Author Description

There is an increasing recognition of the importance of culture for tourist motivation, behaviour and experiences. Estimates vary according to definitions, but statistics indicate the potential significance of cultural tourism in the world market. The overall purpose of this PhD dissertation 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 at cultural heritage sites and the importance of cultural elements during a holiday. Five types of cultural tourists were identified, ranging from those for whom culture plays no role and thus 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 also reveals that the main key and the primary element is families and friends as the basis for the experience of cultural and heritage sites.