De ene culturele toerist is de andere niet

There is an increasing recognition of the importance of culture and heritage for tourist motivation, behaviour and experiences. Estimates vary according to definitions, but statistics indicate the potential significance of cultural tourism in the global market. The overall purpose of this PhD thesis was to understand the behaviour and the experience of tourists visiting cultural sites and attractions during holidays.

This study identified heterogeneity among tourists visiting cultural and heritage sites in The Netherlands, and found significant differences between groups in terms of time spent and the importance of culture during holidays. Typology of cultural tourists was proposed based on the time spent at cultural sites and attractions and the importance of cultural elements during a holiday.

Five types of cultural tourists are identified, ranging from those for whom culture plays no role and spent various hours at cultural sites, to those who were highly motivated to travel for cultural reasons and spent also various hours at cultural sites and attractions. This study reveals that the main key and primary element is families and friends as the basis for the experience and subsequently comes cultural tourism as an element in the vacation experience.

Rami Isaac, Understanding the Behaviour of Cultural Tourists. Breda: NHTV, 2008. Bestel het boek hier.