Cultural Tourism Marketing: Strategies and Tourist Typologies

Introduction to Cultural Tourism

Cultural tourism is a part of the cultural industry that promotes cultural products to travelers as a form of cultural practice (Craik, 1995: 87; Prentice, 2001). This tourism format is considered an umbrella organization covering a wide range of diverging activities.

Traditional buildings and sites serve as attractions for tourists, and the cultural tourism industry uses these as incentives to draw visitors. Although these buildings have their own distinct histories, they are today presented in ways designed to attract tourists, functioning as entertainment destinations for those on vacation and thereby giving a boost to cultural tourism (Herbert, 1995: 1). However, these traditional sites are perceived differently by every cultural tourist. For instance, a historic monument might be fascinating for some tourists while others may regard it as boring or unappealing (Herbert, 1995: 1–2).

Cultural Tourism and Marketing Strategy

Cultural tourism is in demand for many reasons. Many tourists wish to learn about the cultures of other nations, while others are keen to see monuments found in different locations (Prentice, 2001). Cultural tourism extends beyond mere sightseeing to promote cultural appreciation, either through direct experiences or through the acquisition of schematic knowledge (Prentice, 2001). Experiential tourism in this context is pursued for authentic purposes. Authenticity is offered in a number of ways — through famous people or special events, through direct experience, location, reality, national origin, place branding, and celebrations. Schematic knowledge encompasses a logical interest in developing an individual's familiarity with cultural objects.

A key question arises when individuals seek schematic knowledge: what is the best marketing strategy for delivering that knowledge to cultural tourists? When marketers plan advertising campaigns, the psychological differences among individuals must be treated as essential criteria (Ruiz and Sicilia, 2004).

The evaluation of advertising schemes is conducted using the conversion studies model or the advertising tracking approach. The conversion study approach follows a sequential flow, beginning with advertising aimed at raising tourist awareness, followed by tactics that build a positive image in the minds of tourists, and then progressing through inquiry, motivation, and conversion (Siegel and Ziff-Levine, 1990; McWilliams and Crompton, 1997: 127). The advertising tracking model, on the other hand, measures fluctuations in tourist awareness levels and gathers information about the target market both before and after an advertising campaign has taken place (McWilliams and Crompton, 1997: 129). The tracking model assumes that a tourist will only be inclined to use tourism services once made aware of them, whereas the conversion model requires identifying the information-seeking behavior that precedes conversion (McWilliams and Crompton, 1997: 129). Both models point to various types of message processing that occur when a visitor becomes interested in a particular attraction. However, a significant drawback of these models is that they fail to recognize the influence of advertising on low-interest decisions, such as repeated visits or visits of lesser importance (McWilliams and Crompton, 1997: 127). To address this limitation, a more detailed analysis of message processing is advisable.

A number of studies have identified three major ways of processing a marketing message. The first involves the elaboration of cultural features — that is, each place or monument has its own distinct characteristics, and these should be used effectively to persuade visitors to come and experience the cultural attraction. The second element concerns the findings of consumer communication and behavior researchers, who argue that message recipients hold different mindsets, leading to different responses to advertising appeals (Moore et al., 1995; Ruiz and Sicilia, 2004). It follows that individual customers have a tendency toward information processing that is distinctive to them. The third element involves the individual appeal produced by the marketer, which converges in the message processing system, at which point the message is executed.

Destination Image and Cultural Attraction

The components of a tourism destination introduced by Witt and Moutinho (1994) include facilities, attractions, accessibility, prices, and destination images. Primary motivating attractions include seascapes, climate, beaches, landscapes, and cultural, social, and purpose-built attractions. Facilities encompass accommodation, cafés, bars, and restaurants, along with transportation such as taxis and car rentals. Accessibility refers to the ease with which a tourist can reach a destination. Price includes the total of all expenses involved, such as accommodation, travel, and participation in selected activities.

Beerli and Martin (2003) identified nine dimensions with attributes that determine the perceived destination image of tourists. These dimensions are: tourist and general infrastructure, natural resources, culture, art, history, the natural and social environment, economic and political factors, and the atmosphere of a particular place — all of which are relevant to cultural attraction. The organic image of an attraction is based on non-commercial information sources, such as the opinions of friends and family members or media reports, while the induced image is shaped by commercial sources such as advertising and information from tour operators and travel agents (Kantanen et al., 2006).

The image a person forms of a destination is not entirely determined by the available information that shapes an imaginary projection; personal perception of that information also plays a significant role in constructing an image of the environment. This interrelationship between information and individual perception gives rise to a compound image (Stern and Krakover, 1993; Beerli and Martin, 2003).

Since it is the mindset of the individual — in the process of collecting information about a destination — that shapes perception, advertising campaigns must critically recognize this and design strategies that prioritize the integrity of their messaging. According to Martin and Beerli (2003), when a customer's expectations align with the compound image formed beforehand, positive feedback results. Moreover, this feedback will not only stimulate personal satisfaction but will also be communicated verbally by tourists to others.

Conclusion

Cultural tourism, and its marketing in particular, represents an intricate theoretical domain in which considerable research can be conducted (Kantanen et al., 2006). Several aspects must be considered in any comprehensive analysis: tourist response to and attitude toward advertising, motivation and need to visit an attraction, consumer behavior theories, customer appeals, and advertising strategies. All of these factors must be taken into account when designing an advertisement targeting a specific lifestyle or behavioral market segment (Santasalo, 2003; 2005).

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