CONSIDERATIONS ON THE CULTURAL TOURISM MARKET AND CULTURAL TOURIST PROFILE

Abstract

The article proposes a conceptual analysis of the cultural tourism market and the profile of the cultural tourist. The way in which, depending on the different types of motivations, the cultural tourism market can be subdivided into a number of sub-markets or niche markets such as: tangible heritage (tangible), intangible culture (intangible), city breaks, tastings (food and wine), community tourism in which tourism experiences are managed by local communities and religious / spiritual tourism. Cultural tourists are individuals or groups looking for distinct experiences, focusing on visual arts and entertainment, architecture, cooking and crafts, often combining primary motivation with secondary motivation. Cultural tourism is linked to the profile of tourists, and here the generational component seems to be particularly relevant. Identifying and understanding the most appropriate tourist markets and the motivations and needs of tourists in travel experiences is a critical step in attracting tourists to tourist cities with cultural and heritage values. Cultural tourists validate the importance of heritage, arts and culture through experience in these destinations, and income from this type of tourism contributes to the prosperity of the community and local businesses, while supporting activities related to culture, art or local public services. The methodology used includes bibliographic documentation for the analysis, detailing and exemplification of niche markets of cultural tourism, as well as the investigation of the relationship between the availability of cultural goods and the motivation, typology and profile of cultural tourists.