TYPOLOGY OF

HERITAGE
TOURIST
TOPIC 2
LECTURE
OUTLINE
What we'll learn today

01
Heritage/cultural tourist

02
Types of heritage/cultural
tourist

03
Characteristics of
heritage/cultural tourists
1. Heritage/cultural
tourist
>100 million American adults say they included some
heritage activities or events while travelling in 2002.

30% of American adults say that a specific arts,

cultural or heritage event or activity influenced their
choice of destination.

(Source: http://www.culturalheritagetourism.org/)
2. Types of heritage/cultural tourist

The 3 types of heritage tourist

Cont.
3. Characteristics of
heritage/cultural tourists

The stereotypical heritage tourist The emerging heritage tourist

(the “Baedeker/ Michelin tourist”) (the “Lonely Planet” or “Rough Guide
tourist”)
Aged 45-65
Higher than average disposable income, Young backpackers, aged 20-30
education, and travel experience different and lower patterns of
Holidaymaking independently in a expenditure
group of two Staying in small, inexpensive bed and
Staying in a hotel breakfast
Cont.
American tourists

Spend more: $623 vs. $457

Are older: 49 vs. 47
Are more likely to be retired - 20% vs. 16%
Are more likely having a graduate degree: 21% vs. 19%
Use a hotel, motel or B&B – 62% vs. 55%
Are more likely to spend $1,000+/-: 19% vs. 12%
Travel longer: 5.2 nights vs. 3.4 nights
Travel by air: 19% vs. 16%

(Source: http://www.culturalheritagetourism.org/)
Heritage Tourist
Research by Louis Harris, Inc., Decima Research, the Travel
Industry of America, and the National Trust for Historic
Preservation tells us that today’s heritage tourist is:

Well educated
Older
Influenced by women
Cosmopolitan
Accountability driven
Generous in spending
More inclined to stay in hotels and B&B
More inclined to stay longer than the
average traveller
More likely to visit a diversity of sites, cities
and regions than the average traveller
Wants high quality of service
Interested in authenticity
Wants easy-to-do, accessible quality travel
experiences
Case Study