Types of time dimension

Adapting the arguments to Heron (1990; in Ryan, 1991) it may be argued that cultures are characterized by differential use of three types of time dimension. These are:

a)      Sacred time – time used for communal participation not simply for worship, but in any type of rite which establishes the relationship of that community with its environment. Its characteristic is that it is a time shared with others where common beliefs are expressed and reinforced.

b)      Profane time – is functional and mechanistic in nature. It is time that is measured; it is the time where appointments and meetings are made; where timetables are established by man and are adhered to.

c)      Personal time – is that time used for personal reflection and recreation in the sense of determining the individual’s relationship with environment, community, family and self.

Resources that comprise Cultural Tourism

Cultural landscape and distinctive cultural aspects	Settlement, pattern; life style, dresses and jewelry, folk traditions, folk songs etc. legends, and local cuisines.
Local Art/ Craft	Art and architecture, sculptures and paintings, folk dance/music and musical instruments, and local craftsmanship.
Fairs/ Festivals	Fairs-religious, religious-cum-cultural, specific local fairs, commercial/trade/craft various popular festivals and mode of their celebration.
Historical/Archaeological heritage	Monumental heritage-forts, palaces, temples and mosques of historical and artistic value, ancient ruins, museums, excavation sites and other places of archaeological importance and sites of important historical events.

Forms of Culture

Lea (1988) presents three major forms of culture which attract visitors:

1.      Forms of culture which are inanimate or which do not directly involve human activity. Tourists visiting places of unique architecture and art, historical buildings and monuments, and purchasing traditional arts and crafts are notable examples;

2.      Forms of culture reflecting the normal daily life of a destination. Visiting ‘foreign’ peoples to observe their normal social, economic and leisure activities in an attempt to understand their lifestyle, ideologies and customs is a common tourist motivation;

3.      Forms of culture which are especially animated and may involve special events or depict historic or famous occurrences. Examples include musical, festivals, carnivals, festivals reflecting old traditions and behavior, reenactments of battles and displays of old machinery.

Elements of Culture

Ritchie and Zins (1978 in Mathieson and Wall, 1982) have isolated twelve elements of culture which attract tourists to the particular destinations:

                                i.            Handicrafts

                              ii.            Language

                            iii.            Traditions

                            iv.            Gastronomy

                             v.            Art and music, concerts, paintings and sculpture

                            vi.            History

                          vii.            Work and Technology

                        viii.            Architecture

                            ix.            Religion

                              x.            Educational System

                            xi.            Dress

                          xii.            Leisure Activities

Typology of Cultural Tourists

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As far as cultural interests and the activities of tourists are concerned, a simple threefold typology can be applied

1.      The culturally motivated tourist:

                                          This person selects a holiday destination reflecting the interest in the cultural facilities offered in the destination area. Such tourists are highly motivated to learn and to benefit from each opportunity, and they will spend several days in a particular destination (city or region) and circulate, well prepared and with a professional tour guide. This ideal cultural tourist only represents a small minority. According to a European survey in 1993 the market share would account for about 5 per cent of the so-called market of cultural tourists.

2.      The culturally inspired tourist:

                                         Special cultural themes will attract this group; they will visit well known sites of culture, major exhibitions and festivals. They travel around and pick up experiences in many places, and never stay long in one place. With this type an element of mass tourism is evident when visiting places such as Venice, Athens, Canterbury Cathedral, etc. All want to see the same places, and mainly because of this kind of cultural tourist, visitor management policies become an important issue. According to many forecasts, a growing number of travelers will belong to this type of ‘culture consumer’.

3.      The culturally  attracted tourist:

                                           The tourist, while holidaying at a coastal or mountain resort, sees an occasional visit to a city or historical site in the hinterland – a visit to a museum, church or monument – as a welcome diversion in the holiday programme. The destination is not chosen because of these facilities, but once there these opportunities may be enjoyed very much. Because more active holidays are currently getting fashionable, it is very likely that this pattern of cultural pastime will spread. Particularly for this group of tourists, cultural attractions need to be packaged, marketed as part of an arrangement and embedded in a lively urban environment. It is clear that this too is a growing market segment.

Contents of Cultural Tourism

·         Has the image of adding value to the tourist experience and hence is easily associated with ‘quality tourism’;

·         Fits into the contemporary pattern of consumption tourism, ever in search of new products and experiences which yield a high satisfaction;

·         Allows for wide product differentiation which is needed to meet the demands of a growing and segmented tourism market;

·         Opens perspectives for new destinations which cannot benefit as ‘sun, sand and sea’ resources;

·         Offers a solution for the problem of seasonality, fits in with the trend towards more active holidays, more environmentally sensitive activities, more short breaks, and added value for the business traveler.

The fact that cultural tourism is gradually becoming an important market segment can easily be concluded from the shift in the motivation pattern of traveler. Understanding other cultures, gaining new perspectives on life and visiting cultural historical and archaeological treasures are now becoming key motive.