourism impact study and development strategy to restore the tourism sector, especially cultural tourism.

UNESCO has scaled up work in cultural tourism in its work at field level, supporting its Member States and strengthening regional initiatives. In the Africa region, enhancing cultural tourism has been reported as a policy priority across the region. For example, UNESCO has supported the Government of Ghana in its initiative Beyond the Return, in particular in relation to its section on cultural tourism. In the Pacific, a Common Country Assessment (CCA) has been carried out for 14 SIDS countries, with joint interagency programmes to be created building on the results. Across the Arab States, trends in tourism after COVID, decent jobs and cultural and creative industries are emerging as entry points for different projects throughout the region. In Europe, UNESCO has continued its interdisciplinary work on visitor centres in UNESCO designated sites, building on a series of workshops to strengthen tourism sustainability, community engagement and education through heritage interpretation. In the Latin America and the Caribbean region, UNESCO is working closely with Member States, regional bodies and the UN system building on the momentum on the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development, including through Creative Cities, and the sustainable recovery of the orange economy, among others.

BS1920, Pixabay

In the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, tourism has the potential to contribute, directly or indirectly, to all of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Tourism is directly mentioned in SDGs 8, 12 and 14 on inclusive and sustainable economic growth, sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and the sustainable use of oceans and marine resources, respectively. This is mirrored in the VNRs put forward by countries, who report on cultural tourism notably through the revitalization of urban and rural areas through heritage regeneration, festivals and events, infrastructure development, and the promotion of local cultural products. The VNRs also demonstrate a trend towards underlining more sustainable approaches to tourism that factor in the environmental dimensions of tourism development.

Several countries have harnessed cultural tourism as a policy panacea for economic growth and diversification. As part of Qatar's National Vision 2030 strategy, for example, the country has embarked on a development plan that includes cultural tourism through strengthening its culture-based industries, including calligraphy, handicrafts and living heritage practices. In the city of Abu Dhabi in the UAE, cultural tourism is part of the city’s plan for economic diversification and to steer its domestic agenda away from a hydrocarbon-based economy. The Plan Abu Dhabi 2030 includes the creation of a US$27 billion cultural district on Saadiyat Island, comprising a cluster of world-renowned museums, and cultural and educational institutions designed by international star architects to attract tourism and talent to the city. Since 2016, Saudi Arabia has taken decisive action to invest in tourism, culture and entertainment to reduce the country’s oil dependency, while also positioning the country as a global cultural destination. Under the 2020 G20 Saudi Presidency, the UNWTO and the G20 Tourism Working Group launched the AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development through Tourism to better support inclusive community development and the SDGs. The crucial role of tourism as a means of sustainable socio-economic development was also underlined in the final communique of the G20 Tourism Ministers in October last.

Siem Reap, Cambodia by nbriam

On the other hand, cultural tourism can catalyse developments in cultural policy. This was the case in the annual Festival of Pacific Arts (FestPac) that triggered a series of positive policy developments following its 2012 edition that sought to strengthen social cohesion and community pride in the context of a prolonged period of social unrest. The following year, Solomon Islands adopted its first national culture policy with a focus on cultural industries and cultural tourism, which resulted in a significant increase in cultural events being organized throughout the country.

When the pandemic hit, the geographic context of some countries meant that many of them were able to rapidly close borders and prioritize domestic tourism. This has been the case for countries such as Australia and New Zealand. However, the restrictions have been coupled by significant economic cost for many Small Island Developing States (SIDS) whose economies rely on tourism and commodity exports. Asia Pacific SIDS, for example, are some of the world’s leading tourist destinations. As reported in the Tracker last June , in 2018, tourism earnings exceeded 50% of GDP in Cook Islands, Maldives and Palau and equaled approximately 30% of GDP in Samoa and Vanuatu. When the pandemic hit in 2020, the drop in British tourists to Spain’s Balearic Islands resulted in a 93% downturn in visitor numbers , forcing many local businesses to close. According to the World Economic Outlook released last October, the economies of tourism-dependent Caribbean nations are estimated to drop by 12%, while Pacific Island nations, such as Fiji, could see their GDP shrink by a staggering 21% in 2020.

Socially-responsible travel and ecotourism have become more of a priority for tourists and the places they visit. Tourists are increasingly aware of their carbon footprint, energy consumption and the use of renewable resources. This trend has been emphasized as a result of the pandemic. According to recent survey by Booking.com, travelers are becoming more conscientious of how and why they travel, with over two-thirds (69%) expecting the travel industry to offer more sustainable travel options . Following the closures of beaches in Thailand, for example, the country is identifying ways to put certain management policies in place that can strike a better balance with environmental sustainability. The  UNESCO Sustainable Tourism Pledge  launched in partnership with Expedia Group focuses on promoting sustainable tourism and heritage conservation. The pledge takes an industry-first approach to environmental and cultural protection, requiring businesses to introduce firm measures to eliminate single-use plastics and promote local culture. The initiative is expanding globally in 2021 as a new, more environmentally and socially conscious global travel market emerges from the COVID-19 context.

Senja, Norway by Jarmo Piironen

Climate change places a heavy toll on heritage sites, which exacerbates their vulnerability to other risks, including uncontrolled tourism. This was underlined in the publication “World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate” , published by UNESCO, UNEP and the Union of Concerned Scientists, which analyses the consequences of climate change on heritage, and its potential to permanently change or destroy a site’s integrity and authenticity. Extreme weather events, safety issues and water shortages, among others, can thwart access to sites and hurt the economic livelihoods of tourism service providers and local communities. Rising sea levels will increasingly impact coastal tourism, the largest component of the sector globally. In particular, coral reefs - contributing US$11.5 billion to the global tourism economy – are at major risk from climate change.

Marine sites are often tourist magnets where hundreds of thousands of annual visitors enjoy these sites on yachts and cruise ships. In the case of UNESCO World Heritage marine sites – which fall under the responsibility of governments - there is often a reliance on alternative financing mechanisms, such as grants and donations, and partnerships with non-governmental organizations and/or the private sector, among others. The West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord in Norway derives a substantial portion of its management budget from sources other than government revenues. The site has benefited from a partnership with the private sector company Green Dream 2020, which only allows the “greenest” operators to access the site, and a percentage of the profits from tours is reinjected into the long-term conservation of the site. In iSimangaliso in South Africa, a national law that established the World Heritage site’s management system was accompanied by the obligation to combine the property’s conservation with sustainable economic development activities that created jobs for local people. iSimangaliso Wetland Park supports 12,000 jobs and hosts an environmental education programme with 150 schools. At the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, where 91% of all local jobs are linked to the Reef, the Coral Nurture Programme undertakes conservation through planting coral, and promotes local stewardship and adaptation involving the whole community and local tourist businesses.

Grafner, Getty Images

With borders continuing to be closed and changeable regulations, many countries have placed a focus on domestic tourism and markets to stimulate economic recovery. According to the UNWTO, domestic tourism is expected to pick up faster than international travel, making it a viable springboard for economic and social recovery from the pandemic. In doing so it will serve to better connect populations to their heritage and offer new avenues for cultural access and participation. In China, for example, the demand for domestic travel is already approaching pre-pandemic levels. In Russian Federation, the Government has backed a programme to promote domestic tourism and support small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as a cashback scheme for domestic trips, which entitles tourists to a 20% refund for their trip. While supporting domestic tourism activities, the Government of Palau is injecting funds into local businesses working in reforestation and fishing in the spirit of building new sustainable models. The measures put in place today will shape the tourism to come, therefore the pandemic presents an opportunity to build back a stronger, more agile and sustainable tourism sector.

Local solutions at the helm of cultural tourism

While state-led policy interventions in cultural tourism remain crucial, local authorities are increasingly vital stakeholders in the design and implementation of cultural tourism policies. Being close to the people, local actors are aware of the needs of local populations, and can respond quickly and provide innovative ideas and avenues for policy experimentation. As cultural tourism is strongly rooted to place, cooperating with local decision-makers and stakeholders can bring added value to advancing mutual objectives. Meanwhile, the current health crisis has severely shaken cities that are struggling due to diminished State support, and whose economic basis strongly relies on tourism. Local authorities have been compelled to innovate to support local economies and seek viable alternatives, thus reaffirming their instrumental role in cultural policy-making.

Venice, Oliver Dralam/Getty Images

Cultural tourism can be a powerful catalyst for urban regeneration and renaissance, although tourism pressure can also trigger complex processes of gentrification. Cultural heritage safeguarding enhances the social value of a place by boosting the well-being of individuals and communities, reducing social inequalities and nurturing social inclusion. Over the past decade, the Malaysian city of George Town – a World Heritage site – has implemented several innovative projects to foster tourism and attract the population back to the city centre by engaging the city’s cultural assets in urban revitalization strategies. Part of the income generated from tourism revenues contributes to conserving and revitalizing the built environment, as well as supporting housing for local populations, including lower-income communities. In the city of Bordeaux in France , the city has worked with the public-private company InCité to introduce a system of public subsidies and tax exemption to encourage the restoration of privately-owned historical buildings, which has generated other rehabilitation works in the historic centre. The city of Kyoto in Japan targets a long-term vision of sustainability by enabling local households to play an active role in safeguarding heritage by incrementally updating their own houses, thus making the city more resilient to gentrification. The city also actively supports the promotion of its intangible heritage, such as tea ceremonies, flower arrangement, seasonal festivals, Noh theatre and dance. This year marks the ten-year anniversary of the adoption of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL). The results of a UNESCO survey carried out among Member States in 2019 on its implementation show that 89% of respondents have innovative services or tourism activities in place for historic areas, which demonstrates a precedence for countries to capitalize on urban cultural heritage for tourism purposes.

Cultural tourism has been harnessed to address rural-urban migration and to strengthen rural and peripheral sub-regions. The city of Suzhou – a World Heritage property and UNESCO Creative City (Crafts and Folk Art) - has leveraged its silk embroidery industry to strengthen the local rural economy through job creation in the villages of Wujiang, located in a district of Suzhou. Tourists can visit the ateliers and local museums to learn about the textile production. In northern Viet Nam, the cultural heritage of the Quan họ Bắc Ninh folk songs, part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is firmly rooted in place and underlined in its safeguarding strategies in 49 ancient villages, which have further inspired the establishment of some hundreds of new Quan họ villages in the Bắc Ninh and Bắc Giang provinces.

Many top destination cities are known for their iconic cultural landmarks. Others create a cultural drawcard to attract visitors to the city. France, the world's number one tourist destination , attracts 89 million visitors every year who travel to experience its cultural assets, including its extensive cultural landmarks. In the context of industrial decline, several national and local governments have looked to diversify infrastructure by harnessing culture as a new economic engine. The Guggenheim museum in Bilbao in Spain is one such example, where economic diversification and unemployment was addressed through building a modern art museum as a magnet for tourism. The museum attracts an average of 900,000 visitors annually, which has strengthened the local economy of the city. A similar approach is the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), established in 2011 by a private entrepreneur in the city of Hobart in Australia, which has catalysed a massive increase of visitors to the city. With events such as MONA FOMA in summer and Dark MOFO in winter, the museum staggers visitor volumes to the small city to avoid placing considerable strain on the local environment and communities. Within the tourism sector, cultural tourism is also well-positioned to offer a tailored approach to tourism products, services and experiences. Such models have also supported the wider ecosystems around the iconic cultural landmarks, as part of “destination tourism” strategies.

Destination tourism encompasses festivals, live performance, film and festive celebrations as drawcards for international tourists and an economic driver of the local economy. Over the past three decades, the number of art biennials has proliferated. Today there are more than 300 biennials around the world , whose genesis can be based both on artistic ambitions and place-making strategies to revive specific destinations. As a result of COVID-19, many major biennials and arts festivals have been cancelled or postponed. Both the Venice Architecture and Art Biennales have been postponed to 2022 due to COVID-19. The Berlin International Film Festival will hold its 2021 edition online and in selected cinemas. Film-induced tourism - motivated by a combination of media expansion, entertainment industry growth and international travel - has also been used for strategic regional development, infrastructure development and job creation, as well to market destinations to tourists. China's highest-grossing film of 2012 “Lost in Thailand”, for example, resulted in a tourist boom to Chiang Mai in Thailand, with daily flights to 17 Chinese cities to accommodate the daily influx of thousands of tourists who came to visit the film’s location. Since March 2020, tourism-related industries in New York City in the United States have gone into freefall, with revenue from the performing arts alone plunging by almost 70%. As the city is reliant on its tourism sector, the collapse of tourism explains why New York’s economy has been harder hit than other major cities in the country. Meanwhile in South Africa, when the first ever digital iteration of the country’s annual National Arts Festival took place last June, it also meant an estimated US$25.7 million (R377 million) and US$6.4 million (R94 million) loss to the Eastern Cape province and city of Makhanda (based on 2018 figures), in addition to the US$1.4 million (R20 million) that reaches the pockets of the artists and supporting industries. The United Kingdom's largest music festival, Glastonbury, held annually in Somerset, recently cancelled for the second year running due to the pandemic, which will have ripple effects on local businesses and the charities that receive funding from ticket sales.

Similarly, cancellations of carnivals from Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands to Binche in Belgium has spurred massive losses for local tourism providers, hotels, restaurants, costume-makers and dance schools. In the case of the Rio de Janeiro Carnival in Brazil, for instance, the city has amassed significant losses for the unstaged event, which in 2019 attracted 1.5 million tourists from Brazil and abroad and generated revenues in the range of US$700 million (BRL 3.78 billion). The knock-on effect on the wider economy due to supply chains often points to an estimated total loss that is far greater than those experienced solely by the cultural tourism sector.

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Spain by erlucho

Every year, roughly 600 million national and international religious and spiritual trips take place , generating US$18 billion in tourism revenue. Pilgrimages, a fundamental precursor to modern tourism, motivate tourists solely through religious practices. Religious tourism is particularly popular in France, India, Italy and Saudi Arabia. For instance, the Hindu pilgrimage and festival Kumbh Mela in India, inscribed in 2017 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, attracts over 120 million pilgrims of all castes, creeds and genders. The festival is held in the cities of Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik every four years by rotation. Sacred and ceremonial sites have unique significance for peoples and communities, and are often integral to journeys that promote spiritual well-being. Mongolia, for example, has around 800 sacred sites including 10 mountains protected by Presidential Decree, and lakes and ovoos, many of which have their own sutras. In the case of Mongolia, the environmental stewardship and rituals and practices connected with these sacred places also intersects with longstanding political traditions and State leadership.

Cities with a vibrant cultural scene and assets are not only more likely to attract tourists, but also the skilled talent who can advance the city’s long-term prospects. Several cities are also focusing on developing their night-time economies through the promotion of theatre, concerts, festivals, light shows and use of public spaces that increasingly making use of audio-visual technologies. Situated on Chile’s Pacific coast, the city of Valparaíso, a World Heritage site, is taking steps to transform the city’s night scene into a safe and inclusive tourist destination through revitalizing public spaces. While the economies of many cities have been weakened during the pandemic, the night-time economy of the city of Chengdu in China, a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy, has flourished and has made a significant contribution to generating revenue for the city, accounting for 45% of citizen’s daily expenditure.

The pandemic has generated the public’s re-appropriation of the urban space. People have sought open-air sites and experiences in nature. In many countries that are experiencing lockdowns, public spaces, including parks and city squares, have proven essential for socialization and strengthening resilience. People have also reconnected with the heritage assets in their urban environments. Local governments, organizations and civil society have introduced innovative ways to connect people and encourage creative expression. Cork City Council Arts Office and Creative Ireland, for example, jointly supported the art initiative Ardú- Irish for ‘Rise’ – involving seven renowned Irish street artists who produced art in the streets and alleyways of Cork.

Chengdu Town Square, China by Lukas Bischoff

Environment-based solutions support integrated approaches to deliver across the urban-rural continuum, and enhance visitor experiences by drawing on the existing features of a city. In the city of Bamberg, a World Heritage site in Germany, gardens are a key asset of the city and contribute to its livability and the well-being of its local population and visitors. More than 12,000 tourists enjoy this tangible testimony to the local history and environment on an annual basis. Eighteen agricultural businesses produce local vegetables, herbs, flowers and shrubs, and farm the inner-city gardens and surrounding agricultural fields. The museum also organizes gastronomic events and cooking classes to promote local products and recipes.

In rural areas, crafts can support strategies for cultural and community-based tourism. This is particularly the case in Asia, where craft industries are often found in rural environments and can be an engine for generating employment and curbing rural-urban migration. Craft villages have been established in Viet Nam since the 11th century, constituting an integral part of the cultural resources of the country, and whose tourism profits are often re-invested into the sustainability of the villages. The craft tradition is not affected by heavy tourist seasons and tourists can visit all year round.

Indigenous tourism can help promote and maintain indigenous arts, handicrafts, and culture, including indigenous culture and traditions, which are often major attractions for visitors. Through tourism, indigenous values and food systems can also promote a less carbon-intensive industry. During COVID-19, the Government of Canada has given a series of grants to indigenous tourism businesses to help maintain livelihoods. UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions announced that it will grant, through the International Fund for Creative Diversity (IFCD), US$70,000 dollars to Mexican indigenous cultural enterprises, which will support indigenous enterprises through training programmes, seed funding, a pre-incubation process and the creation of an e-commerce website.

Tourism has boosted community pride in living heritage and the active involvement of local communities in its safeguarding. Local authorities, cultural associations, bearers and practitioners have made efforts to safeguard and promote elements as they have understood that not only can these elements strengthen their cultural identity but that they can also contribute to tourism and economic development. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the role of intellectual property and in the regulation of heritage. In the field of gastronomy, a lot of work has been done in protecting local food products, including the development of labels and certification of origin. Member States are exploring the possibilities of geographical indication (GI) for cultural products as a way of reducing the risk of heritage exploitation in connection to, for example, crafts, textiles and food products, and favouring its sustainable development.

The pandemic has brought to the forefront the evolving role of museums and their crucial importance to the life of societies in terms of health and well-being, education and the economy. A 2019 report by the World Health Organization (WHO) examined 3,000 studies on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being, which indicated that the arts play a major role in preventing, managing and treating illness. Over the past decade the number of museums has increased by 60%, demonstrating the important role that museums have in national cultural policy. Museums are not static but are rather dynamic spaces of education and dialogue, with the potential to boost public awareness about the value of cultural and natural heritage, and the responsibility to contribute to its safeguarding.

Data presented in UNESCO's report "Museums Around the World in the Face of COVID-19" in May 2020 show that 90% of institutions were forced to close, whereas the situation in September-October 2020 was much more variable depending on their location in the world. Large museums have consistently been the most heavily impacted by the drop in international tourism – notably in Europe and North America. Larger museums, such as Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum and Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum have reported losses between €100,000 and €600,000 a week. Smaller museums have been relatively stable, as they are not as reliant on international tourism and have maintained a closer connection to local communities. In November, the Network of European Museum Organisations (NEMO) released the results of a survey of 6,000 museums from 48 countries. Of the responding museums, 93% have increased or started online services during the pandemic. Most larger museums (81%) have increased their digital capacities, while only 47% of smaller museums indicated that they did. An overwhelming majority of respondents (92.9%) confirm that the public is safe at their museum. As reported in the Tracker last October, the world’s most visited museum, the Louvre in France (9.3 million visitors annually) witnessed a ten-fold increase in traffic to its website. Yet while digital technologies have provided options for museums to remain operational, not all have the necessary infrastructure, which is the case for many museums in Africa and SIDS.

New technologies have enabled several new innovations that can better support cultural tourism and digital technologies in visitor management, access and site interpretation. Cultural tourists visiting cultural heritage sites, for example, can enjoy educational tools that raise awareness of a site and its history. Determining carrying capacity through algorithms has helped monitor tourist numbers, such as in Hạ Long Bay in Viet Nam. In response to the pandemic, Singapore’s Asian Civilizations Museum is one of many museums that has harnessed digital technologies to provide virtual tours of its collections, thus allowing viewers to learn more about Asian cultures and histories. The pandemic has enhanced the need for technology solutions to better manage tourism flows at destinations and encourage tourism development in alternative areas.

Shaping a post-pandemic vision : regenerative and inclusive cultural tourism

As tourism is inherently dependent on the movement and interaction of people, it has been one of the hardest-hit sectors by the pandemic and may be one of the last to recover. Travel and international border restrictions have led to the massive decline in tourism in 2020, spurring many countries to implement strategies for domestic tourism to keep economies afloat. Many cultural institutions and built and natural heritage sites have established strict systems of physical distancing and hygiene measures, enabling them to open once regulations allow. Once travel restrictions have been lifted, it will enable the recovery of the tourism sector and for the wider economy and community at large.

While the pandemic has dramatically shifted the policy context for cultural tourism, it has also provided the opportunity to experiment with integrated models that can be taken forward in the post-pandemic context. While destinations are adopting a multiplicity of approaches to better position sustainability in their plans for tourism development, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

A comprehensive, integrated approach to the cultural sector is needed to ensure more sustainable cultural tourism patterns. Efforts aimed at promoting cultural tourism destinations should build on the diversity of cultural sub-sectors, including cultural and heritage sites, museums, but also the creative economy and living heritage, notably local practices, food and crafts production. Beyond cultural landmarks, which act as a hotspot to drive the attractiveness of tourism destinations, and particularly cities, cultural tourism should also encompass other aspects of the cultural value chain as well as more local, community-based cultural expressions. Such an integrated approach is likely to support a more equitable distribution of cultural tourism revenues, also spreading tourism flows over larger areas, thus curbing the negative impacts of over-tourism on renowned cultural sites, including UNESCO World Heritage sites. This comprehensive vision also echoes the growing aspiration of visitors around the world for more inclusive and sustainable tourism practices, engaging with local communities and broadening the understanding of cultural diversity.

As a result of the crisis, the transversal component of cultural tourism has been brought to the fore, demonstrating its cross-cutting nature and alliance with other development areas. Cultural tourism – and tourism more broadly – is highly relevant to the 2030 for Sustainable Development and its 17 SDGs, however, the full potential of cultural tourism for advancing development – economic, social and environmental - remains untapped. This is even though cultural tourism is included in a third of all countries’ VNRs, thus demonstrating its priority for governments. Due the transversal nature of cultural tourism, there is scope to build on these synergies and strengthen cooperation between ministries to advance cooperation for a stronger and more resilient sector. This plays an integral role in ensuring a regenerative and inclusive cultural tourism sector. Similarly, tourism can feature as criteria for certain funding initiatives, or as a decisive component for financing cultural projects, such as in heritage or the cultural and creative industries.

Houses in Amsterdam, adisa, Getty, Images Pro

Several countries have harnessed the crisis to step up actions towards more sustainable models of cultural tourism development by ensuring that recovery planning is aligned with key sustainability principles and the SDGs. Tourism both impacts and is impacted by climate change. There is scant evidence of integration of climate strategies in tourism policies, as well as countries’ efforts to develop solid crisis preparedness and response strategies for the tourism sector. The magnitude and regional variation of climate change in the coming decades will continue to affect cultural tourism, therefore, recovery planning should factor in climate change concerns. Accelerating climate action is of utmost importance for the resilience of the sector.

The key role of local actors in cultural tourism should be supported and developed. States have the opportunity to build on local knowledge, networks and models to forge a stronger and more sustainable cultural tourism sector. This includes streamlining cooperation between different levels of governance in the cultural tourism sector and in concert with civil society and private sector. Particularly during the pandemic, many cities and municipalities have not received adequate State support and have instead introduced measures and initiatives using local resources. In parallel, such actions can spur new opportunities for employment and training that respond to local needs.

Greater diversification in cultural tourism models is needed, backed by a stronger integration of the sector within broader economic and regional planning. An overdependence of the cultural sector on the tourism sector became clear for some countries when the pandemic hit, which saw their economies come to a staggering halt. This has been further weakened by pre-existing gaps in government and industry preparedness and response capacity. The cultural tourism sector is highly fragmented and interdependent, and relies heavily on micro and small enterprises. Developing a more in-depth understanding of tourism value chains can help identify pathways for incremental progress. Similarly, more integrated – and balanced – models can shape a more resilient sector that is less vulnerable to future crises. Several countries are benefiting from such approaches by factoring in a consideration of the environmental and socio-cultural pillars of sustainability, which is supported across all levels of government and in concert with all stakeholders.

abhishek gaurav, Pexels

Inclusion must be at the heart of building back better the cultural tourism sector. Stakeholders at different levels should participate in planning and management, and local communities cannot be excluded from benefitting from the opportunities and economic benefits of cultural tourism. Moreover, they should be supported and empowered to create solutions from the outset, thus forging more sustainable and scalable options in the long-term. Policy-makers need to ensure that cultural tourism development is pursued within a wider context of city and regional strategies in close co-operation with local communities and industry. Businesses are instrumental in adopting eco-responsible practices for transport, accommodation and food. A balance between public/ private investment should also be planned to support an integrated approach post-crisis, which ensures input and support from industry and civil society.

The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the essential role of museums as an integral component of societies in terms of well-being, health, education and the economy. Digitalization has been a game-changer for many cultural institutions to remain operational to the greatest extent possible. Yet there are significant disparities in terms of infrastructure and resources, which was underscored when the world shifted online. Museums in SIDS have faced particular difficulties with lack of access to digitalization. These imbalances should be considered in post-crisis strategies.

The pandemic presents an occasion to deeply rethink tourism for the future, and what constitutes the markers and benchmarks of “success”. High-quality cultural tourism is increasingly gaining traction in new strategies for recovery and revival, in view of contributing to the long-term health and resilience of the sector and local communities. Similarly, many countries are exploring ways to fast track towards greener, more sustainable tourism development. As such, the pandemic presents an opportunity for a paradigm shift - the transformation of the culture and tourism sectors to become more inclusive and sustainable. Moreover, this includes incorporating tourism approaches that not only avoid damage but have a positive impact on the environment of tourism destinations and local communities. This emphasis on regenerative tourism has a holistic approach that measures tourism beyond its financial return, and shifts the pendulum towards focusing on the concerns of local communities, and the wellbeing of people and planet.

Entabeni Game Reserve in South Africa by SL_Photography

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What is Cultural Tourism and Why is It Important?

Tourism trends come and go. What was once deemed as a necessity in travel and tourism may not be a necessity today. So what is cultural tourism and why is it important? Let’s dive in!

How is Culture Defined?

In order to understand cultural tourism, we must first understand what constitutes culture. 

Culture is rooted in many complexities and many inner workings. On the surface level, culture can be defined through symbols, words, gestures, people, rituals and more. 

However, the core of culture is in its values. 

The way a culture perceives itself or stays preserved is through a set of shared values. 

Maybe its an ode to ancestry and tradition or a new breadth of 

However, the core of culture is in its values.

Whether it’s an ode to ancestry or creating a new set of values as time evolves, it can be also be held true to the 

Whether it’s an ode to ancestry or creating a new set of values as time evolves, cultural tourism is uprooted in holding and preserving cultures through traditions and heritage.  [1]

What is Cultural Tourism?

Adopted by the UNWTO General Assembly in 2017, Cultural Tourism is defined as the following: “A type of tourism activity in which the visitor’s essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination.”

The main aim of cultural tourism is to improve the quality and livelihood of the local people who are committed to preserving cultural heritage and traditions. 

This can be through the purchase of locally made goods, initiatives through local food and the learning of recipes, 

This can be through the purchase of locally made goods, initiatives to learn how to cook local recipes and supporting local inbound operators who have a good knowledge of the cities they are operating in. 

This can be done through the following six aspects:

• Handcrafted Goods and Visual Art
• Social Practices
• Rituals and Festive Events
• Oral Traditions

Imagine visiting one of our destinations: Jordan, Tunisia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan or Tanzania. 

Imagine being able to experience all six of these aspects of cultural tourism all created in one package.

Where Can You Practice Cultural Tourism?

Jordan .

From the North to the South, Jordan’s landscapes and its people are ready to welcome you to each and every experience. 

In the North, experience the gastronomy of locally preserved recipes and take your hand at being able to learn how to cook yourself. 

Take your hand at handcrafted goods like making baskets out of wheat straws or learn the art of traditional weaving in Madaba. 

In the South, practice in rituals in the desert by learning about the infamous Bedouin tea, take some words and practices that are so pertinent to those in the South. 

See our packages in Jordan

Underground colonies, history and a rich culture are just waiting for you to learn about. 

Visit an artist in Gabes who has taken traditional methods of papermaking and carried it to the present today by honoring raw and organic materials pertinent to the atmosphere of Tunisia’s landscape. 

Then have an opportunity to stay in local accommodation in underground colonies which stay cool during the summer and warm in the winter.

You can also experience Amazigh history and the different languages present in Tunisia today that trace back to civilizations many years ago. 

See our packages in Tunisia

Uzbekistan 

One of Central Asia’s unknown wonders

Uzbekistan is located on the Silk Road and holds centuries of history that trace back to the Islamic Golden Age. It holds a unique architectural background and since it holds history between the Persian Empire and the Soviet Union, you can see a contradiction between both styles, all in one place. 

See our packages in Uzbekistan

Kyrgyzstan 

Where nature is a non-negotiable

With its beautiful nature, with over 2,000 lakes, Kyrgyzstan is another Central Asian wonder that holds beautiful fairytale naturescapes and semi-nomadic living. 

Kyrygz people still adhere to ancient civilizations and honor their ancestors by living in Yurts and sharing natural practices such as horseback riding and traditional old games, like Kok Boro and eagle hunting. 

See our packages in Kyrgyzstan 

Everything is “pole pole” in Tanzania

From visiting indigeneous tribes to participating in rituals to mother nature, Tanzanian people practice the “pole pole” lifestyle, which means slowly slowly in Swahili. 

With an intersection of different cultures and practiced rituals, Tanzania has become such a hub for many people to get together and enjoy the lifestyle and indigenous cultures. 

See our packages in Tanzania

Why is Cultural Tourism Important?

Cultural tourism is a travel and tourism trend that is here to stay. With more and more accessibility to the world and the people in it, there is peak interest in being able to immersively travel. 

• Peaks an interest to immerse yourself in a particular culture
• Creates meanings, stories and understanding between host and guest
• Share cultural practices and be part of the preservation of cultural heritage
• Gain a full understanding a culture without commodification 

What better way to honor a destination than by practicing in allowing something to be immortal. 

Also, if you’re interested in learning more about experiential tourism, check out this article. 

What are some cultural touristic experiences you are looking forward to trying?

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Basic Guide to Cultural Tourism Marketing pp 1–6 Cite as

Introduction to Cultural Tourism Marketing

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Cultural tourism is a form of tourism that refers to the (intangible or tangible) cultural heritage and/or cultural institutions, events, projects etc. of a destination. Through cultural tourism, these cultural assets of a destination are transformed into products that can be consumed by out-of-town/non-resident guests. The right marketing plays a central role in this, because appropriate marketing measures make the cultural offer easier to use and consume for these visitors. Marketing is understood to be a leadership principle and cross-functional mindset among cultural tourism service providers. They way that competitive advantages are created, customer benefits are generated and organisational goals are achieved. To visualise and structure the marketing activities of cultural tourism service providers, the marketing management process with its four phases (information phase, strategic phase, operational phase and coordination/evaluation phase) is used as a tool. 

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Coccossis, H. (2010). Sustainable development and tourism: Opportunities and threats to cultural heritage from tourism. In L. F. Girard & P. Nijkamp (Eds.), Cultural tourism and sustainable local development (pp. 47–56). Ashgate.

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Kolb, B. (2017). Tourism marketing for cities and towns: Using branding and events to attract tourists (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Kotler, P./Bowen, J.T./Makens, J.C./Baloglu, S. (2017). Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism 5th Prentice Hall.

Kozak, M./Baloglu, S. (2011). Managing and marketing tourist destinations. Routledge: .

Meffert, H., Bruhn, M., & Hadwich, K. (2018). Dienstleistungsmarketing (9th ed.). Gabler.

West, D. C., Ford, J. B., & Ibrahim, E. (2015). Strategic marketing. Creating competitive advantage (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

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What is cultural tourism and how to make it part of your trips

Learn all about cultural tourism and find out about amazing destinations to live cultural experiences around the world.

Worldpackers Worldpackers

Jan 08, 2024

When you’re traveling, do you try to go beyond the surface and understand the different cultures that surround you? Then this article is for you. We will talk about the main characteristics of cultural tourism and will suggest 10 fascinating destinations with unique cultural aspects. 

We will also tell you how you can have a deeper cultural immersion than a typical tourist , mixing with locals and learning from them while you get free accommodation.

You might also like to read: 

• 20 ways to travel more intentionally
• 6 ways travel promotes learning and education

What is cultural tourism?

Cultural tourism is a form of travel that focuses on exploring and appreciating the unique traditions, history, and practices of a place . It is not just about visiting museums or attending festivals, but also delving deeply into the everyday aspects of local life. Authentic local food, local markets, and even casual chats with locals are an integral part of cultural tourism.

While a conventional tourist may seek relaxation and fun and focuses on visiting famous tourist places, the cultural tourist seeks to go beyond the superficial layer. They want to immerse themselves in local history, explore the unique customs of a region, and learn about its art and architecture. This type of experience is an opportunity to grow personally and empathize with people from different parts of the world.

Among the different types of cultural tourism, there are gastronomic tourism, rural tourism, religious tourism, ethnographic tourism, sports tourism, spiritual tourism, and voluntourism, to name a few.

Characteristics of cultural tourism

A main characteristic of cultural tourism is the deep appreciation for different cultures . Travelers not only visit a place to see its natural or architectural beauties, but also to immerse themselves in its culture and understand it thoroughly.

Another important characteristic is the constant educational component that exists in this type of trip. You don't just learn about a new culture: you are also an active part of the cultural exchange while sharing your own customs and knowledge with local people.

Respect for cultural heritage is another indispensable condition for the cultural tourist, since not only the most famous tourist attractions are visited, but also places of great importance for local communities, such as natural sites with a strong mythology, ruins of ancient civilizations, or religious temples. They are spaces that house ancestral stories and traditions, which must be valued and preserved with the greatest care.

You might also be interested in:  5 actionable ways to live like a local while traveling

Importance of cultural tourism

Cultural tourism allows travelers to immerse themselves in the heart of a culture and learn about its history, customs, and traditions. But it's not just travelers who benefit from cultural tourism.

Local communities also have much to gain as this form of travel can be a powerful driver for local economic development. Income generated by tourism can be reinvested in community projects, helping improve infrastructure and boost local employment.

Role of the cultural traveler

When we embark on a cultural journey, we are much more than just passive spectators: we actively become respectful participants within these diverse communities. It is vital to understand that each culture has its own unique identity forged by centuries - sometimes millennia - of history.

As cultural travelers, our role is to learn and respect these differences. It is this open-mindedness that allows us to experience the intrinsic beauty of the varied ways in which humans interpret and express our existence .

Being a responsible tourist is central so that both parties can benefit from this exchange, since lack of respect or damage caused in the place visited can have irreparable consequences. Visiting a community with the sole objective of taking photos for social media, without being really interested in it, can ruin places in the long run.

10 places where you can practice cultural tourism

Cultural tourism can be practiced anywhere in the world since there are countless diverse cultures all around us. As you travel you will realize that there are many more than you thought, because even within the same country there can be dozens or even hundreds of ethnic groups with their own religion, beliefs, mythology, dialect, gastronomy and so on.

Below we will see some of the most favorable destinations for cultural tourism, but obviously the choice of where to go depends on your interests.

Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto is known as the cultural heart of Japan. With its intact Shinto shrines and ancient Buddhist temples – such as Kinkaku-ji (the Temple of the Golden Pavilion) – Kyoto offers travelers an authentic glimpse into Japan's imperial past.

Don't forget to participate in a tea ceremony and stroll through Gion, a famous geisha neighborhood full of traditional houses where the maiko learn what is necessary to become geishas.

Keep reading about Japan:

• Japan off the beaten path: discover 6 unique non-touristy destinations
• Japan on a budget: live like a local and save your dollars
• How to teach English in Japan: the easiest way

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Ubud is the cultural heart of Bali and a must-see destination for travelers looking to immerse themselves in the rich history and traditions of this mythical Indonesian island. This small town is surrounded by terraced rice fields, lush tropical forests and centuries-old Hindu temples that look like something straight out of a postcard.

Unlike the tourist bustle of Kuta, Canggu or Seminyak, Ubud offers a more authentic and immersive experience when exploring its surroundings. Here you can learn about Balinese customs, participate in craft workshops, or attend local cooking classes . In addition, its vibrant art scene will allow you to discover everything from traditional dances to contemporary art.

Dharamsala, India

Located in the northern region of India, Dharamsala is known for being the residence of the Dalai Lama and the center of the Tibetan government in exile . Here you can visit the Dalai Lama temple, where you can witness Buddhist ceremonies and better understand this ancient tradition.

Aside from its rich religious heritage, you will also find a fascinating mix of Indian cultures and Tibetan influences that are reflected in both local customs and cuisine. You can enjoy typical dishes such as momos (dumplings) or thukpa (a noodle soup), while interacting with the friendly locals.

Another must-see attraction is the Dhauladhar mountains that surround Dharamshala; perfect for those adventurers interested in hiking while enjoying spectacular panoramic views. There is also the unique opportunity to learn about traditional Ayurvedic medicine through educational workshops offered by local experts.

Keep reading:   Discover India's top 3 best ecotourism destinations

Marrakesh, Morocco

Marrakech, in Morocco , is famous for its medina or old town, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Here you can explore labyrinths of narrow alleys filled with colorful bazaars where local artisans sell their wares.

A visit to the imposing Bahia Palace or the Saadian tombs will transport you directly to Morocco's glorious past: it’s an impressive experience of cultural tourism.

You cannot miss the opportunity to try authentic Moroccan dishes , such as couscous or a delicious tagine while enjoying the lively and hypnotizing atmosphere in Jemaa el-Fna, one of the largest and busiest markets in the world.

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul is an ideal destination for cultural tourism. This magical city is located at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, giving it a unique mix of Eastern and Western influences.

Its ancient history has left tangible traces that you can explore during your visit. From architectural wonders such as the Blue Mosque, the Topkapi Palace or the majestic Hagia Sophia to its bustling bazaars full of colors, aromas, and unique flavors.

Turkish culture has a lot to offer: its rich gastronomy with emblematic dishes such as kebab or baklava; its impressive ancestral religious traditions such as that of the dancing dervishes; and its palpable modernity in vibrant neighborhoods like Beyoğlu where contemporary art galleries coexist with bohemian cafes.

Rome, Italy

Rome, the "Eternal City", is a living museum. From the Colosseum to the Vatican, every corner tells a fascinating story about ancient Roman civilization and its impact on our society today, making it a classic destination for cultural tourism.

You can tour the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum and admire masterpieces of Renaissance art at the Vatican Museums. Every step through Rome allows you to immerse yourself deeply in its vibrant culture and rich history.

Keep reading : The 20 best places to visit in Italy

Granada, Spain

Known for its stunning Moorish architecture and charming cobblestone streets, Granada is another perfect destination for travelers looking to have a cultural tourism experience in Europe.

This Andalusian city, in the South of Spain,  lies at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains and offers a unique mix of Moorish and Christian influences.

The Alhambra, a jewel of Islamic art with its intricate mosaics and hanging gardens, is its main tourist attraction, but there is much more in Granada. The UNESCO World Heritage neighborhood of Albayzín is full of winding streets where you can browse local shops or simply enjoy the panoramic views from one of the many viewpoints.

You also can't miss Sacromonte, famous for its gypsy caves converted into houses and even flamenco bars. Here you can experience an authentic flamenco nigh t, full of the passionate rhythm that characterizes this traditional dance from southern Spain.

Salvador de Bahia, Brazil

Salvador is the capital of the state of Bahia and the fourth most populated city in Brazil . Founded in 1549 by the Portuguese, it was the most important center in the slave market, which over time led to an artistic culture where African expressions mixed with European and Indigenous influences.

No wonder it is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations: it combines beautiful beaches with history, festivals, and traditions , being considered the cultural capital of Brazil.

Pelourinho is the old neighborhood of Salvador de Bahía, declared a World Heritage Site. Its cobbled streets are full of historical sites, colonial architecture, museums, restaurants, bars, hotels, musicians, and capoeira.

Cusco, Peru

The charm of Cusco, Peru , lies in its rich history and culture that have survived through time. This ancient Peruvian city is another perfect destination for travelers interested in cultural tourism in South America.

As the cradle of the Inca Empire, Cusco offers an unmatched experience. Here you can explore ancient Inca ruins such as the famous citadel of Machu Picchu, a must-see for any history and archeology lover.

You can also visit other historical sites such as Sacsayhuamán or Pisac. And if you are looking to immerse yourself even more in the local culture, there is nothing better than trying the exquisite Andean cuisine and participating in its colorful traditional festivals.

In addition to being a living museum full of archaeological treasures, Cusco is also known for its vibrant nightlife with numerous bars and clubs where you can enjoy folk music while mingling with locals and other international travelers.

Guadalajara, Mexico

This vibrant city, known as the birthplace of mariachi, is full of history, traditions and art that reflect the richness of Mexican culture . You can stroll through the local squares where mariachi groups perform regularly or visit the famous Degollado Theater during one of its nightly shows.

But the cultural wealth of Guadalajara goes far beyond mariachi. The towns near this metropolis are famous for their impressive craft production . Tlaquepaque and Tonalá are two perfect examples: these places are full of workshops where you can watch artists work with clay, blown glass, and other ancient techniques to create wonderfully detailed pieces.

Guadalajara also offers a wealth of cultural and historical museums, as well as well-preserved colonial buildings that tell the history of Mexico . You cannot miss visiting the Hospicio Cabañas, an architectural jewel from the 19th century and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.

In addition, the city is surrounded by agave plantations, the plant that is used to produce tequila and mezcal.

You might also like : Ul timate list of the best places to visit in Mexico: the top 13

Discover different cultures with Worldpackers

An excellent way to have a true cultural immersion in the places you travel is by volunteering through Worldpackers . This platform facilitates an exchange of work for accommodation which allows for transformative and budget-friendly trips.

It’s quite simple: you lend a hand in different projects for a few hours a day , and in return you get free accommodation on site. Depending on the host, you might also get other benefits such as free meals and activities.

This type of trip is super cheap, but that’s not the best part. Volunteering with Worldpackers you can meet many people with similar interests to yours and develop new skills, such as learning a language , bartending, or bioconstruction. 

From hostels in big cities to organic farms and holistic centers surrounded by nature , the possibilities are plenty. There are positions available in all of the countries mentioned in this article and much more: there are more than 140 countries available on the platform.

Keep reading : 

• Collaborative tourism: what are collaborative travel relationships?
• 6 types of volunteer work abroad that give you free accommodation
• How to find volunteering opportunities around the world using Worldpackers

Did that spike your interest? Create a free profile on Worldpackers and start saving your favorite volunteering positions. And if you liked these tips on how to practice cultural tourism around the world, let us know in the comments section below! 

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The role of culture as a determinant of tourism demand: evidence from European cities

International Journal of Tourism Cities

ISSN : 2056-5607

Article publication date: 22 April 2022

Issue publication date: 16 March 2023

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of various cultural amenities on tourism demand in 168 European cities.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from the European Commission’s Culture and Creative Cities Monitor 2017, a series of regressions are estimated to examine the impact of various cultural amenities on tourism demand while also controlling for other factors that may impact on tourism demand. Diagnostic tests are also conducted to check the robustness of the results.

The results reveal that cultural amenities in the form of sights, landmarks, museums, concerts and shows have a positive impact on tourism demand. By pinpointing the cultural amenities that are important for increasing tourism demand, the findings aid stakeholders in the tourism industry as they develop post-pandemic recovery plans.

Originality/value

This paper identifies two key aspects of the cultural tourism literature that require deeper investigation and aims to address these aspects. Firstly, while many studies focus on a specific or narrow range of cultural amenities, this study includes a series of measures to capture a range of cultural amenities. Secondly, while many studies are narrow in geographical scope, this paper includes data on 168 European cities across 30 countries.

• European cities

Noonan, L. (2023), "The role of culture as a determinant of tourism demand: evidence from European cities", International Journal of Tourism Cities , Vol. 9 No. 1, pp. 13-34. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJTC-07-2021-0154

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Lisa Noonan

Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode

1. Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of culture on tourism demand in 168 European cities. City tourism has been cited as one of the fastest growing travel segments globally ( Bock, 2015 ; Postma et al. , 2017 ). In many European countries, city tourism is a major contributor to the country’s overall tourism gross domestic product (GDP). In 2016, for example, 60.3% of direct tourism GDP in Czech Republic was generated in Prague; in Ireland, 59.1% was generated in Dublin, and Brussels accounted for 52.6% of direct tourism GDP in Belgium ( World Travel and Tourism Council, 2017 ).

Cities are attractive destinations for various segments of the tourist market ( Smolčić Jurdana and Sušilović, 2006 ). Young people are attracted to the nightlife and entertainment as well as sporting events held in the city. Older and more educated tourists are attracted to the cultural heritage of the city ( Smolčić Jurdana and Sušilović, 2006 ). The options available to travellers in a city surpass those of other destination types due to the density of cultural offerings available ( Bock, 2015 ).

The role of culture in attracting tourists to cities has not been overlooked by the tourism industry. Since the 1980s, many destinations have focussed on cultural tourism as a source of economic development ( OECD, 2009 ). This is particularly true in the case of European cities. European cities are increasingly targeting tourism as a key sector for local development and are investing in cultural attractions and infrastructure to secure a niche position in the tourist market ( Russo and van der Borg, 2002 ). In some cities that have experienced deindustrialisation, old manufacturing spaces have been designated for cultural or tourist activities ( Alvarez, 2010 ). In Bilbao, for example, the building of the Guggenheim Museum marked the beginning of the regeneration of the city and many old industrial sites were converted into parks and cultural spaces ( Alvarez, 2010 ). According to Richards (1996a ), the European cultural tourism market is becoming progressively more competitive with an increasing number of European Union cities and regions developing their tourism strategies around cultural heritage. The opening up of Central and Eastern Europe has also led to the development of “new” cultural tourism destinations ( Richards, 1996a , p. 4).

The contribution of culture to tourism has received extensive consideration in the academic literature. There are, however, two notable shortcomings in the literature. Firstly, the range of cultural amenities considered in the literature is limited. Many studies focus on a narrow range of cultural amenities with many of the cultural amenities listed by the UNWTO (2019) being overlooked. Secondly, studies are narrow in geographical scope, with many studies focusing on a specific location or multiple locations within a specific country. Location-specific case studies are useful as they allow for in-depth analyses on the contribution of culture to tourism demand. However, difficulties may arise when making generalisations from the findings of such site-specific analyses ( Chen and Rahman, 2018 ). Cross-sectional analyses, which incorporate a range of cultural amenities and geographic locations, would provide a more detailed insight into how culture impacts on tourism demand.

This paper contributes to the literature by examining the impact of different cultural amenities on tourism demand across 168 European cities. Using data from The Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor, published by the European Commission (2017) , a series of regressions is estimated. Using the various measures, it is possible to pinpoint the exact cultural amenities that affect tourism demand.

The concept of cultural tourism is explained and a review of the literature is presented in Section 2. The data are presented in Section 3. The method of analysis is outlined in Section 4. The results are presented in Section 5. Finally, discussion and conclusions are presented in Section 6.

2. Aspects of cultural tourism literature

This section begins by defining cultural tourism. Two notable features of existing literature in the field are identified and discussed in subsections 2.2 and 2.3.

2.1 Defining cultural tourism

The term “cultural tourism” is frequently used in conceptual models that include culture as a key determinant of tourism competitiveness, for example, Crouch and Ritchie’s (1999) model of destination competitiveness and the integrated model of destination competitiveness ( Dwyer et al. , 2004 ). However, how best to define cultural tourism has been the subject of much debate ( Richards 1996b ; Richards, 2018 ). Various definitions can be found in the literature; see for example, Silberberg (1995) , Richards (1996b ), Richards (2000) . One of the most comprehensive definitions is provided by World Tourism Organization (UNWTO):

Cultural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor’s essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination. These attractions/products relate to a set of distinctive material, intellectual, spiritual and emotional features of a society that encompasses arts and architecture, historical and cultural heritage, culinary heritage, literature, music, creative industries and the living cultures with their lifestyles, value systems, beliefs and traditions ( UNWTO, 2019 , p. 30)

In discussing an earlier publication of the definition above, Richards (2018 , p. 13) contends that it “confirms the much broader nature of contemporary cultural tourism, which relates not just to sites and monuments, but to ways of life, creativity and ‘everyday culture’”. A broad definition is important as opinions on what constitutes culture tend to vary among stakeholders. For example, in a survey of member states, The World Tourism Organisation (2018) asked countries what aspects they included in cultural tourism. Total, 97% of respondents included aspects of tangible heritage such as heritage sights and monuments. Total, 98% included intangible heritage such as traditional festivals, music and gastronomy. Total, 82% included other contemporary cultures and creative industries including film, performing arts and fashion ( World Tourism Organisation, 2018 ). As such, empirical analyses should consider a multitude of cultural offerings when assessing the impact of culture on tourism demand.

Many of the cultural amenities listed in the UNWTO (2019) definition have been overlooked in the literature. Specifically, many studies focus on one or a small number of cultural amenities in their analyses. They also tend to focus on a specific country or subdivisions of a country. These two features of the literature are discussed in the next sections.

2.2 Studies tend to focus on specific cultural amenities

Many studies on cultural tourism tend to focus on a specific cultural amenity or a narrow range of amenities. Museums receive much attention. The interest in museums is unsurprising given that they can offer an insight into a specific location and time and as such, may be unique to the destination ( Stylianou-Lambert, 2011 ). Many types of museums are considered including state ( Cellini and Cuccia, 2013 ) and capital-city museums ( Carey et al. , 2013 ) as well as museums operating in more niche areas, such as art museums ( Stylianou-Lambert, 2011 ), transport museums ( Xie, 2006 ; Akbulut and Artvinli, 2011 ) and Holocaust museums ( Miles, 2002 ; Cohen, 2011 ). Their impact on tourism is mixed. Some studies reveal that museums have a positive effect on tourism demand Plaza (2000) , Carey et al. (2013) . The presence of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao appears to be particularly important for tourism. Visitors to the museum accounted for 58% of tourism growth in the Basque Country between 1997 and 1999 ( Plaza, 2000 ). By contrast, Cellini and Cuccia (2013) find evidence of bi-directional causality between attendance at museums and monuments and tourism flows in Italy in the long run.

While museums receive considerable attention, Cellini and Cuccia (2013) contend that focussing solely on museums and monuments is too strict as a measure of culture. Various other cultural amenities are also considered from a tourism perspective. For example, Di Lascio et al. (2011) find that modern art exhibitions have a positive one-year lagged effect on tourism. Contemporary art exhibitions also have a positive impact on tourism flows when the organisation of such exhibitions is continuous over time ( Di Lascio et al. , 2011 ). The importance of culinary heritage as a cultural tourism product is also evident in the literature. Du Rand et al. (2003) find that food plays a role in tourism in South Africa. Likewise, local gastronomy is considered a tourist attraction in Quito ( Pérez Gálvez et al. , 2017 ). Visitors to Córdoba want to taste the local cuisine as well as enjoying the historic and cultural heritage ( Beltrán et al. , 2016 ).

UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHS) also receive considerable attention, for example, Cuccia et al. , 2016 ; Yang et al. , 2019 ; Canale et al. , 2019 ; Castillo-Manzano et al. , 2021 . However, even within the same country, their impact on tourism appears to be mixed. In Spain, cultural WHS have a positive impact on tourism numbers in inland provinces while only natural WHS have a positive impact on tourism numbers in coastal regions ( Castillo-Manzano et al. , 2021 ). The presence of WHS is negatively correlated with the technical efficiency of tourism destinations in Italian regions ( Cuccia et al. , 2016 ). However, in Italian provinces, the number of WHS increases international tourist arrivals by 6.9% ( Canale et al. , 2019 ).

While detailed studies on specific cultural amenities offer interesting insights, Cellini and Cuccia (2013) believe that different types of cultural amenities may have different relationships with tourism flows and recommend research into the same ( Cellini and Cuccia, 2013 ). Guccio et al. (2017) contribute to the literature by including a range of measures of culture in their study which examines the effects of cultural participation on the performance of tourism destinations. The amenities considered include theatres, cinemas, museums, sports and music events, discotheques and archaeological sites. They find that cultural friendly environments positively affect the performance of tourism destinations ( Guccio et al. , 2017 ). Their paper focuses solely on Italian regions.

Cultural amenities have a positive and significant impact on tourism demand.

The next section discusses this paper’s second key observation.

2.3 Studies tend to be narrow in geographical scope

The narrow geographical scope of many studies is a notable feature of the literature. There are many examples of studies that focus on a specific cultural amenity and tend to be location specific. For example, Mi’kmaw culture in Nova Scotia ( Lynch et al. , 2010 ), language tourism in Valladolid ( Redondo-Carretero et al. , 2017 ), communist heritage tourism in Bucharest ( Sima, 2017 ) and the development of cultural heritage in Gozo ( Borg, 2017 ).

Detailed case studies on specific locations are useful as they allow for in-depth analyses on the contribution of culture to tourism demand. They also aid policymakers and the stakeholders in the tourism industry when tailoring policies and initiatives specific to the location in question. However, difficulties may arise when making generalisations from the findings of such sight-specific analyses ( Chen and Rahman, 2018 ). For example, Cellini and Cuccia (2013 , p. 3481) contend that their findings for Italy should be tested in other countries as the management of Italian cultural sights is “less flexible and less market-oriented” relative to other countries, and as such, the management style may influence the findings. As such, cross-sectional analyses, which incorporate a range of geographic locations, would provide a more detailed insight into how cultural amenities impact on tourism demand.

There are, of course, studies that consider a cross-section of locations. Many of these focus on regions or provinces within a specific country, for example, Di Lascio et al. (2011) , Cuccia et al. (2016) , Guccio et al. (2017) , Canale et al. (2019) , Castillo-Manzano et al. (2021) . However, there tends to be considerably less literature that focuses on regions or cities across countries. This study contributes to the literature by empirically estimating the impact of different cultural amenities on tourism demand in 168 European cities spanning 30 European countries. The data used are discussed in the next section.

3. Data to be analysed

Data are from The Culture and Creative Cities Monitor 2017, which was carried out by the European Commission. The Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor is a tool to assess and monitor the performance of cultural and creative cities in Europe relative to their counterparts using quantitative and qualitative data ( European Union, 2017 ). The monitor moves away from the narrow economic perspective of culture by including a diverse range of indicators ( Montalto et al. , 2019 ). See Montalto et al. (2019) for a detailed discussion of data collection, treatment and the construction of the overall index.

In deciding what cities to include in the monitor, different criteria were considered, see Montalto et al. (2019) . In the final sample, data are available for 168 European cities covering 30 European countries. See Appendix 1 for list of cities included. To be included in the monitor, the cities had to meet one of the following three criteria. Firstly, they have been or will be a European Capital of Culture up until 2019 or have been shortlisted to become a European Capital of Culture up until the year 2021. Of the 168 cities included, 93 cities meet this criterion ( European Union, 2018a ). Secondly, the city is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Creative city. A further 22 cities meet this criterion ( European Union, 2018a ). Thirdly, the city hosts at least two regular international cultural festivals up until, at least, 2015. A further 53 cities meet this criterion ( European Union, 2018a ).

Initially, almost 200 indicators were considered for inclusion in The Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor based on a literature review and expert consultation. After the data was screened and tested for statistical coherence, 29 indicators were selected ( European Union, 2018b ). Data are available for 29 indicators which are relevant to the cultural vibrancy, creative economy and enabling environment of the cities ( European Union, 2017 ). Most of the indicators are denominated in per capita terms to enable cross-city comparison ( European Union, 2018a ); see Table 1 . If the distribution of a variable deviated significantly from the normal distribution, winsorisation was used to trim the outliers ( European Union, 2018a ). Missing observations were imputed when constructing the monitor. See European Union (2018a ) for full details of data imputation techniques. Both the imputed and actual observations are included in the regression analysis as to remove the imputed observations would greatly reduce the degrees of freedom available. The data are scaled from 0 to 100. As such, for each of the variables, 0 represents the lowest performance in the data set and 100 represents the highest performance in the data set ( European Union, 2018a ). See Appendix 2 for an interpretation of the scale used. Table 1 presents the variables included in the analysis. The reference period is also included for each of the variables. While the reference periods vary for each of the variables, this should not be a problem as the variables have been used collectively as inputs in The Culture and Creative Cities Monitor 2017 to form the overall aggregate C3 index. European Union (2018b , p. 2) state that the variables included in the index “were selected with respect to statistical coherence, country coverage and timeliness”. In fact, it is not uncommon in econometric analysis to include variables from different reference periods; see, for example, Kim et al. (2000) , Alkay and Hewings (2012) , Noonan et al. (2021) .

The dependent variable is Tourist overnight stays ; see Table 1 . This is a measure of tourism demand. While measures of tourist expenditure and tourist arrivals are most commonly used to measure tourism demand ( Song et al. , 2010 ), measures based on overnight stays also exist in the literature, for example, Garín-Muñoz and Amaral (2000) , Falk (2010 , 2013 ), Falk and Lin (2018) . Tourist overnight stays is selected in this analysis for two reasons. Firstly, data on tourist expenditure are normally collected through visitor surveys and are often subject to biases due to the method of data collection ( Song et al. , 2010 ). Secondly, data on the number of overnight stays is useful as it captures the duration of the stay. This cannot be gauged by looking at the number of tourist arrivals. Garín-Muñoz (2009) uses data on the number of overnight stays rather than the number of visitors to measure tourism demand in Galicia for this particular reason. Furthermore, Song et al. (2010) claim that the volume of tourist arrivals does not account for the economic impact of the tourists.

The primary purpose of this analysis is to examine the impact of culture on tourism demand. Therefore, five measures of culture are included to capture various cultural amenities; see Table 1 . Following the World Tourism Organisation (2018) , tangible cultural amenities are captured in the variables sights and landmarks and museums . Intangible cultural amenities are captured by concerts and shows . Cinema seats and theatres capture aspects of other contemporary cultures and creative industries. While this is not an exhaustive list of all aspects of culture, it is the broadest range of measures available for all 168 cities in the year being studied. As the aforementioned measures are volume based, Satisfaction with cultural facilities is also included to account for the opinions of the population in relation to cultural facilities. This measures the percentage of the population that is very satisfied with the cultural facilities in the city.

Following Canale et al. (2019) , a series of control variables are also included. This is standard in regression analysis. These variables control for other factors that may also impact on tourism demand in European cities. While many interesting variables are included in the Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor, the number of controls variables that can be included is constrained by the low number of degrees of freedom in the model. As such, it is important that those included are carefully selected based on theoretical considerations and existing empirical studies.

Van den Berg et al. (1995) propose a model that focuses specifically on the attractiveness of urban locations for tourism. Accessibility features heavily in their model. Three measures of transport are included to capture air ( passenger flights ), rail ( direct trains to other cities ) and road (potential road accessibility) accessibility. Measures of air accessibility are common in the literature; for example, Cho (2010) , Di Lascio et al. (2011) , Canale et al. (2019) . As this is a city-level study, measures of rail and road accessibility are also included. It is possible that tourists to the city may be domestic tourists who travel via the road or rail network or international tourists who make a rail connection to the city after arriving in the country and/or use the road network to visit multiple destinations during their visit.

Image is also a feature of the Van den Berg et al. (1995) model. Van den Berg et al. (1995) claim that the city must have an appealing image to attract tourists. They do, however, acknowledge that it is difficult to assess the extent to which image impacts on tourist’s destination choice ( Van den Berg et al. , 1995 ). This may be linked to the difficulty in finding a quantitative proxy to capture image. To proxy for this, two variables are included in this analysis: Tolerance of foreigners and Quality of Governance . They were chosen on the premise that a tolerant city with an educated population, with good health care and a high standard of law enforcement may be viewed as a “safe” destination choice by tourists. This reflects Tang (2018) who contends that a high quality of governance may signal a high level of security thus increasing inbound tourism demand. Canale et al. (2019) also control for crime and health care.

As well as being centres of culture and entertainment, cities are also centres of economic and political power ( Ashworth and Page, 2011 ). As many visitors travel to cities for the latter, it is possible that cities with modest cultural capital can attract as many travellers as those cities with greater cultural capital ( Ashworth and Page, 2011 ). To control for this a capital city dummy variable is included as many European capital cities are the major economic and political powerhouses in their respective countries.

A series of dummy variables are also included to control for the level of GDP per capita and population in the city. GDP per capita is a proxy for income. Various GDP-based measures are used as proxies of income in the literature; see, for example Lim (1997) , Yang and Wong (2012) , Marrocu and Paci (2013) , Leitão (2010) , Dogru et al. (2017) .. The GDP per capita and population groups are taken directly from the Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor. For GDP per capita, data are not available at the city level but at the metro-region and NUTS 3 regional levels. Metro-regional level data was used where available ( European Commission, 2017 ).

A series of population dummy variables are included to control for differences in city size. See Law (1992) for a detailed discussion on the attractiveness of large cities for tourism.

Descriptive statistics are presented in Table 2 . The highest and lowest observations are presented in Table 3 . There is a broad geographical distribution in terms of the top and bottom performing cities for Tourist Overnight Stays . The highest values for the variable are in Budapest (Hungary), Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic) and York (UK). With scores of 100, the three cities are performing strongly relative to the mean score of 20.05. Tourist overnight stays are lowest in Zaragoza (Spain), Baia Mare (Romania), Lublin (Poland) and Osijek (Croatia).

Italian and Irish cities are among the top performers in terms of culture. Venice (Italy) is the top-ranking city for both sights and landmarks and museums , receiving the maximum score of 100 for both measures. The values of 100 are substantially higher that the European city means of 23.45 and 23.51 for the variables. Limerick (Ireland) has the third highest score behind other Italian cites Matera ( sights and landmarks ) and Florence ( museums ) for both variables. For concerts and shows , the top performing three cities are all Irish. Italian and Irish cities, however, are not represented in the top three cities for cinema seats and theatres .

In terms of the weakest scores for culture, Lódź (Poland) is in the bottom three cities for both sights and landmarks and concerts and shows . Patras (Greece) is among the weakest performers for both sights and landmarks and museums . Two German cities, Mannheim and Essen feature in the bottom three cities for Theatres . The populations of Lyon and Vienna express the greatest satisfaction with cultural facilities ( satisfaction with cultural facilities) .

The mean score for passenger flights is 17.58 with a standard deviation of 20.43. Seven cities are tied on a score of zero. Amongst the poorest ranking cities are Baia Mare, Lublin and Osijek which are also amongst the lowest ranking cities in terms of tourist overnight stays . London is the top-ranking city with a score of 100. It is followed by two Dutch cities; Eindhoven (89.3) and 's-Hertogenbosch (87.3) in second are third place respectively. Dutch cities are also performing well in terms of rail accessibility; Leiden and 's-Hertogenbosch are in the top three cities for the variable direct trains to other cities . Twelve cities are tied at the lowest score of zero. The top three performers in terms of potential road accessibility are all German cities; Cologne, Essen and Bochum. Eight cities are tied at a score of zero.

Tolerance of foreigners has a mean score of 41.47 and a standard deviation of 24.29. Cluj-Napoca scores highest and as such, is deemed the most tolerant. The least tolerant are dominated by the Greek cities of Kalamata, Patras, Athens and Thessaloniki. Along with Turin, they all achieve a score of zero. The mean score for quality of governance is 64. The top-ranking cities are all Scandinavian cities. Each of the top four display scores greatly in excess of the mean. However, the poorest performing cities, Sofia (Bulgaria), Naples (Italy) and Bucharest (Romania) score very poorly relative to the mean with scores of 0, 8.2 and 8.5.

Of the sample, 17.86% comprises capital cities. There is a spread between each of the GDP per capita and population categories. The next section outlines the method of analysis.

4. Method of analysis

To conduct the analysis, equation (1) is estimated using an ordinary least squares (OLS) estimator. OLS is a commonly used regression technique that minimises the sum of the squared residuals in calculating the estimated regression coefficients ( Studenmund, 2001 ): (Equation 1) D i = β 0 + β 1 C i + β 2 Z i + ε i

D i measures tourism demand in city i as measured by tourist overnight stays . C i is a matrix of variables that measure culture in city i. Z i represents a series of control variables which include other factors that affect tourism demand in city i . Variables are discussed in Section 3. All continuous variables are in natural logs.

It is expected that the coefficients for β 1 and β 2 will be positive.

Prior to conducting the econometric analysis, a value of +1 is added to each of the continuous variables to allow natural logs of each variable to be taken. A series of diagnostic tests are also conducted. Firstly, the Shapiro–Wilk test is estimated to determine if the variables are normally distributed. The null hypothesis is the variables are normally distributed. The results of the test are presented in Appendix 3 . The results reveal that the dependent variable, tourist overnight stays and the independent variables sights and landmarks , museums and concerts and shows are normally distributed, while the other continuous variables are not. As the assumption of normality is not a requirement for OLS estimation ( Studenmund, 2001 ), this should not cause any serious issues.

Tests are also conducted post-estimation for heteroscedasticity. Heteroscedasticity violates the assumption of constant variance for observations of the error term ( Studenmund, 2001 , p. 345). Two tests are conducted to check for the presence of heteroscedasticity. Firstly, a Breusch–Pagan/Cook–Weisberg test is conducted post-OLS estimation. The null hypothesis is constant variance. If the null hypothesis is rejected heteroscedasticity is present within the model. Secondly, White’s test is conducted. The null hypothesis is homoscedasticity. If the null hypothesis is rejected heteroscedasticity is present within the model. Although, heteroscedasticity violates the assumption of constant variance, OLS estimators remain unbiased in its presence Studenmund (2001) , Gujarati and Porter (2009) . As such, it is not as serious a concern in this analysis as multicollinearity.

Multicollinearity describes the occurrence of a perfect linear relationship among some or all of the independent variables, as well as the situation whereby the independent variables are intercorrelated ( Gujarati and Porter, 2009 , p. 323). OLS estimators will have large variances and covariances in the presence of multicollinearity which can make precise estimation difficult. The confidence levels also tend to be wider in the presence of multicollinearity leading to a greater acceptance of the zero-null hypothesis ( Gujarati and Porter, 2009 , p. 327). Variance-inflating factor (VIF) tests are conducted post regression as a check for multicollinearity. The VIF displays the speed with which variances and covariance increase and shows how the variance of an estimator can be inflated by multicollinearity ( Gujarati and Porter, 2009 , p. 328). Generally, if the VIF of a variable is greater than 10 it said to be highly collinear ( Gujarati and Porter, 2009 ; Kennedy, 2008 ).

Given that there are six measures of culture, three measures of transport and two measures relating to the institutions of cities, it is expected that some of these variables will be correlated with each other. While the VIF tests provide the primary means of identifying multicollinearity in this analysis, a correlation matrix of the continuous independent variables is generated pre- regression as a pre-emptive measure to identify any highly correlated variables which may lead to multicollinearity in the models. Pearson’s correlation coefficient is used to estimate the correlation between the continuous variables. Kennedy (2008 , p. 19) describes a high correlation coefficient between two independent variables to be “0.8 or 0.9 in absolute value”.

Ramsey’s RESET test is also conducted post-OLS estimation to determine whether there are omitted variables in the analysis. Ramsey’s RESET runs an augmented regression that includes the original independent variables, powers of the predicted values from the original regression as well as powers of the original independent variables ( Baum, 2006 , p. 122). The null hypothesis is that the model has no omitted variables. If the null hypothesis is rejected the model may be misspecified. Omitted variable bias is a cause of endogeneity.

Endogeneity may also arise from simultaneity in the model. For example, it may be the case that airlines and train networks respond to increases in tourism demand in particular cities by providing more flights and trains to and from those cities. See Cho (2010) for a discussion on possible endogeneity of airline data. As such, an IV generalised method of moments (GMM) estimator will also be estimated to include instruments for potentially endogenous variables. The instruments are constructed using the three-group method commonly used in economic literature; see for example, Noonan, 2021 ; Noonan et al. , 2021 . This involves separating the endogenous variable into three groups of equal size and then creating an instrumental variable which take values of −1, 0 and +1 depending on whether the observation is in the lowest, middle or highest group of observations ( Kennedy, 2008 , p. 160). The Difference-in-Sargan test ( C statistic) is calculated after the IV GMM regression to test for endogeneity. If the null hypothesis of exogeneity is rejected, the model includes endogenous variables and the IV GMM estimator would be more appropriate than the OLS estimator ( Noonan, 2021 ). The results are presented in the next section.

Table 4 presents the correlation matrix of the independent variables used. The matrix reveals that correlations between most variables appear to be weak to moderate. The coefficient of 0.777 between the variables sights and landmarks and museums is the strongest correlation in the matrix. There are also moderate correlations (in excess of 0.5) between museums and concerts and shows and between passenger flights and direct trains . To avoid the problem of multicollinearity, the moderately and highly correlated variables will be entered into separate regressions.

Table 5 presents the result of eight estimations of Equation (1) . Estimations i to vi are OLS estimations. Estimations vii and viii are GMM estimations. All estimations are statistically significant. VIF tests are conducted post-OLS estimation. With mean VIF values ranging from 1.32 to 2.08, it can be concluded that multicollinearity is not a problem. Breusch-Pagan test statistics are estimated for the dependent and independent variables after estimations i to vi. The test statistics are statistically insignificant in all estimations indicating that heteroskedasticity is not a problem. Similarly, the null hypothesis of homoscedasticity cannot be rejected in White’s test for estimations i to vi. The Ramsey RESET test statistic is also statistically insignificant in all estimations. As such, the models are not affected by omitted variable bias.

The variable road accessibility is found to be endogenous. This is instrumented in estimations vii and viii. The C statistic is statistically significant. As such, the null hypothesis of exogeneity is rejected. This suggests the IV GMM estimates are more appropriate than the OLS estimates [ 1 ].

While the GMM estimations are the primary focus of the interpretation, there appears to be similarities across all eight estimations presented. The results provide some evidence to support Hypothesis 1; cultural amenities have as a positive and significant impact on tourism demand. Sights and landmarks , museums and concerts and shows , are positive and significant in both OLS and GMM estimations. They are significant at the 99% confidence level in all estimations. There is also some evidence to suggest that satisfaction with cultural facilities is also a determinant of tourist overnight stays. Satisfaction is positive and significant at the 95% confidence level in Estimation vii. The positive finding for cultural amenities is consistent with positive findings for culture in the empirical literature; for example, Plaza (2000) and Carey et al. (2013) . Greater endowments of sights, landmarks, museums and more concerts and shows as well as satisfaction with cultural facilities leads to increased tourism demand in European cities. The range of cultural amenities that affect tourism demand is interesting. While cities may be endowed with cultural amenities such as sights and landmarks that are centuries old, the significant finding for museums and concerts and shows suggests that culture can be created in cities that do not boast large-scale historical sights and landmarks.

The variable cinema seats is not statistically significant in the estimations. Unlike sights, landmarks and museums which are unique to specific cities and concerts and shows which may only be held in a limited number of locations, cinemas tend to be widely available across cities and cinema offerings are likely to be relatively homogenous across space. Therefore, cinema facilities are unlikely to be a key amenity in attracting tourists to the city. This may explain the insignificant finding.

The variable capturing the availability of theatres is also statistically insignificant in all estimations except for Estimation v where it is negative and significant at the 90% confidence level. It may be the case that the shows offered in the theatres and possibly in the cinemas, may not be produced with tourists in mind. For example, Ben-Dalia et al. (2013) find that theatres in Tel Aviv tend not to offer English or French language translations. If a language barrier exists, this makes cinema and theatre offerings unattractive to tourists.

In terms of the control variables, accessibility, in the form of passenger flights , is statistically insignificant in the GMM estimations. This is unexpected and is not consistent with Van den Berg et al. (1995) , Russo and Van der Borg (2002) and Cho (2010) . Road Accessibility is also statistically insignificant. The variable capturing direct trains to other cities is, however, statistically significant at the 90% level in estimation viii. It must be noted that this study does not distinguish between domestic and international tourists and as such, this may be reflected in the results. It may be the case that domestic tourists are more likely to use the rail network than air transport when visiting cities. In the case of Italy, for example, the car is the most common mode of transport for domestic tourists ( Marrocu and Paci, 2013 ).

Quality of governance and tolerance of foreigners are statistically insignificant in both GMM estimations. This suggests that the variables are not significant determinants of tourism demand in European cities. This contrasts with Tang (2018) who finds that institutional quality is positively related to tourism demand in Malaysia and Mushtaq et al. (2021) who find evidence of institutional quality having a positive impact on tourism arrivals in India.

The capital city dummy variable is also statistically insignificant in both GMM estimations. This suggests that tourism demand is not significantly different in capital cities than in other European cities. However, the GDP per capita and population of cities appear to play a role. Two of the GDP per capita variables are significant in the GMM estimations. Cities with GDP per capita of 20,000–25,000 and <20,000 experience significantly less tourist overnight stays than cities with GDP per capita >35,000. The significant finding for income is consistent with Yang and Wong (2012) who contend that cities with higher incomes can allocate more resources to tourism development. The significant finding is also consistent with Marrocu and Paci (2013) who describe higher income areas as being more likely to attract more business trips and provide better quality public services which are important components of the product provided to tourists ( Marrocu and Paci, 2013 ).

Relative to cities with populations in excess of one million, tourism demand is significantly lower for all cities with populations of less than one million. This finding is not unexpected. Law (1992) identifies that large cities are attractive for visitors due to business activities, retail facilities, sports and culture as well as visits to friends and family. Large cities have many advantages for hosting conferences such as accessibility, accommodation and urban amenities ( Law, 1992 ). Cities with larger populations are also bases for prestigious sports teams ( Law, 1992 ), which may lead to increased sports tourism.

6. Discussion and conclusions

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of a range of cultural amenities on tourism demand in 168 European cities. In doing so, it addresses two notable shortcomings in the literature. Firstly, it addresses the narrow range of cultural amenities considered in much existing literature by including measures of five cultural amenities. Secondly, while studies tend to be narrow in geographical scope, this paper fills a gap by considering 168 European cities spanning 30 countries. The broad geographical scope of this study is important as it allows stakeholders in the tourism industry to gauge the importance of culture for tourism demand. The results should allow for more informed decision-making to take place as the findings are not specific to a particular location but are relevant across 168 European cities.

Using data from The Culture and Creative Cities Monitor 2017, a series of regressions are estimated. Due to the presence of endogeneity in the road accessibility variable, the GMM estimations are more robust than the OLS estimations and are the focus of the discussion. The results of the analysis reveal that culture, in the form of sights and landmarks, museums, concerts and shows, is a determinant tourism demand across 168 European cities. Satisfaction with cultural facilities in the city is also an important determinant. The insignificant findings for cinema seats and theatres in the GMM estimations are important as they reveal that not all cultural amenities are of equal relevance in stimulating tourism demand. The differing findings for the various cultural amenities support the opinion of Cellini and Cuccia (2013) who believe that different types of cultural amenities may have different relationships with tourism flows.

From a political perspective, important implications can be drawn from this analysis. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global tourism industry has been badly affected. Travel restrictions have led to a contraction in tourist numbers in many destinations. As countries enter the recovery stage of the pandemic, they will be eager to stimulate tourism demand and facilitate the recovery of the tourism industry. Some governments have already pledged financial support to aid recovery of the sector. For example, in Ireland, a record level of funding of €288.5m has been allocated to the tourism sector in Budget 2022 ( Government of Ireland, 2021 ). A certain amount of funding could be allocated to cities to promote and develop their cultural amenities. For example, governments could provide financial support to the tourism industry to develop marketing campaigns based on the cultural amenities of the cities. Funding could also be allocated to cities to support them in staging a music festival or series of concerts.

Hosting concerts and shows is an avenue that stakeholders in the tourism industry should seriously consider as an opportunity for increasing tourism demand in their cities. While there is obviously a lot of resources, including time, financial resources and manpower, required to host concerts, such events could provide a lucrative means of increasing tourism demand in cities. It is important that all stakeholders in the tourism industry work together to facilitate the recovery of the industry in their cities post-pandemic. This may involve, for example, national governments providing financial supports, local governments and councils issuing licences and permits for such concerts and shows where required as well as ensuring adequate public utilities and services are in place for tourists in their cities. Those working in the tourism industry could oversee the overall organisation and promotion of the event as well as engaging with proprietors and managers from the accommodation and food services sector in the city to arrange for various packages to be put in place for prospective visitors. Given that many concerts, internationally, are held in venues such sporting arenas and open-air sites, it is possible that many European cities would have access to locations to stage such events without having to make large-scale capital investments in terms of building concert halls or event centres. As such, hosting such events could be a viable option to facilitate recovery in many European cities.

The findings of this study also have managerial implications for business operating within the tourism industry. The different findings for the various cultural amenities are relevant from a European industry and policy perspective as it allows stakeholders to identify the cultural amenities that have the greatest impact on tourism in their cities. Therefore, they may put a greater emphasis on the sights, landmarks, museums concerts and shows on offer when promoting their cities to potential tourists. Similarly, tour operators within the cities may design tailored daytrips to the specific cultural amenities that are attractive to tourists.

While sights and landmarks may be associated with the history of a city, not all cultural amenities have to be inherited. Cultural amenities, in the form of hosting concerts and shows, can be actively created in the city. This is particularly positive for cities that are not endowed with numerous cultural sights and landmarks and for cities that do not house many museums. This suggests that culture does not have to be inherited but can be created. Russo and van der Borg (2002) acknowledge that not all cities have a “sufficient mass” of cultural assets and therefore, the assets they possess should be promoted in conjunction with other tourist attractions including events, gastronomy and quality infrastructure and regional networks ( Russo and van der Borg, 2002 , p. 631). Even if a city has a sufficient mass of sight and landmarks, developing alternative cultural amenities is important as Carey et al. (2013) contend that, in the long term, a single successful attraction is insufficient to sustain a destination. Rather, a combination of complementary formal and informal cultural attractions is required to maintain tourist arrivals.

The positive finding for culture is important as it is a product that can be offered throughout the entire year. As such, it provides a means of attracting tourists during the off-peak tourism season. Evidence suggests that there is less seasonality in tourism flows in cultural destinations relative to other destinations ( Cuccia and Rizzo, 2011 ). Greater promotion of the cultural amenities in their cities is something that the tourism industry should consider, as it may provide a lucrative means of increasing tourism demand. This will be particularly important in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic as many businesses develop recovery strategies.

This study provides a first large-scale attempt of econometrically testing the impact of various cultural amenities on tourism demand across 168 different cities. As such, it is not without limitations. The limitations are primarily due to a lack of available data. While various aspects of culture are included in the study, this is not by any means an exhaustive list of cultural amenities. The UNWTO (2019) definition of cultural tourism includes aspects such as culinary heritage, literature and the beliefs and traditions associated with different cultures. It would be worthwhile to also include these aspects in the analysis, but lack of available data means that they cannot be included. It would also be worthwhile to include more qualitative measures of culture into the analysis to gauge the attitudes of tourists towards the various cultural amenities. Primary data collection may be necessary to study such aspects. This is an area for future research.

Furthermore, the dependent variable considers tourist overnight stays in accommodation but does not distinguish between domestic and international visitors to the city. It is possible that cultural amenities may have a different level of importance for the different categories of visitors. For example, Ryan (2002) finds that domestic non-Maori New Zealanders are not attracted to the Maori cultural tourism products to the same extent as Europeans and North Americans. Due to data limitations, it is not possible to make the distinction between domestic and international tourists in this study. Such a distinction would be worthy of further analysis.

Finally, the data used are from The Culture and Creative Cities Monitor 2017. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first year for which this monitor has been published. When future additions become available, it would be worth conducting an analysis over a 5- or 10-year period to identify if there are any changes in the effects of culture on tourism demand over time.

Variables included in the analysis

*** Denotes significant at 99% level, ** denotes significant at 95% level and * denotes significant at 90% level

Source: Calculations author’s own based on data from European Commission (2017)

Multiple IV estimations were run, and instruments were included for a range of potentially endogenous variables. As road accessibility was the only endogenous variable, the other estimations are not included here.

Appendix 1. List of cities included in analysis

Appendix 2. interpretation of 0–100 scale, appendix 3. shapiro–wilk test.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the editor and two referees for their helpful comments.

Corresponding author

About the author.

Lisa Noonan is based at the Department of Economics, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

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Profiling the participants in creative tourism activities: Case studies from small and medium sized cities and rural areas from Continental Portugal

Paula remoaldo.

a Lab2PT–Landscape, Heritage and Territory Laboratory, University of Minho, Portugal

Jaime Serra

b CIDEHUS—Interdisciplinary Centre for History, Culture and Societies, University of Évora, Portugal

Noémi Marujo

Juliana alves, alexandra gonçalves.

c CinTurs–Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, University of Algarve, Portugal

Sónia Cabeça

Nancy duxbury.

d CES–Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Although cultural tourists increasingly seek to experience cultural events actively and to directly engage in creative activities, empirical knowledge about the creative tourist remains limited. This study aims to characterize the motivations and profile of creative tourists. The data was collected through a survey of participants in creative tourism activities in Portugal developed by 40 pilot institutions of the CREATOUR project during 2017 and 2018, with 814 usable questionnaires collected and validated. The questionnaire had 30 questions and marked the first time this kind of research was conducted in Portugal. The questionnaire included questions on: the composition of their travel companions, their previous participation in a creative tourism experience, reasons for visiting the destination, their characterization of the creative tourism experience, an evaluation of their creative tourism experience, and their socio-demographic profile. Using a cluster analysis to analyse the data, three clusters were found: Novelty-Seekers, Knowledge and Skills Learners, and Leisure Creative-Seekers.

• • This study aims to characterize the motivations and profile of creative tourists.
• • Three clusters of participants in creative tourism activities were identified.
• • This is the first major study at the national and international levels to investigate and segment the creative tourism market for activities in small and medium-sized cities and rural areas.

1. Introduction

In the 1980s, Alvin Toffler (1980) pioneered the concept of “prosumer” to refer to a type of consumer involved in product design and in production itself. With the diffusion of the concept of prosumer – a fusion of the words “producer” and “consumer” – since that time, the consumer has become the producer of many of the products and experiences he consumes. The diffusion of this concept coincides with the emergence of a new generation of tourists, also called “qualified consumers” or “creative consumers” ( Carvalho, Ferreira, & Figueira, 2016 ; Mihajlović & Koncul, 2016 ; Pappalepore, Maitland, & Smith, 2014 ; Richards, 2010a ; Richards & Wilson, 2006 ; Zhang & Yu, 2018 ), postmodern travellers ( Carvalho et al., 2016 ; Jelinčić & Žuvela, 2012 ; O’Dell, 2007 ; Pappalepore et al., 2014 ; Tan, Luh, & Kung, 2014 ) or “creative tourists” ( Raymond, 2003 ; Smith, 2016 ; Tan et al., 2014 ; Zhang & Yu, 2018 ).

Regardless of the term applied, they all refer to tourists who actively create their experience in the destinations they choose. This new consumer of experiences has played an increasingly active role in the economy, leaving aside the passivity characteristic of the 1980s, to play an essential role in market communication ( Egger, Gula, & Walcher, 2016 ; Kotler, Kartajaya, Setiawan, & Vandercammen, 2012 ; Tan et al., 2014 ; Zhang & Yu, 2018 ).

For Alvin Toffler (1980) , the concept of prosumer defines a type of consumer of the future, involved in the design and production of products to make them more personalized and individualized. In addition, prosumers are more informed, more educated and with an above-average level of demand. In this sense, the creative tourist can be seen as a prototype of the prosumer (Fundação de Serralves, 2008 ; Tan et al., 2014 ; Egger et al., 2016 ; Zhang & Yu, 2018 ).

There is a great diversity of definitions of creative tourists, ranging from those that refer to participants in dance art experiences or handicraft workshops, to those that include people temporarily residing in artistic residences in search of creativity. According to Richards (2011) , creativity can be used to implement creative tourism as a tourist activity, which involves the active involvement of tourists in the creative activities of the places they visit, or as a backdrop for tourism, in which tourists place themselves in a chosen creative environment.

Nevertheless, despite these efforts, defining the concept of creative tourism and describing the motivations and profiles of those who engage in creative activities during their holidays are not easy tasks. The term “creative tourism” is relatively young and began to draw attention in the scientific milieu in the 1990s. Pearce and Butler (1993) were the first to mention creative tourism as a potential form of tourism. The definition most used by the experts in this area is the one elaborated by Richards and Raymond (2000) , who define creative tourism as offering tourists the opportunity to develop their creative potential through active participation in courses and learning experiences that are the characteristics of the destination in which they are carried out.

Over the last two decades, tourist demand has become increasingly exacting, segmented and constantly changing (Fundação de Serralves, 2008 ; Tan et al., 2014 ; Carvalho et al., 2016 ; Smith, 2016 ; Zhang & Yu, 2018 ). This process points to the emergence of a new tourist profile and, consequently, a new pattern of consumption that is directed toward the use of creativity as an alternative to mass cultural tourism. Creative tourists are not satisfied to only observe cultural events and passively visit cultural spaces, but seek to experience them actively. They seek memorable events ( Pine & Gilmore, 1999 ) and usefulness rather than novelty ( Tan, Kun, & Luh, 2013 ). There are mindful visitors ( Moscardo, 1996 ) who want to become a part of the destination’s everyday dynamics ( Ilincic, 2014 ) and ask for active participation and greater involvement with the local community ( Carvalho et al., 2016 ; Mihajlović & Koncul, 2016 ; Ohridska-Olson & Ivanov, 2010 ; Richards, 2003 ; Richards & Raymond, 2000 ; Richards & Wilson, 2007 ; Smith, 2016 ; Zhang & Yu, 2018 ).

Generally, creativity is associated with urban areas, especially large cities. This relationship between creativity and the city derives from the fact that creative industries have been greatly responsible for dynamizing the attractiveness of the cities, making them more attractive for companies, for new inhabitants and, consequently, for tourists ( Argent, Tonts, Jones, & Holmes, 2013 ; Boes, Buhalis, & Inversini, 2015 ; Dekker & Tabbers, 2012 ; Richards, 2011 ; Richards, 2014a ).

This new type of tourist results from the depleted model of massified cultural tourism which does not gives him/her opportunities to have an active role. This depleted model can be clearly observed in Southern Europe countries that have been suffering from a high pressure of visitors in recent decades. In Portugal (the territory analysed in the present paper) massified cultural tourism began to occur in recent years, especially in large cities like Lisbon and Porto. Creative tourism appears as an opportunity to reinvent the current tourism model and offer a form of tourism that is more sustainable and close to the local community.

The profile of cultural tourism is well defined and supported by a long spectrum of scientific research, but little is known about the creative tourist. The few international studies dedicated to the profile of the creative tourist continue to highlight the complexity of this segment, which involves tourists from multiple generations (children, adults and the elderly) looking for authenticity, exclusivity, improving skills and desiring contact with the local community. Noting that these insights are derived from a generalized international level, the profile of the creative tourist has not been clearly characterized in Portugal, especially the one that visits small and medium-sized cities and rural areas. In the research presented in this article, we specifically analyse the profile of this kind of visitor. We studied the tourists who participated in creative tourism experiences carried out by 40 institutions involved in the CREATOUR project, located in the four NUTS II regions of Continental Portugal (Norte, Centro, Alentejo and Algarve).

The CREATOUR project “Creative Tourism Destination Development in Small Cities and Rural Areas” ( https://creatour.pt/en/ ) was in process from November 2016 to June 2020. As a research-and-application project, CREATOUR developed an integrated approach to creative tourism development in small cities and rural areas across Portugal. On the research side, the project aimed to examine and reflect on the creative tourism activities, including development dynamics and patterns, reception experiences, and community impacts, using methodologies and theoretical perspectives from the fields of tourism, cultural development, and local/regional development. On the practice side, it aimed to catalyse creative tourism offers in small cities and rural areas in Portugal, inform and learn from their development, and link them with each other through the development of a national network ( Duxbury, 2020 ). The project was funded by FEDER through the Joint Activities Programme of COMPETE 2020 and the Regional Operational Programmes of Lisbon and Algarve and co-funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT/MEC).

Taking a cultural development approach, CREATOUR fostered a diversity of “bottom-up” ideas and experimentation in which 40 pilot projects were independently designed, implemented, and managed, but coupled with knowledge-sharing and capacity-building through networking. The creative tourism activities developed ranged widely, including: craft workshops involving textile, pottery, ceramics, leather, metal, and wood; fine arts workshops such as painting, sculpture, drawing, and illustration; photography, video, and digital arts workshops; performing arts workshops and community-engaged, participatory artistic residencies; storytelling sessions and workshops; gastronomy-focused workshops in which visitors learn food-related cultures of a place as well as culinary techniques to take home; imaginative “Walks & Visits” involving creation activities; ancestral traditions workshops and active participation activities; and activities related to raw materials production and work cycles for making, for example, salt, linen, wool, clay, marble, wicker, and so forth.

This paper aims to characterize the profile of the tourists who participated in these activities and their motivations, attending to the following three questions: Who are the participants in creative tourism activities? What are the main motivations to attend a creative tourism activity? Can motivation be used to segment creative tourism participants (i.e., are creative tourists motivation-driven)?

For the analysis of the data, descriptive and multivariate statistics have been developed through the program Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (S.P.S.S. version 22.0).

This paper is organized as follows. After the Introduction, section 2 presents a literature review of creative tourism and the creative tourist. The research methods are presented in section 3. The results and discussion are presented in section 4. Finally, in section 5 the conclusions and some policy and managerial implications are presented.

2. From cultural tourism to creative tourism and defining creative tourists

2.1. characteristics of creative tourism and of creative tourists.

The development of creative tourism phenomena is linked to recent developments in cultural tourism. Cultural tourism corresponds to the tourism in which cultural attractions are the main reason to visit or stay in a certain destination ( Csapó, 2012 ; Mousavi, Doratli, Mousavi, & Moradiahari, 2016 ; Richards & Wilson, 2006 ; Williams, 2010 ) and that offers the visitor an opportunity to understand and appreciate the culture and essence of a place ( Kajzar, 2013 , Kajzar, 2014 ; Richards, 2014b ).

Creative tourism emerged in response to a market that has specific needs. Although it is the central theme of a growing number of investigations, the concept of creative tourism still remains quite vague in the scientific environment ( Richards, 2011 , Richards, 2014b ; Tan et al., 2013 ; Hung, Lee, & Huang, 2016 ; Smith, 2016 ; Creative Tourism Network, 2018 ; Remoaldo et al., 2019 ; Remoaldo, Matos, Gôja, Alves, & Duxbury, 2020 ; Duxbury & Richards, 2019a ). Many definitions of creative tourism are linked to cultural tourism, and is generally understood as a form of cultural tourism that allows for a more authentic approach between the tourist and residents ( Briggs, 2005 ; Gordin & Matetskaya, 2012 ; Jelinčić & Žuvela, 2012 ; King, 2009 ; Ohridska-Olson & Ivanov, 2010 ; Richards, 2010b ; Richards, 2014a ; Richards & Raymond, 2000 ; Virginija, 2016 ). Creative tourism is oriented to immaterial resources such as learning, developing experiences and traditions ( Ribeiro et al., 2020 ). This tourist is someone who wants to not only see the region but to experience it ( Virginija, 2016 ). In this sense, creative tourism is a participatory form of cultural tourism more appropriate to contemporary social and economic structures. This type of tourism makes use of the intangible resources of the destination (e.g., lifestyles, narratives, creativity, media) and enables the tourist to participate actively in leisure, cultural and artistic activities that reflect the characteristics of the destination visited. It is a special form of tourism that creates the necessary conditions for travellers to exercise their and participate in creative workshops and activities (e.g., arts and heritage – Brouder, 2012 ; Rudan, 2012 ; Hung et al., 2016 ), which allows for a truer and more authentic experience in the destination.

This new demand for deep immersion in the experiences consumed reveals a new profile of tourist. Although there are attempts to characterize this new tourist ( Carvalho, Ferreira, & Figueira, 2011 ; Florida, 2002 ; Mota, Remoaldo, & Ribeiro, 2012 ; Remoaldo & Ribeiro, 2017 ; Remoaldo, Vareiro, & Ribeiro, 2017 ; Richards, 2010a ; Richards & Wilson, 2007 ; Silberberg, 1995 ; Tan et al., 2014 ), no consensus has yet been found.

This new tourist wants a more authentic experience, immersed in the local cultural capital and close to the community ( Guerreiro & Marques, 2017 ; Remoaldo et al., 2020 ). This trend is a response to the saturation of mass cultural tourism ( Richards, 2010a ). In this sense, creative tourism develops the social and cultural capital of tourists, as they become co-authors of their tourism experience, contributing to authentic, immersive and exclusive experiences ( Pine & Gilmore, 1999 ; Richards, 2014b ; Virginija, 2016 ).

2.2. Characteristics of the participants in creative tourism activities

The characteristics of the cultural tourist are very close to the ones of the traveller seeking creative experiences. Cultural tourists, for the most part, exhibit different expectations and motivations from those of the “modern” tourists ( Smith, 2003 ). One of the characteristics that distinguishes cultural tourists from the people who engage in creative activities comes from the intensity of the motivations (which may be, to a greater or lesser extent) to live new experiences, as well as the degree of involvement and interaction that the tourist establishes with the local community ( Smith, 2016 ). Creative tourists seek to enjoy participatory and authentic experiences and, mainly, generate their own experiences ( Prahalad & Ramaswamy, 2004 ), exercising co-creation ( Binkhorst, 2007 ; Puczkó, 2013 ). Throughout the twentieth century, the attitude of tourists has undergone several changes and, on the whole, tourists have become more demanding. They have begun to look for experiences during their holidays as a way to develop their skills and take an active part in the culture of a place ( Richards, 2010b ).

This search for learning is not an absolutely new and intrinsic feature of the creative tourist. Completely to the contrary, this characteristic has been gaining expressiveness over the last two decades and is a central element of the experiences in creative tourism ( Anderson, 2009 ; Peters, Frehse, & Buhalis, 2009 ; Raymond, 2007 ; Tan et al., 2013 ).

These tourists wish to contact and learn more about specific aspects of the culture of a particular community through active participation with the local community and the development of their creative skills in workshops and other activities ( Cortada, 2006 ; Raymond, 2003 ; Richards, 2003 ; Richards & Raymond, 2000 ; Richards & Wilson, 2007 ).

This kind of tourist assumes the role of co-creator, co-producer and consumer of the experiences and skills of the promoters of experiences (e.g., trainers, local community), that is, the tourist is involved in the local culture through making artefacts or products in the destination (e.g., handicrafts, gastronomy, art) ( Anderson, 2009 ; Binkhorst, 2007 ; Maisel, 2009 ; Peters et al., 2009 ; Prentice & Andersen, 2007 ; Ray & Anderson, 2000 ; Raymond, 2007 ; Richards & Wilson, 2006 ; Tan et al., 2013 ). In addition, the participant in creative tourism activities wants higher levels of social, emotional and educational interaction with the community and to feel like part of the destination ( Binkhorst & Den Dekker, 2009 ; Richards, 2014b ; Smith, 2016 ; Stolarick, Denstedt, Donald, & Spencer, 2010 ).

Investigations previously carried out on the profile of the creative tourist reveal that the existing segments are different and show that the creative tourist covers a wide range of travellers. What we do know is that the creative tourist tends to appreciate authenticity and cultivates the desire to get to know the local culture in a more “alternative” way that is closer to the local community.

Despite these attempts, the definition of the creative tourist is still very generalist and imprecise, many studies that claim to be about the creative tourist do not actually correspond to that segment of tourism, and further research about the creative tourist is still needed ( Duxbury & Richards, 2019b ). In the next section, some international case studies are reviewed that present more detailed information on the profile of the creative tourist.

2.3. Some case studies to define the profile of creative tourism seekers

Creative tourism seekers tend to belong to the creative class ( Florida, 2002 ), that is, a cosmopolitan class from the middle and upper layers of society which shares higher levels of education. Internationally, a few research surveys present the characteristics and behaviour of these contemporary tourists (see Table 1 ), but the body of research is still very limited and needs further theoretical development.

International studies about creative tourist’s profile

Source: Authors’ elaboration.

In the early 2000s, Raymond (2003) , based on a case study in New Zealand ( Table 1 ), presented a proposal to segment and profile creative tourism seekers based on general demographic profiles, proposing three groups: baby-boomers and retired, tourists under 30 (e.g., students and backpackers) and New Zealanders who are interested in learning more about different aspects of the culture of their country.

In 2009, a survey of participants from two creative tourism pilot events in the UK concluded that the participants were predominantly female, aged 45 or more years of age. The other large group was made up of younger women aged between 22 and 30 with busy full-time jobs and no children ( Campbell, 2010 ).

In 2014, Tan et al. identified five distinct groups of creative tourists in Taiwan – novelty-seekers, knowledge and skills learners, those who are aware of their travel partners’ growth, those who are aware of green issues, and the relax and leisure type – by analysing 46 Q-statements about creativity and creative experiences.

In 2015 in Bali, Indonesia, another attempt to establish the profile of the creative tourist in creative tourism experiences of rural communities was presented by Blapp (2015) . In total, 15 tourists’ groups were interviewed based on an opportunistic sampling strategy. The interviews were limited to Western tourists given the scope of the research to focus on creative tourism geared toward the Western market ( Blapp, 2015 ).

In 2016, Ali et al. examined the effect of creative tourists’ experiences on their memories, satisfaction and behavioural intentions. A total of 296 surveys were conducted with guests at six selected resort hotels in Malaysian states of Terengganu and Kedah who participated in creative activities, cooking classes, handicraft classes, storytelling sessions of local tales and ‘batik painting’. The largest number of tourists was aged between 31 and 40 years (60%). Females were predominant (54%), with three-quarters of them being Malaysian (72%) and around one-quarter being foreigners (28%).

In 2019, Huang et al. conducted an empirical study in three popular creative tourism attractions in Taiwan: Meinong, Singang and Yingge. The following creative activities were developed: pottery, handicrafts and arts making. The majority of the 395 tourists surveyed was aged between 31 and 40 years and females were also predominant (59.2%).

In Portugal, a study on the influence of the creative industries on tourism in the city of Porto (City Break predominant tourism segment) presented the tourist profile in this city. In the sample collected of 385 tourists, males were predominant and their motivations were broader than participating only in creative activities. The tourists were from Spain, aged between 19 and 25 years, single, with a high academic degree (bachelors or masters) and with high annual income (€15,000–€22,499) ( Barbosa, 2014 ). Concerning their motivations, for 65% of the respondents the main reason for their trip to Porto was a vacation, 18% visited the city to visit friends or relatives and 5% visited to attend cultural events or attractions. Regarding attending cultural or creative activities, 47% of respondents in this research responded positively (e.g., participating in Serralves em Festa, NOS Primavera Sound, São João, Queima das Fitas, AXA Street Art, Verão na Casa da Música) while 53% did not attend any cultural or creative activity ( Barbosa, 2014 ).

Another study developed by Melo, Correia, Cardoso, and Marques (2019) analysed the perspectives of visitors and suppliers concerning the experiences of creative tourism in Guimarães, Portugal (a UNESCO World Heritage destination) and identified that the majority of the respondents had not heard about creative tourism before (82% in total; n  = 115). The authors reported that 50.7% were male and between 38 and 49 years old, and highlighted that 80% of the tourists come from the following countries: 35.7% from Brazil, 18.8% from Spain and 12.5% from France. Most respondents had higher education degrees and an income higher than 501 euros/month.

Although these Portuguese studies are not precisely about the profile of the creative tourist, they are important contributions to the study of the profile and motivations of visitors and help us to understand the visitors’ profile for Portuguese destinations.

As we have previously noted, unravelling the profile and motivations of the creative tourist is not an easy task. The case studies reviewed showed that research on the traits of those engaged in creative tourism profile is still a little explored path. One of the possible explanations for this omission is the complexity of creative tourism as a wide variety of activities can be consumed within the creative tourism label. One can ask the following questions: Do the characteristics of this profile depend on the type of activity consumed? For example, does the tourist who participates in the Estival Festival (held in the Centro Region of Continental Portugal) have the same characteristics (or similar characteristics) and motivations of a tourist who participates in a pottery workshop (held in the Alentejo Region of Continental Portugal)?

Our research was carried out in 2017 and 2018 with the participation of four research groups located in four regions of Continental Portugal: Norte, Centro, Alentejo, and Algarve. Overall, 814 questionnaires were completed by participants in the creative tourism activities implemented by the 40 pilot institutions that were selected to join the CREATOUR project ( Fig. 1 ). A wide array of organizations located in small and medium-sized cities and rural territories had submitted project proposals to develop creative tourism offers, and the 40 organizations selected to be co-researchers in CREATOUR were monitored within the project until the end of 2019.

Map of locations of the CREATOUR pilots. Source: Authors’ elaboration.

The research presented here segmented the tourists based on their motivation to participate in creative tourism activities and analysed the resulting profiles. The questionnaire was designed based on a literature review of creative tourism, tourist motivations and cultural tourist profiles. A total of 10 motivation items were considered in this study ( Table 2 ). The questionnaire consisted of 31 closed questions oriented to the participant’s profile, motivations, perceptions and evaluation of activities, as well as the impacts on the local economy (e.g., accommodation, meals and local commerce).

Dimensions of creative tourists’ motivations

Bartlett's test of sphericity: Chi-squared = 1.202.103 sig. (.000).

Extraction Method: Principal Component Analysis; Rotation Method: Varimax with Kaiser Normalization.

Cronbach's Alpha–Internal consistency.

In order to analyse this data, Multivariate Statistics was used to simplify the data, describing the information through a small number of dimensions of analysis ( Reis, 2001 ). Hair, Anderson, and Tatham (1998) state that there are traditionally three types of segmentation techniques, being mostly of an exploratory nature. Some of these techniques are in a general area of multivariate data analysis traditionally known as data reduction or reduction of dimensionality. Using SPSS Statistics 22.0, the first procedure (the exploratory factor analysis) started with motivation variables ( Table 2 ). After this procedure, a hierarchical cluster analysis, based on the tourists’ motivation using Ward’s method and the Squared Euclidean distance, was carried out to identify homogenous groups of respondents. A three-cluster solution was identified based on the dendogram and the agglomeration schedule. From the analysis of the output, chi-square tests (for qualitative variables) and t -test (quantitative variables) were carried out to characterize the clusters and to identify statistically significant differences concerning the following topics: reasons to select the creative experience; socio-professional situation; marital situation; net monthly income of the household; educational qualification; age; local shop behaviour and general evaluation of the experience. A cross-tabulation analysis was also carried out to test the association between sociodemographic and travel behaviour dimensions (i.e., first time at destination, information source and travel companions) with the cluster membership of respondents ( Table 5 , Table 6 ). These analyses are presented in the next section.

Clusters profile by sociodemographic characteristics

Clusters profile by travel behaviour characteristics

4.1. Factor analysis results

As a first stage of data analysis, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify the dimensions of participants’ motivation at creative tourism activities. Both the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of sample adequacy (.801) and Bartlett’s test of sphericity (1202.103) results revealed that the data was properly fitted for principal component analysis and responses were factor analysed with varimax rotation. For factor extraction, the criteria of Eigenvalues equal or above 1.0 was adopted, and factor loadings of at least .50 were accepted for item inclusion ( Hair, Black, Babin, Anderson, & Tatham, 2010 ). None of the items presented low factor loadings (<.50), however “It is culturally motivating”, “Because of the location” and “I Know the promoter of the activity” presented .536, .589 and .522, respectively evidencing a value only slightly higher than .50. Results obtained a three-factor solution that accounted for 55.5% of the total variance ( Table 2 ). The following names were attributed to the items attributed to each factor: Creative ; Partners and family togetherness ; and Local community interaction . All factors had a sufficient reliability relying on Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients ranging from .705 and .585. Although two of the factors present a .60 value, according to Hair et al. (2010, p. 124) the generally agreed upon lower limit for Cronbach’s alpha is .70, although it may decrease to .60 in exploratory research.

4.2. Cluster analysis results

A cluster analysis was applied to identify a collection of individuals, based on the detailed information obtained, in relatively homogeneous groups. Finally, application of hierarchical clusters allowed patterns to be detected in individuals through categorical and continuous variables. In particular, the hierarchical clustering technique is a process that allows for the organization of data into nested groups ( Dash, Liu, Scheuermann, & Tan, 2003 ). In this way, categorical variables were added (reasons to select a creative tourism activity; socio-professional situation; marital status; educational qualifications; shop behaviour at local shops; general evaluation of the experience) as well as quantitative variables (counts) organized by groups (age and net monthly income of the household) in order to ascertain how many natural groups could be observed. A total of three groups were identified, with a total of 221 (33.6%), 211 (32.1%) and 225 (34.2%) obtained for Groups 1, 2 and 3 respectively ( Table 3 ). To identify statistically significant differences between the three-cluster solution, a Kruskal-Walis test was applied and it shows that each group was different from each other.

Cluster distribution—Hierarchical cluster

Considering results from a one-sample t -test with a test value of 4 ( Table 4 ), respondents evidenced a positive motivation towards creative tourism activities, except “to accompany someone” with a mean score of 3.19 ( t -value = −13.589, p -value <0.000) and “I know the promoter of the activity” with a mean score of 2.63 ( t -value = −20.156, p -value <0.000).

Comparison of cluster’s motivation

t -Test (value = 4|significant at 0.01 level).

Table 4 compares the motivations of each cluster and Table 5 , Table 6 show the profile of each group with respect to select demographic and travel behaviour characteristics. The clusters are described below according to their main characteristics.

Cluster 1 ( Novelty-Seekers ): This cluster includes 33.6% of the participants, with high motivations in the factor dimensions of Creative (higher mean score—“It is original”) and Local community seekers (higher mean score – “It is culturally motivating”). In terms of sociodemographic characteristics, most are from the 18–35 years old group (37.4%) and the 36–53 years old group (34.2%) and, in terms of marital status, 61.8% are single and 29.7% are married, which means that they are mostly young individuals and middle-aged couples. They are well qualified, with bachelor degrees (39.5%) and postgraduate degrees (26.1%). Considering the travel behaviour dimension, results reveal that individuals travelled with someone (73.2%): travelling with their child (27.6%), with an organized group (35.2%) or with friends (34.3%). Within this cluster, 79.0% of the participants stated that the creative tourism activity was the primary reason for their visit. This group was named Novelty-Seekers because they tend to highly score on motivations which can be relevant to their engagement in actions of originality, fun and that stimulate creativity while, at the same time, they seek contact with other participants and with the local community.

Cluster 2 ( Knowledge and Skills Learners ): This cluster includes 32.1% of the participants and it scored between the other two groups except in “To stimulate my creativity”; “It permitted interaction with other participants” and “I Know the promoter of the activity”. However, it is evident that with a higher score within the Local community seekers factor (higher mean score – “It is culturally motivating”) and in the Creative factor (higher mean score – “It is original”), additionally and comparing with the group 1, this cluster presents a higher mean score within the Socializers factor (“To accompany someone”). In terms of sociodemographic characteristics, most are aged between 18-35 years old (28.3%) and 36-53 years old (37.6%) and, in terms of marital status, 53.1% are single and 39.3% are married. They are well qualified, with bachelor degree (28.3%) and postgraduate degree (34.6%). Considering the travel behaviour dimension, results reveal that individuals predominantly travelled with someone (90%): travelling with their spouse/partner (40.1%), with their children (40.0%) and with their family (42.6). Within this cluster, 67.8% of participants indicated that this creative tourism activity was the primary reason of their visit to the locale. This group was named Knowledge and Skills Learners because they tend to highly score motivations that imply their engagement in actions of originality, fun, and to participate in creativity-stimulating activities together with their travel companions, while at the same time they seem to seek contact with the local community.

Cluster 3 ( Leisure Creative-Seekers ): This cluster includes 34.2% of participants and scored high in every motivation, with the two higher mean scores in the local community seekers dimension (“It permitted interaction with other participants” and “It is culturally motivating”). Middle-aged participants prevail (39.5%), but the young group of participants (18–35 years of age) also comprise an important percentage (30.5%) and the majority of individuals are single (54.9%). In terms of education, they are also qualified with a university degree (38.1%), but a considerable part of this group has high school education (33.5%). Considering their travel behaviour, 83.8% travel with someone, and among those who travel with companions, 33.9% travel with spouse/partner and 36.5% with their family. The majority of participants indicated that this creative tourism activity was the primary reason for their visit (72.9%). This group was named Leisure Creative-Seekers because they tend to highly score all motivations that imply their engagement in creative tourism activities is based on a perception of it as an educational and creative experience that can positively affect their emotions and stimulate them to activate their creative dimension during their travel experience.

Cluster 1 ( Novelty-Seekers ) and Cluster 2 ( Knowledge and Skills Learners ) consider “culturally motivating” as the most important motivator to select a creative tourism activity, whereas Cluster 3 ( Leisure Creative-Seekers ) consider “interaction with other participants” as the most important motivation. It is important to underline that “to accompany someone” is the least important motivation for Cluster 1; however, this is one of the most important motivators for Cluster 3. In the same vein, “I know the promoter of the activity” is the most important motivator for Cluster 3, whereas for Clusters 1 and 2 it is the least important motivator. These points highlight the main differences between each cluster concerning their motivations to select creative tourism experiences.

Overall, the sample is constituted by a considerable number of females (63.8%). In terms of marital status, 53.6% are single and 36.7% are married, and 63% are highly qualified with university degree ( Table 5 ).

Within a professionally active age (78.9% aged between 18–65 years old), 23.4% are “Specialists in intellectual and academic activities”, 13.8% are “Technicians and associate professionals” and 9.4% are “Managers/Professionals”. The household’s net monthly income from employment is between 1001€ and 2500€ (43%). In terms of nationalities, 75.4% are from Portugal and 24.6% are from foreign countries. In terms of travel companions, 25.2% travel with their partner, 24.3% travel with friends, 19.0% travel in an organized group, 16.1% travel as a family and 15.4% travel with their child(ren). For a considerable number of people this was the first time participating in a creative tourism experience (68.1%) and the creative tourism activity was the primary reason for visiting the destination (74.2%). The majority of participants learned about this experience through family and friends (33.2%), social networks (25.6%) and the website of the activity organizer (11.5%) (see Table 6 ).

5. Discussion and conclusions

This article aimed to characterize the profile of creative tourists and their motivations in Portugal. The research sought to answer the following questions: Who are the participants in creative tourism activities? What are the main motivations to attend a creative tourism activity? Can motivation be used to segment creative tourism participants?

5.1. Discussion

The main focus of the study is to identify and articulate the profile of creative tourism participants based on their sociodemographic characteristics, travel behaviour and motivations. Since the present study has an exploratory nature, in order to characterize the profile of these tourists, different groups of participants in creative tourism experiences were identified. Although a few previous studies (in various countries) identified several features of creative tourists, none of them clearly identified groups of individuals based on sociodemographic characteristics, travel behaviour and motivations in a context of small and medium-sized cities and rural areas. Also, they used a much smaller sample size than the one used in the current study.

To validate the motivations-item scale and consequently to support the designation of the identified dimension factors and clusters, findings from a variety of studies were incorporated into the analysis, such as Ryan and Glendon (1998) about the application of the leisure motivation scale to tourism; Tan et al.’s (2014) taxonomy of creative tourists; and the work on profiling creative tourists conducted by Raymond (2003) , among others.

The Creative dimension factor was identified primarily based on the stated motivations about originality, fun and stimulation of the participant’s creativity. This dimension partially corroborates with the characteristics of this form of tourism described by Brouder (2012) , Rudan (2012) and Hung et al. (2016) . The Partners and family togetherness dimension emerged as the factor linking participation in creative tourism activities with the need to share it with several types of travel companions, such as one’s family. This dimension is grounded on Ryan and Glendon’s (1998) research concerning the importance of the item “Be with others” to clarify the holiday motivation scale. Furthermore, Tan et al.’s (2014) taxonomy of creative tourists exerts the importance of items about “family togetherness” or to “take the opportunity to participate in an activity to be together with my family or friends”. The Local community interaction factor is the most relevant motivation that contains items similar to the studies by Tan et al. (2014) , Raymond (2003) and Ryan and Glendon (1998) . Motivation items such as Interaction with other participants ; Culturally motivated ; and Meet and interact with the local community are highly rated, corroborating these previous studies.

Following the identification of factor dimensions, a segmentation procedure was adopted based on sociodemographic, travel behaviour and motivation-based criteria. In the cluster analysis, a data-driven segmentation approach ( Dolnicar & Grün, 2008 ; Mazanec, 2000 ) was conducted that relied on analysing the data collected to determine market segment profiles. The results reveal that participants of creative tourism activities consist of three distinct clusters. A first cluster, called Novelty-Seekers , comprises a high involvement in creative motivation factors, such as looking for fun, originality and creativity, but also with an appreciative degree of socialization with other participants and with the local community in order to learn about its culture. This cluster meets a few of the characteristics of the typologies of Crompton (1979) in what concerns motives to travel (push factors), particularly in the dimension of travel as a facilitator of social interaction. Novelty-Seekers are also framed into Crompton (1979) , mainly in the dimension of travel to find novelty : “Synonyms included curiosity, adventure, new and different. Novel meant new experience but it did not necessarily mean entirely new knowledge” (p. 419). This segment corroborates also with Tan et al.’s (2014) typology of the novelty-seekers perspective, mainly due to the attraction of new activities and searching for new “creative” activities. The second cluster, named Knowledge and Skills Learners , comprises a high mean value inside three factor dimensions/items: originality and culturally motivating, to accompany someone, and to meet and interact with the local community. This group is also characterized as the most academically qualified and more likely to travel with their family. Previous studies about the profile of the creative tourist found evidence of these types of characteristics for tourists who stated they are motivated to participate in a creative tourism activity to gain knowledge ( Tan et al., 2014 ). In the same vein, studies by Richards (2014a) and Smith (2016) also emphasized educational interaction with the community, similar to this Knowledge and Skills Learners segment of creative tourists. The third segment, Leisure Creative-Seekers , comprises participants who evidence a high mean value in all of the motivation items. However, if we consider the top three items, two of them are concentrated in Local Community Interactors (interaction with other participants and culturally motivating) and the third is found in Knowledge and Skills Learners (to accompany someone). It is also important to underline that this cluster classified all the motivation items highly (4 or above, in a 1 to 5 Likert scale), which means that this cluster meets certain characteristics of the relax and leisure type of creative tourists found in the study by Tan et al. (2014) but also follows McKercher, Ho, du Cros, and Chow’s (2002) cultural tourist typology, namely, the type of purposeful cultural tourist . The results also demonstrated an upgrade in several characteristics concerning the type of cultural tourists articulated by McKercher et al. (2002) . For instance, the Leisure Creative-Seekers cluster highly ranked interaction with other participants and is motivated to participate in creative tourism activities to accompany someone, because it is original, because they know the promoter of the activity, and because it is suitable for the whole family. Following from this, creative tourism participants considered to be Leisure Creative-Seekers demonstrate a need to socialize and share the co-creation process with others during their experience. These results align with the conclusions of several studies concerning the tourist’s involvement in the local culture through their participation in activities related with artefacts or other local products (e.g., Anderson, 2009 ; Cabeça, Gonçalves, Marques, & Tavares, 2020 ; Raymond, 2007 ; Tan et al., 2013 , among others). Creative tourism participants place great importance on co-creation in creative tourism activities, which involves processes involving tourists and residents as full participants and not passive subjects ( Binkhorst, 2008 ). Experiencing and interacting are key, with co-creation perceived as “a prerequisite for the definition of what a creative experience means and what it presupposes” ( Cabeça et al., 2020 , p. 12).

Finally, a brief remark on the sociodemographic and travel behaviour characteristics of the three clusters. As presented in Table 2 , Table 3 , only variables that present as statistically significant should be considered as features for each cluster. In all the clusters, the age dimension shows that more than 60% of creative tourism participants are between 18 and 53 years of age, a result that is concordant with results of studies conducted by Raymond (2003) , Campbell (2010) and Chang et al. (2014) . In the same vein, education and marital status generally show similar results in all clusters. For instance, a considerable part of the three segments of creative tourists in this study are single and well educated, similar to the results gathered by Tan et al. (2014) . In terms of their travel behaviour, in all clusters the tourists indicated that their primary reason to travel to that location was to participate in the creative tourism experience and almost all travel was accompanied. Taking all this into account, creative tourism can be a strategic development priority for tourism and culture in Portugal, especially in small cities and rural areas, and can be part of a tourism innovation model focused on local resources . There is a growing demand for local tourism products with higher added value, and interaction between participants and local residents as well as co-creation processes are key when choosing a destination. Having these characteristics associated with it, creative tourism meets the diverse needs and motivations of contemporary travellers and can constitute a diverse offer, combining with various types of existing tourism (e.g., cultural tourism, nature tourism, gastronomic tourism). In order to improve the desired relations among the participants in creative experiences and with the local community, it is important to empower practitioners from the tourism and cultural/creative sectors to collaborate as tourism experience providers as well as other community members who can act as local community facilitators.

Beyond the socio-demographic characteristics of these creative tourism participants, this study also analyzes motivational characteristics, finding them to be similar to those identified in other studies internationally. This study’s results reinforce the importance of the interaction component, which is one of the main characteristics of creative tourism, that is, the socialization and interaction of the visitors with the local community and also among the participants themselves. Understanding creative tourists’ motivations enables promoters to develop activities that are more attractive and appropriate to meet travellers’ expectations, thus constituting a more sustainable offer. In addition, the study introduces a strong element of desire for involvement in activities with one’s travelling companions, that is, the search for creative tourism activities that promote activities for a family and/or among friends.

The study results indicate a shift in creative tourism towards a more interactional dynamic in which the bonds between participants and co-creation processes are highly valued. Placing emphasis on the interactional dimensions of creative tourism can amplify its meaning and prompt further research attention to the ways in which it materializes.

5.2. Theoretical and managerial implications

This study aimed to better know the profile of the creative tourist because it has been widely recognized that there is no clear definition of the creative tourist at an international or national level ( Duxbury & Richards, 2019b ). Indeed, this is the first major study at the national or international level to investigate and segment the creative tourism market for activities in small and medium-sized cities and rural areas.

Beyond the socio-demographic characteristics of these creative tourism participants, this study also analyzes their motivational characteristics, finding them to be similar to those identified in other international studies. This study’s results reinforced the importance of the interaction component, which is one of the main characteristics of creative tourism, that is, the socialization and interaction of visitors with the local community and also among the creative tourism participants themselves. In addition, the study introduces a strong element of involvement in activities among travelling companions, that is, a search for creative tourism activities that promote activities for a family and/or among friends.

5.3. Limitations and future research

As with any other research, this study has some limitations that should be highlighted. A primary dimension of these limitations is related to the data and sample design. The sample has different weight sizes among the Portuguese regions, focusing on the selected rural areas and small and medium-sized towns that are home to the creative tourism initiatives that were the focus of this research. The questionnaires were applied locally by the participating pilot organizations and centrally analyzed by the research teams. Consequently, the adopted sample method was by convenience. A second dimension is concerned with the motivations listed in the questionnaire relating to the creative tourism activities. This research has an exploratory nature, and future studies should further explore and possibly identify other type of motivations based on qualitative research (such as adopting these items and other items tested in previous studies to conduct semi-structured interviews with creative tourists) in order to test and validate a scale of creative tourism motivations.

Looking forward, future methodological research following from this study includes the need to validate a scale of motivations for participants in creative tourism activities. Within the CREATOUR project, it would be valuable to conduct further analysis of the creative tourism participant profiles and motivations data in relation to the different types of creative tourism activities in which the tourists were engaged. Further additional quantitative and qualitative research involving international travellers would extend this research and also help to inform practitioners on how they can best prepare for and attract tourists to creative tourism activities based in small cities and rural areas. As the current study represents a snapshot of an emerging array of creative tourism initiatives in small cities and rural areas throughout Continental Portugal, it would also be valuable to extend this research over time so that a longitudinal perspective can be obtained as the initiatives develop, mature and evolve. As well, the extension of this research in a comparative framework involving creative tourism initiatives in other countries would be important to develop a more comparable data framework internationally for creative tourism.

5.4. Creative tourism in the context of COVID-19

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, creative tourism is well positioned to significantly contribute to post-pandemic tourism. Creative tourism is, by nature, designed for small groups (e.g., families and social bubbles). It aligns well with the growing focus on domestic tourism and longer stays in one place – exploring one’s city, region, or country with new perspectives on its diversities; pursuing personal interests and curiosities; and developing new skills. The nature of activities within creative tourism is diverse, and its transversality is also a key strength, complementing and extending the offers of other types of tourism ( Gonçalves, Borges, Duxbury, Carvalho, & Costa, 2020 ). In smaller and rural communities, creative tourism can assist in providing activities for people staying for longer periods, and can be interconnected with nature and outdoors and restorative activities.

The pandemic has also alerted us to the high degree of precariousness for workers in the tourism sector, the impacts of tourism on local communities and the importance of communities in the scope of tourism. Altogether, there is a need to rethink tourism’s traditional models. Going forward, tourism-resident communities have to take a more active role in establishing tourism agendas and planning for their re-booted local development trajectories. This highlights another future research line – generative relations between tourism and local communities. From now on, it is clear that tourism will necessarily have to take the health and well-being of communities into account when determining tourism approaches and agendas, and to (re)consider how tourism brings benefits to communities. From this vantage point, creative tourism is also well positioned. As a widely applicable approach to place-sensitive tourism development ( Bakas, Duxbury, Silva, & Vinagre de Castro, 2020 ), creative tourism can encourage and enable the diversification and differentiation of tourism offers in smaller places.

Author contributions

The authors contributed equally to this work.

Acknowledgements

This research was conducted within the project CREATOUR, “Creative Tourism Destination Development in Small Cities and Rural Areas” (Project 16437), which is funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT/MEC) through national funds and co-funded by FEDER through the Joint Activities Programme of COMPETE 2020 and the Regional Operational Programmes of Lisbon and Algarve.

Biographies

Paula Cristina Almeida Cadima Remoaldo ( http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9445-5465 ), is a Full Professor in the Department of Geography of the Social Sciences Institute, University of Minho, Portugal. She is the Head of Lab2PT (Landscape, Heritage and Territory Laboratory - since 2017) and the leader of Tourism and Development group in this Laboratory. Her main subjects of research are in the area of Cultural Tourism and Regional and Local Development.

Jaime Serra ( https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0299-4649 ), Assistant Professor of the School of Social Sciences at the University of Évora in the field of Tourism Studies (Bachelor and Master degrees). He is also researcher at the Interdisciplinary Centre for History, Culture and Societies (CIDEHUS) – University of Évora. His research interests are in the field of tourism demand trends; tourist behaviour; tourism and demography; applied quantitative methods. Coordinator of the CREATIVE TOURISM LAB at CIDEHUS.

Noémi Marujo ( https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8058-5130 ), Assistant Professor of the School of Social Sciences at University of Évora in the field of tourism studies. She is also research at the Interdisciplinary Centre for History, Culture and Societies (CIDEHUS). Scientific Council Member of CIDEHUS. Member of the UNESCO Chair Team in “Intangible Heritage and Traditional Know-How: Linking Heritage” (University of Évora – Portugal).

Juliana Araújo Alves ( https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9520-7017 ) is investigator at Lab2PT (Landscape, Heritage and Territory Laboratory). She holds a PhD in Human Geography from University of Minho, Portugal. She also has a post-doctorate from University of Minho in the field of Creative Tourism. Her main subjects of research are in the area of Creative Tourism and Sustainable Management, and Local and Regional Development.

Alexandra Gonçalves ( https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3796-1801 ) is an Integrated Researcher at CinTurs (Research Center on Tourism, Sustainability and Wellbeing) and Adjunct Professor of the School of Management, Tourism and Hospitality from the University of the Algarve.

Sónia Cabeça ( https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4667-2788 ) is an integrated researcher at CinTurs (Research Center on Tourism, Sustainability and Wellbeing) and researcher at the UNESCO chair in Intangible Heritage and Traditional Know-How: Linking Heritage. Specialist in Ethnossociology and Intangible Heritage, devoted several years to the study of Cante Alentejano, a traditional chant from Alentejo, and its bearers.

Nancy Duxbury ( https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5611-466X ) is a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra, Portugal, and Co-coordinator of its Cities, Cultures and Architecture Research Group. She is an Adjunct Professor of the School of Communication, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada, and the School of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Waterloo, Canada.

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Cultural Tourism Market

Cultural Tourism Market by Direct Suppliers, Indirect Suppliers, Number of Bookings, Demographic, Nationality, Booking Channel, Tour Type, Tourism Type, Visitors Type & Region | Forecast 2023 to 2033

Know with FMI's New Report How Growing Focus on Exploring and Learning About Different Cultures and Cultural Heritages across the USA, France, Korea, Japan, the United Kingdom, and 30+ Countries is Boosting Cultural Tourism Industry!

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Cultural Tourism Market Outlook (2023 to 2033)

The global cultural tourism revenue is set to total US$ 5,931.2 million by 2023. Global cultural tourism demand is likely to surge at 14.4% CAGR over the next ten years. At the end of 2033, the worldwide cultural tourism market size is set to reach around US$ 22,772.0 million in 2033.

Key Factors Impacting the Cultural Tourism Industry Dynamics

• Rising interest in exploring and learning different cultures and cultural heritages to boost the market.
• Government initiatives towards sustainable cultural development bringing rise to revenue
• Growing affordability due to increasing disposable income will elevate demand
• Increasing usage of social media platforms by cultural tour providers to expand their reach will spur growth
• Introduction of new cultural tour packages by key companies will facilitate market expansion
• Adoption of cultural tours by students for educational purposes to fuel sales through 2033
• Rising popularity of online booking will expand market size

Cultural tourism refers to tourism in which the visitor’s primary motive is to discover, learn, and experience tangible and intangible cultural attractions. Under this category of tourism, people visit other countries to learn about their cultures and language. It allows tourists to participate in local cultural activities such as festivals and rituals.

Cultural tourism holds tourist activities to learn, discover, experience, and encounter various attractions of a tourist destination. These attractions are related to the various heritages in terms of art, music, literature, cultural heritage, and so on.

This type of tourism not only beholds the infrastructure but also represents something called lifestyle, preferences and interests, value systems, various traditions, and belief systems.

People these days are becoming enthusiastic and there is a grown interest in them to try and explore unique destinations. This is due to significant rise in travel and tourism post-Covid-19. Driven by this, demand for cultural tourism is likely to rise at a robust pace through 2033. Rising government initiatives to promote culture in tourism sector will create lucrative growth opportunities for cultural tour providers. Besides this, growing awareness about cultural tourism through social media platforms will boost sales.

Usage of advanced technologies in cultural tourism sector such as virtual reality is likely to support market expansion.

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2018 to 2022 Global Cultural Tourism Sales Outlook Compared to Demand Forecast from 2023 to 2033

As per FMI, the global cultural tourism industry witnessed a CAGR of -3.9% CAGR from 2018 to 2022. Over the next ten years, cultural tourism demand is set to rise at 14.4% CAGR .

Growing travelers’ interest in cultural travel is a prominent factor driving the global market forward.

Cultural tourism lets tourists experience culture of the visited place. It also adds to employment graphs globally and it is responsible for job creation, primarily for the youth crowd.

As per the recent data by WTTC (World Travel and Tourism Council), the entire tourism sector globally creates nearly 300 to 350 million jobs and the cultural tourism market constitutes nearly 40% of the world tourism revenue.

There is no doubt that Covid-19 badly affected the cultural tourism industry as travel across the world was restricted. However, post-pandemic, the government is taking various initiatives to repair all the damage, which happened in the cultural tourism sector.

For instance, a Common Country Assessment had been carried out for around 12 to 14 countries, for joint interagency programs in the Pacific. Also in Europe, initiatives were taken by UNESCO to visit centers by building workshops, promoting cultural tourism sustainability, and educating the people on the knowledge of deep cultural heritage.

While there have been fluctuations in the cultural tourism sector, cultural destinations are under significant development and it is going to grow right from promoting rural tourism , to revitalizing local tourism, or domestic tourism. This will boost cultural tourism sales over the next ten years.

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Key Dynamics in the Cultural Tourism Industry Worldwide

• Eco-cultural Tourism Preserving Infrastructural and Environmental Sensitive Regions

Regardless of age group or cultural preferences, humans always find nature relaxing and restorative. As per the analysis, nearly 90% to 95% of the people accepted that traveling and relaxing in nature, changed their mood to be more calm and balanced. Nature provides us with physiological comfort and reduces stress and anxiety.

Eco-cultural tourism serves as a concept here in which the ecological and cultural aspects are combined in a way that creates a site for tourists. Eco-tourism is proposed as a way in which marginal, cultural, and ecological resources are on the verge of development.

For instance, there is a small village located in the western district of Sikkim called Darap. It faced a lot of challenges and problems mostly with poverty and the livelihood of natives. But the reformation and development of village tourism changed the local economy of the village. With the advancement and increase in facilities, it became a spot to attract several tourists as an eco-cultural site.

• Over-tourism as a Perceived Threat to Cultural Heritage Sites, Becoming a Key Concern

There are several cultural and historic sites, across the world, popular among tourists. It is no doubt that these sites are high in demand which is resulting in an overflow of people visiting at a critical level.

If we see the coastal areas, there is a huge surge in the demand for cruise tourism which is increasing the number of people while only a certain number of people could be on the cruise at a time. Hence, it is increasing the risks for tourists.

Not only that, but some countries are also prone to the risk of conflicts and terrorist attacks, which makes the tourists shift to a world heritage site. Machu Picchu for instance is one of the most popular destinations in Europe, but there has been a situation of tourist overcrowding for decades now. There has been a significant rise in the tourist count which was nearly 380,000 a year, which shifted to nearly 1.2 to 1.4 million in just 20 years.

Country-wise Insights

How is thailand turning opportunities to enhance cultural tourism.

Focus on Creating Unique Cultural Experiences and Bond Between Guests and Hosts Boosting Thailand Market

Thailand is adding value and importance to tourism activities with enhanced creativity in tourism services. Thai tourism development strategy emphasizes on the development of creativity and it promotes innovation and adds value to tourism creativity.

Thailand also focuses on technological advancements and design strategies which drive tourism economy with culture and technology. In terms of cultural tourism, Thailand provides tourism with the ultimate Thai culture, its rich history, and its traditional norms. These norms focus on creating value and accessing the local communities.

Creative tourism serves as a new form of culture-based tourism where the emphasis is on interaction with the visitors for various tourism experiences. For instance, in Canavan village, Thailand, it was observed that the hosts and the guests there created a unique culture. This worked as a middle ground for the interaction and exchange between the hosts and guests on various activities such as music, dance, handicraft, and other traditional customs.

Rising government support is likely to boost Thailand’s cultural tourism sector through 2033. Various initiatives are being launched by authorities to boost tourism industry. For instance, in July 2022, to drive Thailand towards experience-based and sustainable tourism, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) launched ‘Marketing Plan 2023’.

How is Greece Promoting the Development of Cultural Tourism in the Country?

“Implementation of Development Programme Promoting Cultural Tourism Business in Greece”

Greece is one of the countries which is equipped with breathtaking natural sites. In order to maintain it, government is ensuring the required coordination under an approach of whole-of-government. It is promoting policies and direct coordination between government bodies and Ministries.

Greece cultural tourism not only focuses on promoting the culture and traditions of the place. But it also implements the cross ministerial network, which includes coordination meetings, exchange of information, and development and implementation of tourism activity in Greece.

The government’s goal is to plan and implement development programs and policies for job creation, creativity, and innovation. It is also focusing on local business promotion and entrepreneurship sustainably

The General Directorate for Contemporary Culture of Greece Ministry of Culture and sports is thus reinforcing policies for cultural and creative sector to promote diversity in the country towards tourism and enhance overall tourism experience.

Will Government Initiatives in Italy Continue to Elevate Cultural Tourism Demand?

Government Initiatives Towards Sustainable Cultural Tourism Development to Elevate Demand in Italy

Cultural tourism in Italy represents a very important sector that is encountering a strong expansion. This is linked with the growth of tourism, art, and creativity which is observed in travel and holidays.

Cultural motivation in Italy serves as a main driver of international demand with rich historical and artistic heritage. In fact, cultural tourism serves as a very important part of Italian tourism. With its immense cultural wealth, there are multiple initiatives taken by the government to preserve it for future generations.

For instance, in Italy, the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) has allotted EUR 7 billion to the cultural tourism sector as a whole. The initiative to combine contemporary cultural heritage with today’s business, while turning antique facilities into more functional cultural parks, creatively, or any movie or television venue is gaining popularity.

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Category-wise Insights

Which tourism type will contribute most to the cultural tourism industry.

Edutainment Tourism to Generate Lucrative Growth Prospects for the Market

As per FMI, edutainment tourism sector will create lucrative revenues in the market through 2033. This is due to rising interest in edutainment heritage tourist attractions (EHTAs). Besides this, increase in edutainment-based travelers with deep cultural interests will boost growth.

There is a surge in the number of people who have a growing urge to travel to places which spikes their interest. What grows curiosity in them, what brings the most interest in them, or what aligns with their hobbies and passion, are mostly preferred for cultural destination visits.

There is also a huge demand for places for slightly offbeat and unexplored destinations such as wildlife tours and cultural heritage travel. It is observed that nearly 50% to 55% of the trips taken were Edutainment-based cultural travelers.

Which Age Group is Opting for Cultural Tourism?

Age Group Between 16 to 25 Prefers Cultural Tours and Visits More

The 16 to 25 age group will continue to dominate the global cultural tourism industry through 2033. This is due to rising interest of this age group towards cultural tourism.

As per FMI, young people, especially students, are likely to opt for cultural tours and travel. This is because they are inclined towards exploring and learning about different cultures.

This is the age when travelers are most curious and on the verge of becoming aware of the culture and tradition in a span of domestic and overseas areas. Generally, these travelers are well equipped and are from very equipped families. So financial concerns are negligible to them when it comes to exploration and knowledge seeking.

Which is the Most Preferred Booking Channel by Tourists?

Tourists Prefer Online Booking Channels

Based on booking channel, online booking segment will generate lucrative revenues for the market. This is due to rapid rising inclinations towards booking cultural tours through online sites.

Millennials are aligning their goals of travel with the latest trends. There has to be a lot of planning involved in executing the travel trip to cultural sites. Right from getting awareness about the culture and tradition followed by that particular place, to booking, food, accommodation, and other requirements in between, online platforms are a perfect choice for tourists.

Nowadays, it has become very convenient for people to book online with a lot of customized and personalized options and booking can be done with ease. New steps are also being taken to encourage adoption of online booking platforms.

For instance, to make online booking process smoother, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) signed an MoU with Bookmyshow and Yatra. People now can easily book their tours online for historical sites such as Qutub Minar, Taj Mahal, and more. This move is aimed at supporting government’s ‘Digital India’ initiatives.

Competitive Landscape

Tour operators generally have more edge over cultural tourism and they do understand the market requirement. Hence, they are inclined towards providing very personalized and customized services.

They are bringing new ways into creating an enriching experience for tourism. Further, they are coming up with new innovative ways towards enriching experiences collated for the visitors. For instance:

The TOI developed a practical guide as a joint force with Conservation International, as a part of managing social issues. More than 3000 copies of those guides have been disseminated by the members of TOI to the hotels across.

New tour packages are also being launched by key cultural tourism companies to increase their sales. For instance, in 2022, a new heritage tour package to Ghana was launched by EF Go Ahead Tours.

Scope of the Report

Global cultural tourism market by category, by direct suppliers:.

• Hotel Companies
• Tour Operators
• Government Bodies

By Indirect Suppliers:

• OTA (Online Travel Agency)
• Traditional Travel Agencies
• TMC's (Travel Management Companies)
• Corporate Buyers
• Aggregators

By Number of Bookings:

By demographic:, by nationality:.

• International

By Booking Channel:

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By Tour Type:

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By Tourism Type:

• Edutainment Tourism
• Cultural heritage Tourism
• Educational Tourism
• Marine Life Exploration Tourism
• Eco-conscious Cultural tourism

By Visitors Type:

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By Country:

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Edutainment tourism segment contributes a maximum share in the market.

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Online booking segment holds a maximum revenue of the global market.

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From 2018 to 2022, the global market exhibited -3.9% CAGR.

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By Anya Wassenberg on November 20, 2023

They stay longer, spend more, and come from afar — a new report details what the arts and culture tourism brings to the province.

The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) released a report last week that quantifies the impact that tourism oriented around arts and culture has in the province. The document was commissioned by OAC from Forum Research Inc, a Toronto-based research and polling specialist.

The report, titled the Ontario Arts and Culture Tourism Profile, is based on data from Statistics Canada.

Arts, Culture & Travel

One of the key takeaways from the document is that trips and travel oriented around arts and culture has a bigger economic impact than non-arts related travel — nearly triple the impact, as it happens.

• Tourists spend just about $11.4 billion on arts and culture tourism in Ontario;
• The direct value-added to the province is calculated at $5.7 billion .

In response to the report’s findings, Rita Davies, chair of the OAC’s board of directors, stated:

“Forum’s analysis demonstrates that the economic impact of arts and culture tourism ripples out beyond artists and arts organizations into local economies, job creation and growth. It also shows that arts and culture activities are an important factor in why travellers choose to visit Ontario.”

The Northern Ontario Tourism Summit was the backdrop for the launch of the report. There, Ontario Culture Days hosted a conversation between Michael Murray, OAC’s CEO, and Kathleen Sharpe, executive director of the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund

Michael noted, “The tourism sector was among the hardest hit by the pandemic. The arts sector — also rebuilding itself in the post-COVID-19 era — can play a key role not only in restoring pre-pandemic impact, but as part of a growth strategy for Ontario.”

Numbers from the Ontario Arts and Culture Tourism Profile

Here are some of the numbers that demonstrate the concrete impacts of arts and culture tourism.

They stay longer, and come from far away:

• 40% of all arts and culture visitors came and stayed for three days or more; that contrasts with 13% of non-arts tourists;
• 55% of all overseas visitors came for the arts and culture;
• 36% of arts and culture visitors from within the province of Ontario stayed for three or more nights;
• That jumps to 67% for Canadian out-of-province arts and culture tourists
• 42% of arts and culture visitors from within Ontario came were on a day trip;
• Of arts and culture visitors from outside of Canada, 72% stayed three or more nights, as compared to only 33% of non-arts and culture visitors
• When it comes to arts and culture visitors from the USA, 44% stayed three to seven nights, and another 33% stayed for one or two nights.

They spend more:

Overall, 13% of unique tourist trips included arts and culture activities, but those trips accounted for 30% of tourist spending in the province.

More than 18.4 million unique tourist trips to Ontario included arts and culture activities, and they were part of about 1/8 of all tourist trip s within the province.

It’s clear that the combination of arts, culture and travel is a winning one for the province.

Read the whole document [ HERE ].

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The European market potential for cultural tourism

Cultural tourism is a huge opportunity and a growing trend. At least 40% of all tourists worldwide can be considered cultural tourists, and culture is one of the most important motivations for European tourists as well. Cultural tourists are more likely to travel by plane and they provide more economic benefits because they tend to stay longer than regular tourists. Cultural tourism can help to conserve tangible (material) and intangible (immaterial) heritage in your community. It offers you the opportunity to develop all kinds of creative activities and to provide tourists with authentic and genuine experiences.

Contents of this page

• Product description
• What makes Europe an interesting market for cultural tourism?
• Which European countries offer most opportunities for cultural tourism?
• Which trends offer opportunities on the European market for cultural tourism?

1. Product description

Cultural tourism refers to travel with the intent of experiencing and learning about the culture of a country or region. The cultural tourism market can be divided into two major groups. Tourists whose primary travel motivation is culture related only make up about 5-10% of all cultural tourists. These tourists are eager to learn, discover or experience local culture.

For the majority of cultural tourists, however, their primary motivation not related to culture at all. They simply like to visit cultural attractions or enjoy culture as one of the activities they undertake to complement their trip. These would be, for example, sun and beach tourists who stay at a resort in Mombasa in Kenya and visit a manyatta of the Maasai in Kenya.

Cultural tourists travel to enjoy a destination’s history and heritage, culture, lifestyle, traditions, art, music, literature, architecture and religion. The traditional cultural tourist is attracted by major cultural sites and attractions. The market for this kind of cultural tourism has grown dramatically over the past few decades, and has caused overcrowding of many of such destinations, resulting in a loss of their authentic character.

An increasing number of cultural tourists no longer feels attracted to crowded cultural attractions, instead preferring more personal, small-scale and authentic aspects of culture. Examples of this include artisanal, craft and hand-made products (tangible/material culture), and unforgettable and truly inspiring experiences that touch visitors in an emotional way and connect them with that specific place, people and culture (intangible/immaterial culture).

In short, attractions, products and experiences that are unique and that you cannot find anywhere else.

Based on the various types of interests the market can be subdivided into a number of niches, listed in table 1.

Table 1: Niche markets and specialist niche markets in cultural tourism

• Inform yourself on the niches available in cultural tourism to be able to make a clear choice on the niche market you want to focus on. CBI offers an infographic that gives a clear overview , which includes other segments and niche markets in tourism as well.
• Read the CBI studies on the niche markets within cultural tourism such as religious tourism , community-based tourism and food tourism for information about opportunities within these related markets.
• Collaborate with other parties both within and outside your community and create networks, for example with a focus on the niches as listed in table 1. Ensure that you contribute to the needs of the local community and create benefits for everyone.
• Read ‘ Kyoto Declaration on Tourism and Culture: Investing in Future Generations ’. It gives direction to innovative usage of the positive potential of cultural tourism for the support of tangible and intangible heritage, the increase of community empowerment, the generation of inclusive wealth and the strengthening of capacities.
• For financial support, you may want to join the community tourism programme initiated by AirBnB . This programme offers financial support to innovative projects in local communities that encourage tourism in new ways to strengthen communities, empower citizens and preserve and promote local culture. One category of projects to which you can apply is festivals and events: projects “preserving or celebrating local festivals and events while introducing them to a broader, appreciative audience”.

2. What makes Europe an interesting market for cultural tourism?

The European market for cultural tourism is significant. The European Union estimates that cultural tourism accounts for 40% of all European tourism . The UNWTO expects that the interest for cultural tourism among Europeans will grow and that it will remain one of the key markets in Europe. Interestingly, cultural tourists spend 38% more per day and stay 22% longer than other tourists.

However, two years after the publication of the UNWTO report, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a serious decline in international tourism and it is still uncertain if, when and how international tourism in general, and cultural tourism in particular, will recover. In the World Tourism Barometer And Statistical Annex 2021 , recently published by the UNWTO in January of this year, most panel experts expect a rebound of international tourism in Europe in the third quarter of 2021, or by 2022.

Cultural tourist profile

Cultural tourism dates back to the 1980s. Originally, cultural tourism was primarily driven by the interest of the baby boom generation to visit major cultural sites and attractions, such as museums and monuments, often travelling in groups. This generation has contributed to the strong growth of cultural tourism. The generations after them, generation Y (millennials) and generation Z (centennials ), drive the demand for more authentic, unique, small-scale and personal experiences, and the demand for more popular and everyday culture. For them it is more important to be somewhere, rather than to go somewhere. They state “we want to do it our way, not their way”. These generations prefer to travel on their own.

Figure 1: Cultural traveller’s profile

Advantages of cultural tourism

Cultural tourism does not only benefit larger corporations, but offers interesting opportunities to smaller businesses – including businesses that would otherwise be excluded from tourism. This means that cultural tourism offers the possibility to collaborate and create useful relationships with other businesses and organisations, both within and outside the tourism industry. Such relationships and partnerships can strengthen the collective pride of your own culture.

This approach to cultural tourism starts with what the community finds important and what the community wants to show. Linking it to what tourists are looking for results in a kind of compromise with a concrete encounter between two cultures.

• Review the cultural tourism offer in your community. Table 1 could help you with this.
• Try to understand the motivations of the cultural tourist and ask them how unique and authentic the cultural tourism offer is. This can help you to develop authentic experiences.
• Collaborate with other business and organisations in your community to create synergy and to better attract European tourists. Such collaboration could result in a cultural route along different places and attractions that is marketed as an arrangement to the tourists that visit your community.
• Cultural tourism is not the only trend in tourism, so think about creating cross-overs between cultural tourism and, for example, volunteer tourism, ecotourism, wellness, or adventure tourism.
• To offer your cultural offer to the market, remember that the contemporary tourists require online presence and convenience . To communicate with the market you can make use of Facebook (see for example PIRTGA ) or AirBnB (such as illustrated by a bushwalk with Maasai warriors , or a city trip to Nairobi .
• Read UNWTOs Inclusive COVID-19 recovery guide for cultural tourism , with many suggestions and tips. If you are offering community-based tourism, also read recommendations for indigenous tourism .
• If too many tourists come to your community, there is a danger that cultural tourism can cause a negative impact on culture and heritage and damage the long-term sustainability of both tourism and the cultural sectors. Therefore, it is important to define the limits of change that you consider acceptable and to manage cultural tourism properly. If you have little experience with Europeans, it is helpful to get in touch with somebody in your community who does have this experience, for example because they lived there for a while. Such a person may help you develop a product that is attractive for European tourists and bring it to their attention in a meaningful way.

3. Which European countries offer most opportunities for cultural tourism?

Germany is the largest European source market in terms of market size, followed by the United Kingdom, Italy, France, the Netherlands and Spain. Table 2 shows the percentage of residents per country who gave culture or a city trip as a reason for going on holiday , and the number of tourists leaving the country for a holiday abroad . The third column gives an indication of the market size of each country for a cultural holiday abroad. The figure clearly illustrates that the top market (Germany) is over five times larger than the smallest market (Spain).

Table 2: Key statistics of the 6 most important European markets

Germany is by far the most significant European market for cultural tourism. In 2018, 109 million German tourists went abroad for a holiday. Half of them went on holiday for cultural reasons, resulting in an estimated amount of 54 million holiday makers.

Of the six countries listed, German tourist spent the most on outbound travel. The personal expenditure of outbound German tourists was also much bigger.

Table 3: Key statistics Germany

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is clearly the second-largest market for cultural tourism in Europe. This position is mainly caused by the large number of outbound tourists: 70 million in 2018. A share of 48% opt for a culturally motivated holiday abroad – 26% for culture in general and 22% for a city trip. This amounts to an estimated number of outbound cultural tourists of 34 million in 2018. Events were also quite popular among British holiday makers going abroad (13%).

The United Kingdom has the second-largest population (67 million), after Germany. In 2019 the country had the second-largest nominal GDP of the top 6 market countries in the European Union (€2.5 trillion), again after Germany, and the third-largest nominal GDP per capita (€28.000), after Germany and the Netherlands. In 2018 the travel expenditure of British outbound tourists amounted to €65,517 million, which was 2.4% of the GDP.

Table 4: Key statistics United Kingdom

If we look at the proportion of all outbound travellers motivated by culture, Italy is the European country that stands out with 66% of the 33 million outbound holiday makers. As opposed to the other five countries in the top 6, city trips are more popular (36%) than culture in general (30%). The number of outbound cultural tourists from Italy can be estimated at 22 million. The average length of an outbound holiday was 8.3 nights in 2018. The Italian cultural tourism market is less predictable than the other countries’ markets, because it is more fashion-driven.

In the top 6 countries, the Italian economy takes a mid-position with a nominal GDP of €1.8 trillion and a nominal GDP per capita of €30,000 in 2019. Total travel spending in 2018 had a value of €24,918 million, while personal expenditure was €17,334 million. Overall outbound tourists had a value of 1.8% of the GDP, which is the lowest of the six market countries.

Table 5: Key statistics Italy

The French market for cultural tourism is the fourth-largest. In 2018, 27 million French travellers went abroad for their holiday and 62% of them did so for cultural reasons. Among them, the interest in culture in general or in a city trip was equally divided at 31%. All in all, in 2018 about 17 million French people went on holiday abroad for cultural reasons. The average length of these holidays was 8.4 nights.

The nominal GDP (€2.4 trillion) and the nominal GDP per capita (€36,000) are also comparable to the United Kingdom. Total travel expenditure was much higher than in Italy and amounted to €39,696 million. Personal expenses in 2018 were €26,551 million. Outbound tourism had a total value of 2.1% of GDP.

Table 6: Key statistics France

Netherlands

Despite its small size, the Netherlands has a relatively large number of outbound tourists. The Dutch holiday makers show the largest interest in culture (65%), second only to the Italians (66%), but as the population is relatively small it does only result in about 15 million culturally motivated holidays abroad. Compared to the other countries in the top 6, the interest in culture in general is much bigger (39%) than the interest in city trips (26%).

Compared to the other market countries discussed in this section, the Netherlands has a small population of 17 million. In line with this, the nominal GDP is relatively small as well with €0.8 trillion, making it the smallest economy in the list. Nevertheless, the nominal GDP per capita is the highest of the six countries at €47.000. On the other hand, total travel expenditure for foreign holidays (€18,868 million) and personal expenses abroad are the lowest (€ 16,296 million). 2.8% of the GDP was spent on outbound tourism.

Table 7: Key statistics Netherlands

The market for cultural tourism in Spain is much smaller than it is in Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and the Netherlands. If we take the relatively big population into account, the number of outbound holiday makers is relatively quite small with just 19 million. So despite the fact that half of these tourists goes on holiday for cultural reasons, this only results in an estimated 10 million travellers in 2018.

It’s also interesting to note that the average length of the stay is relatively short (7.8 nights), while the average spending per day seems rather high (€103). According to industry experts, it is mainly the region of Catalunya (Barcelona and environment) in which people are interested in outbound cultural tourism.

The population of Spain is 47 million. The economy of Spain ranks between Italy and the Netherlands, with a nominal GDP of €1.2 trillion. The nominal GDP per capita is the lowest of the six market countries at €26.000. The amount that all outbound tourists spend on their travel is slightly lower than it is Italy and a little higher than it is the Netherlands at €26,670. The percentage of the GDP that is spent on outbound travel is relatively low: only 1.9%.

Table 8: Key statistics Spain

• Focus on Germany or the United Kingdom if you want to enter the European cultural tourism market. The market for cultural tourism in these countries is much bigger than it is in the other European countries, so you are more likely to succeed there.
• Create your tourism product in collaboration with your clients. Cultural tourists can be considered as co-creators of the best and least impactful tourism experiences . Also read our report on how to develop your tourism product to co-create cultural products together with your guests.
• If you want to protect your culture and remain unique and authentic, do not focus on short-term benefits and prevent too much commercialisation.
• If you want to focus on cultural events, it is recommended to make use of existing festivals or try to revive past festivals, because this reduces negative impacts and makes cultural tourism more sustainable.

4. Which trends offer opportunities on the European market for cultural tourism?

From cultural tourism to creative tourism.

Cultural tourism is slowly changing into creative tourism. With creative tourism, tourists actively participate in cultural learning experiences. These could range from dyeing umbrellas in Thailand, dyeing textiles in Guatemala or making curry in Thailand, to making music in Brazil to the rhythm of samba, milonga, chamamé and chacarera. During such a holiday trip, tourists encounter things that are quite different from a trip in Europe.

Creative travel programmes allow tourists to get in touch with local people, local culture and local creativity. They allow visitors to take a souvenir back home that they made themselves and that can promote the culture to the tourists’ peers. They also lead to more opportunities for local people to acquire knowledge and skills and to earn an income.

Creative travel programmes are usually carried out by locals, for example in the role of inbound tour operator or “ground operator”. However, there are also tour operators in Europe that offer cultural tourism holidays, such as Charlies Travels in the Netherlands which offers holidays to Kenya.

A local example is the wide variety of round trips offered focusing on the "Maya Textile Route" in Guatemala, during which cultural visits of cities and museums are combined with weaving and dyeing workshops. During these workshops visitors learn how to create their own fabrics in the traditional brightly coloured threads of the “land of eternal spring”.

• Examples are the tours offered by Haute Culture Fashion or ArtGuat .
• The Blue Yonder , a tour operator in India, provides various options, including musical trails, gastronomic trails, local encounters, cultural heritage, and city breaks.
• Feynan Ecolodge in Jordan is an example of an accommodation promoting the rich Bedouin culture of the region, and exploring local archeological sites.
• In Thailand DASTA (Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration) developed a cultural tourism programme that is different from many other Asian countries. It is based on the idea that the Thai culture is unique and that unique forms of creativity are linked to it. 20 different villages offer a unique taste of Thai culture for visitors, each being linked to a particular craft or skill that demonstrates Thai creativity and is rooted in the local involvement. As part of the project a toolkit was provided which offers a step-by-step guide to developing creative tourism.

Networks are of great importance to the development of creative tourism. There are quite a few examples of creative tourism networks, such as Recria Brasil in Brazil. Local people and businesses also use platforms such as AirBnB to sell experiences. In that case you do not need a tour operator, and you establish a direct connection with the tourist in exchange for a small fee.

Creative Tourism Network is an international network that serves as a great example of collaboration across country borders. The website gives examples of creative tourism in various countries and you can become a member yourself. The network developed a “ creating creative tourism toolkit ” that is accessible online. The toolkit also provides an introduction into the ins and outs of creative tourism.

Although in Europe itself, CreaTour may offer an inspiring example of a creative tourism network. It is intended as an incubator/demonstration initiative to catalyse creative tourism in small cities and rural areas throughout Portugal. CreaTour’s website gives an overview of inspiring best practices in Portugal . A prize-winning documentary about creative tourism development in small cities and rural areas is also available.

Major trends in creative tourism :

• Taking home skills as well as souvenirs: exchange of skills between hosts and visitors, and the production of art, photos or craft objects as souvenirs
• Creative gastronomy: courses and workshops to refine the guests’ culinary skills, such as making curry in Thailand
• Creative personal space: retreats or other peaceful surroundings linked to a search for mindfulness, spirituality, including yoga experiences and meditation
• Creative work: co-working spaces and living labs as destinations for travellers who want to combine their work with their passion, which fits with the drive of remote working, the growing number of digital nomads and the increase in bleisure, which refers to travellers who combine business with leisure activities, or leisure travel with business.
• Digital creativity (needed for work but also for being able to develop one’s own content and share one’s life story; offered in major creative cities or attractive settings in nature.
• Social connectivity: creative tourism with a more explicit social and relational dimension, such as volunteer programmes directed towards particular forms of creativity useful for community development.
• Live like a (creative) local to have transformational authentic experiences; Airbnb allows hosts to provide local experiences, which may include workshops and crafts classes. A transformational experience allows a tourist to understand themselves, others and the world in a new way.
• Holidays for the creative class, not only in urban areas but also in creative clusters in rural areas; it requires the presence of trendsetters and coolhunters who can identify and promote new creative experiences
• Destinations as hubs of creative networks, the places to be for specific creative activities and/or knowledge
• Invest in slow travel, meaning travellers take more time to experience destinations more deeply and in a more laid-back way, and offer transformative experiences.
• Offer opportunities to immerse in the local culture and to ‘feel like a local’, such as opportunities to stay with a local family, indulge in the local nightlife or services that connect travellers to local tastes,
• Platforms such as EatWith or BiteMojo offer opportunities to connect travel to local tastes.
• Because young millennials yearn for unique experiences, it is recommended to approach and treat them in a personal way.
• Ensure a clear online presence. Potential visitors should be able to find you online and be able to easily access your online information.
• Invite social media influencers like influential bloggers or vloggers for a free stay so that they will write about your product or service in a style that appeals to their followers. You can find bloggers and vloggers via Typsy or YouTube .
• Link people and place through storytelling. An example of this is offered by industry expert Greg Richards in his report ‘ from Cultural to creative tourism – the role of craft’ : “When a tourist comes to my workshop, I can make up a story about how I work, and this adds value. People want to know why I have done something, how it was done”.

Health and safety measures

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic the UNWTO identified health and safety measures as the second largest trend for 2021, and it is likely that this trend will become more important in the years to come.

The COVID-19 pandemic will likely have a major impact on travellers’ attitudes towards hygiene. Safety and hygiene standards have become very important and may even become non-negotiable, because travellers simply require that this is at an appropriate standard.

Travellers will be more reluctant to travel to tourism hot spots and may need more persuasion to perceive a destination, or your business, as safe. Precautions and the way in which the initial COVID-19 outbreak was handled in your country will help convince travellers that they will be safe at a specific destination, location or service business.

It is expected that hygiene will impact the way people travel to a destination and how they move around within their destination. This applies to for example hygiene standards, whether face masks are compulsory or not, seat spacing, and many other factors. Price may become less important than hygiene and travelling in groups with strangers will probably be less attractive.

Moreover, it is likely that the COVID-19 pandemic has made more travellers aware and uncertain about travel safety, hygiene and contradicting information, and they will increasingly turn to travel experts when they want to plan a holiday trip.

• Be transparent and inform cultural tourists properly about the health and safety measures you have taken. Only then you will be able to gain their trust. Possible measures are: intensified cleaning, socially distanced seating, providing hand gel, providing accessories such as face masks, glasses and gloves (possibly branded with a logo of the destination or your business), offering contactless payment, or driverless transport.
• With reference to COVID-19 is it recommended to focus on outdoor cultural tourism activities.
• Seize the opportunity, if your business is located within a destination that is perceived as clean, safe, unspoilt or uncrowded. That may allow you to attract new or more visitors. According to Booking.com , 54% of global travellers want to play a part in reducing overtourism , and 51% is interested in swapping destinations for a lesser known, yet similar alternative.

This study was carried out on behalf of CBI by Molgo and ETFI .

Please review our market information disclaimer .

• Entering the European market for cultural tourism products

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Creative tourism is an important market in Europe. It offers Europeans the opportunity to get in touch with local people and local culture, for example by crafting their own souvenirs with textiles, ceramics or other materials, learning to cook local foods, to learn cultural dances, etc. Creative tourism therefore offers an interesting opportunity for local businesses to earn some money and at the same time to learn about the European market. Direct contact with the tourist is important. This can be achieved through creative programmes, networks or social media platforms. Recria Brasil is a good example of a programme run by governmental bodies and local businesses, but they also exist in for example Thailand, Indonesia and some African countries. Dr Greg Richards, professor in Leisure studies

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