Cultural Tourism

Abstract

Mass tourism goes to major cultural heritage sites, to superstar museums, to festivals, and to blockbuster exhibitions of art. These visits have a major impact on the local economy, regions, and countries and are captured by impact studies. In contrast, the willingness-to-pay approach focuses on the net benefits created by visiting a cultural site. Many cultural sites tend to be overcrowded, leading to material damage to the structures, to a feeling of compression among visitors and the local population, and to a drastic loss of authenticity. Overcrowding of heritage sites can be counteracted in various ways to make visits agreeable and to reduce the damage inflicted.