MyTravelResearch.com

Easy to use market research and marketing tools for the travel and tourism industry.

  PRICING       LOG-IN
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Subscribe to Travel Trend Reports
  • Insight to Action Products
    • Tourism Marketing Plan Blueprint
    • Tourism Marketing Plan LITE
  • Consulting
  • Travel Research
  • About Us
    • Our Vision
    • Our Privacy Policy
    • Premium Membership FAQs
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Blog / How Culture and Heritage Tourism Boosts More Than A Visitor Economy

How Culture and Heritage Tourism Boosts More Than A Visitor Economy

by Carolyn Childs 15 Comments

Vintage retro effect filtered hipster style image of Taj Mahal on sunrise sunset, Indian Symbol – India travel background. Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

Culture and heritage tourism plays a critical role in building the visitor economy and goes even beyond that. A recent survey showed that over 50% of respondents polled agreed that history and culture are strong influences on their choice of holiday destination. 

Culture and heritage tourism is a fast-growing and high-yielding sector

Statistics also indicate that culture and heritage tourism continues to grow as rapidly, especially in OECD and APEC regions. We estimate the direct global value of culture and heritage tourism to be well over $1billion dollars, with that of the Asia Pacific region being approximately $327 million. It is already directly responsible for more than 50 million jobs in APEC countries. And what’s more, the indirect benefits of culture and heritage tourism are thought to be of the order of $1 billion and account for a further 75 million jobs across the region. 

There is no denying the fact that culture and heritage tourism tends to attract high-yield tourists. While global figures can be hard to obtain, all available statistics on tourism in various individual markets like the UK, New Zealand, Australia, India, and etc. reveal a consistent pattern. Culture and heritage tourists often stay longer and spend a lot more money in general than other tourists do. In fact, one study showed that a culture and heritage tourist spent as much as 38% higher per day and they stayed 22% longer overall compared to other kinds of travellers.

Although the statistical evidence doesn’t show consistency when it comes to repeat visitors, tourism data on United State’s Culture and Heritage visitors indicates that the level of repeat visitation amongst this group of travellers is higher than that of traditional tourists. 

It builds engagement

Culture and heritage tourists usually visit cultural heritage attractions such as: historic buildings and other historic attractions; archaeological sites; state, local, or national parks; art galleries or museums; concerts, plays or musicals; ethnic or ecological heritage sites; and suchlike attractions. These travellers say that these trips are more memorable than conventional holiday trips since they allow them to learn something new.  This focus on learning skills and gain enrichment has been identified by Trendwatching as a core global trend in travel (and links to broader macro trends in consumer needs).

Culture and heritage tourists say they often extend their stay because of a heritage activity. The majority of these travellers stay over night at local motels, hotels, bed and breakfasts, or camp grounds. Culture and heritage tourists also tend to put more money back into the local economy, spending more than other kinds of tourists per trip. But these economic benefits are not the only reason why heritage tourism may be good for the community. 

The benefits of culture and heritage tourism are amplified through the economy, so their impact is much wider than just the direct spending levels. As Simon Thurley of English Heritage has shown in his Heritage Cycle, heritage tourism has benefits that extend beyond the solely economic. 

So what are the benefits?

Generally, the benefits of heritage tourism can be categorized into three groups: economic, social and environmental. As they tend to be the highest focus for destinations and policy makers we have focused on the economic benefits first

Economic Benefits of Cultural and Heritage Tourism

  • Injects new money into the economy, boosting businesses and tax revenues 
  • Creates new jobs, businesses, events and attractions, thus helping diversify the local economy 
  • Supports small businesses and enables them to expand 
  • Promotes the active preservation and protection of important local resources 
  • Builds vital relationships among and within local communities
  • Helps encourage the development and maintenance of new/existing community amenities 

Social Benefits of Cultural and Heritage Tourism 

  • Helps build social capital
  • Promotes preservation of local traditions, customs and culture. UNESCO now recognises intangible cultural heritage as being as important as buildings.  A market for culture and heritage tourismexperiences and traditional projects provides the economic support for keeping these skills and traditions alive
  • Promotes positive behaviour 
  • Helps improve the community’s image and pride
  • Promotes community beautification
  • Builds opportunities for healthy and useful community relationships and partnerships
  • Provides research, education and work-placement opportunities for students
  • Creates enjoyable opportunities for both local residents and visitors attracted to the cultural arts, history and preservation
  • Boosts local investment in heritage resources and amenities that support tourism services 

There is even evidence that by helping to maintain buildings of character culture and heritage tourism can also contribute to the innovation and business diversification of precincts.  Small businesses based in amazing buildings are typically innovators and provide a core for other larger businesses.

Environmental Benefits of Cultural and Heritage Tourism 

Helps encourage a culture of preservation 
Boost awareness of the tourist site, attraction or area’s significance 
Helps encourage local residents and visitors to be mindful about their impact on the natural and built environment 

 Although there is a risk that this type of tourism can lead to a place being ‘loved to death’ (think the Taj Mahal or the Sistine Chapel), properly handled it can provide a reason to invest in thing like sewage and water resources in areas. 

So that is why we think Cultural and Heritage Tourism is so vital to the visitor economy – and that destinations should seek to maximise the opportunities it brings. In future articles, we will be delving more deeply into practical opportunities on how to do that. (If you are an MTR member then you can also access more detailed content via the Members Only HomePage.)

FREE WEBINAR To find out more, join our webinar on April 27th at 1300 AEST.by signing up here 

 Do you want to hear more from us? 

Want to be kept up to date with the latest travel and tourism insights? Join Our Mailing List. Every 2 weeks, we send the latest practical insight for you to apply to your business and destination marketing. 

[aio_button align=”none” animation=”none” color=”yellow” size=”small” icon=”none” text=”SIGN UP NOW” relationship=”dofollow” url=”https://ce141.infusionsoft.com/app/page/3b91e76f9295b4952bc564bd38f00064″]

 

 

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Carolyn Childs
Carolyn has spent more than 25 years’ helping businesses achieve their goals by using research and other evidence to guide strategy and planning – mainly in the aviation, travel and tourism fields.She has worked in more than 35 countries on every inhabited continent and brings a detailed understanding of customers and how to connect with them. As well as running her own businesses, she has worked for organisations such as the International Air Transport Association, TNS (the world’s largest custom research company) and the Travel Research Centre.
Latest posts by Carolyn Childs (see all)
  • Are you leaving $$$ on the table?
  • Why MyTravelResearch.com supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart
  • The Post-Covid Future for Grey Nomads

Filed Under: Blog, Free Content Tagged With: Cultural tourism, Heritage tourism, Tourism

About Carolyn Childs

Carolyn has spent more than 25 years’ helping businesses achieve their goals by using research and other evidence to guide strategy and planning – mainly in the aviation, travel and tourism fields. She has worked in more than 35 countries on every inhabited continent and brings a detailed understanding of customers and how to connect with them. As well as running her own businesses, she has worked for organisations such as the International Air Transport Association, TNS (the world’s largest custom research company) and the Travel Research Centre.

Comments

  1. Kitkat says

    September 14, 2020 at 8:57 pm

    Culture or heritage consumption requires understanding how tourist’ emotions and reasons interacting in experiencing these products to ensure long-term sustainability?

    Reply
    • Carolyn Childs says

      October 12, 2020 at 10:33 am

      It does indeed. It also means encouraging the right tourists.

      Reply
  2. Natalia says

    September 13, 2020 at 12:52 am

    I have a question explain the economic benefits, social benefits and environmental benefits of heritage tourism. Specify specific examples /situation

    Reply
    • Carolyn Childs says

      October 12, 2020 at 10:31 am

      This could honestly be a whole text book Natalia! The three are highly linked as in what brings money in gets valued and what is valued is protected. It is called the heritage cycle. The UK Lottery fund has a report on the value of conserving and adapting heritage buildings that shows they bring in GDP.

      Reply
  3. Krister says

    August 17, 2020 at 11:50 pm

    What are the possible objects of cultural interest that may entice or impact tourist arrivals?

    Reply
    • Carolyn Childs says

      October 12, 2020 at 10:29 am

      Krister… the process is a three step one. Identify what you have, Agree with the community what can be shared, identify if there are enough visitors who might be interested and who they are? There isn’t a one size fits all on this.

      Reply
  4. Mark Darylle Maliwat says

    February 4, 2020 at 11:34 pm

    In your own words what are the advantages of heritage tourism and what are the disadvantages or challenges of heritage tourism?

    Reply
    • Carolyn Childs says

      March 3, 2020 at 5:57 pm

      Mark Great question. I don’t see any disadvantages if it is managed well. The challenges come when it isn’t developed with local buy on, people fail to plan for tourism and culture together and where you don’t let the story lead. The advantages are almost too numerous to mention: social capital, civic pride, economic benefit, a clear case for protecting assets.

      Reply
  5. Chen chen says

    January 19, 2020 at 11:22 am

    I have a question how does cultural heritage promotes tourism?

    Reply
    • Carolyn Childs says

      January 24, 2020 at 11:12 am

      Cultural heritage provides a compelling reason to visit. As more people have the ability to travel we see that the desire to understand other cultures grows. Cultural heritage often includes compelling human stories and provokes a sense of wonder. Who hasn’t stood in front of the pyramids and ‘gone wow!’?

      There is strong supporting evidence. Research on the impact of gaining World Heritage status indicates that it boosts visitation. It’s a way of curating the ‘best of’ that anyone can understand.

      Reply
  6. Aliasgar Abuwala says

    July 4, 2019 at 12:37 am

    Hi,

    Now, that’s a great question. All places are heritage destinations since all of them have their histories. However, some places are more historically significant than others. In that sense, all travel can be classified as heritage travel.

    Attractions can be either heritage attractions or otherwise. In other words, non-heritage attractions like scenery, national parks, nightclubs, safaris, adventure are also reasons why people travel. In this case, heritage has no place.

    I would like to ask one question of my own: How important do you think it is for travelers going to heritage destinations, to be acquainted with the history of the place?

    Regards.

    Reply
    • Carolyn Childs says

      September 11, 2019 at 2:18 pm

      I am not sure we could police that. Maybe more like encourage it but great interpretation on site can do the same job

      Reply
  7. Eyobe says

    December 6, 2018 at 4:47 am

    I have a great question if you can answer the question by my email address
    Does tourism exist without heritage or attraction?
    if you say yes how?
    if you say no how?

    Reply
    • Carolyn Childs says

      September 11, 2019 at 2:21 pm

      It depends what you mean by an attraction … many holidays are about relaxation. They may include sightseeing, but the classic ‘fly and flop’ holiday is still tourism. We now know that even this type of holiday can help with mental and physical health

      Reply
      • Bhim Bawa says

        September 21, 2019 at 5:40 pm

        YES you are absolutely right that tourism has a lot of advantage for health. Tourism is one which bring happiness in our life and enjoy Full moments. even through it we feel something fresh and new observation.

        Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Announcement

Our Latest Report

Our Latest Report

Search

Events and Webinars

Member Events and Webinars graphic for sidebar widget image

Sign Up

 
Fill out the form to receive our actionable insight.
 
 

Marketing Plan Blueprint

Marketing Plan Blueprint

Latest Tweets

  • A moment of joy! Watch: DC's Giant Pandas enjoy snow storm, sliding down hills at National Zoo exhibit https://t.co/BNbi7Ny3i8 via @WUSA9

    3 weeks
  • I just signed my name to the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Join me to help make voices be heard. Add your name to… https://t.co/V6wzX72QjZ

    4 weeks
  • Nice simple and clear ... from @markritson Three axioms and three questions that summarise all of brand strategy… https://t.co/eFCcr2NPjp

    4 weeks
  • Our #trends 📈 work has been following the issue of Netizen 2.0 for around 5 years, could this be the solution from… https://t.co/fPQqcyL0iQ

    1 month

© Copyright 2021 My Travel Research · Tourism & Marketing · All Rights Reserved