New Cultural Tourists in a SEE City : The Case of Split

1. New Cultural Tourists in a SEE City:The Case of Split Inga Tomić-Koludrović & Mirko Petrić Department of Sociology University of Zadar Cultural Transitions in SEE The Creative City: Crossing Visions & New Realities in the Region Interuniversity Centre (IUC) Dubrovnik, 10. 5. 2006

2. topicsgeneral---------------------------------------Creative CitiesTourism South Eastern Europe

3. topicsspecific---------------------------------------new type of touristsan example /empirical research/policy aspects

4. tourism / SEE---------------------------tourism = fragmentedseries of nichesgrowth = as fast as niches are growing(e.g. gastronomical, religious, architectural)Greg Richards, 2003Intl. Seminar on Cultural Tourism inthe Balkan Countries Corfu, Greece, 19-20 September 2003

5. tourism / SEE---------------------------cultural tourism fastest growthin recent years“total experience”(not only physical products anymore, now includes experience, intangible qualities,atmosphere)Greg Richards, 2003

6. tourism /SEE---------------------------the Balkans = crossroads East / WestChristianity / Islam54 UNESCO-protected World heritage sites“high culture” + “ atmosphere” popular culture, nature, landscapesElka BakalovaIntl. Seminar on Cultural Tourism inthe Balkan Countries Corfu, Greece, 19-20 September 2003

7. tourism / cities---------------------------the increasing importance of culture & cultural attractions in contemporary societies cities, regions and cultures aware of themselves as attractionsdevelopment of tourism = decisivein this processMacCannell, 1976

8. tourism / culture --------------------------- the process of creation, exchange and promotion of attractions MacCannell, 1976but today “culture”  no longer the goal of tourism,tourism itself = cultureUrry, 1990

9. cultural tourism --------------------------- movement of people in search ofcultural attractions,with the intention of gathering new information and experiencesto satisfy their own needsRichards 1999

10. cultural attractions --------------------------- complement to “mass tourism”1960s / 1970s primary motivation 1990s onwardsbut secondary motivation = also“cultural tourism”

11. cultural touristscharacteristics---------------------------- active search for diversity- authenticity of cultural experience- concern for existential authenticity & self-betterment- sincere interaction with the destination & local population

12. cultural touristscharacteristics---------------------------- possibly idealized expectations of a place and people living there- interested in “true" experiences- rejection of simulacra and representationsSmith 2003

13. post-tourists---------------------------- enjoy simulated experiences - no difference between tourism, entertainment & lifestyle- no truly authentic experienceSmith 2003

14. post-tourists---------------------------- playful attitude : the commodification of tourist experience - ironic distance : experiences and situations- no difference between reality and phantasySmith 2003

15. cultural tourists ?---------------------------------= interested in and experencing “culture”(a different kind)- but what SEE region has to offer =/= bestsuited to such interests however, the elements of post-tourist attitude = present /even if tourists do not fit the descriptionin its entirety/

16. cultural tourists ? --------------------------------------- SEE = a place for a new kind of cultural tourists neither “cultural tourists” in the traditional senseof the word nor “post tourists”

17. new tourism -------------------------------------- new “cultural tourists” can be viewed as a subspecies of the “new tourists” - or referred to perhaps even without the adjective “cultural”- culture = taken for granted as part oftheir interest, but not necessarilyprimary motivation/could be e.g. “to visit a friend who is on scholarship” somewhere /

18. definition of “culture” --------------------------------------- different from traditional “cultural tourists” - interested in “culture”, in a wider sense of the word/beyond cultural monuments and art festivals/“culture of everyday life”“culture as lived experience”Williams 1961

19. definitions of “culture” a move in the field of “cultural tourism” -------------------------------------- - from “ideal” & “documentary”definitions of culture/high art and science//culture as monuments, crafts, i.e. as documented in artefacts/ towards its “social definition”/social behavior, the community/

20. definitions of “tourists” ambivalences -------------------------------------- - not only the “cultural” partof the definition = problematic- but also the “tourist” part the “new cultural tourists”/in the “cultural” aspect of their activities/do not perceive themselvesas “tourists”

21. the new cultural tourists-------------------------------------- - feel more like participants in the everyday life of a place / “city” not “destination”/- view what is on offer in cultural termslike locals do/ if “interesting”, let’s visit/

22. the new cultural tourists-------------------------------------- - frequently don’t even know what they’re interested in/before they find something compatible with their interests/

23. the new cultural tourists--------------------------------------- life = lived as “experiences” & “episodes” /terms re: image formation in branding theory/ in the place where you live & elsewhere /no fundamental difference in terms of the structure of experiencing/ /but in terms of the place you find yourself at/

24. the new cultural tourists---------------------------------------interested in public spaces(where everyday life takes place)- experience outside the enclaves of usual tourist comfort & luxury- want to walk into an interesting & unpredictable space(physically and intellectually)

25. the new cultural tourists--------------------------------------- want to be absorbed into the urban structure- consume what is on offer and interesting to the local population- want to be a part of the authentic “scene”of a city (no “folklore”)

26. mass tourism /hard/--------------------------------------- planned in advance- high season; once a year- environmentally damaging- “superiority” in relation to the locals

27. soft tourism --------------------------------------- individual- driven by personal interest- spontaneuos - environmentally conscious- friendly relation to the locals

28. soft tourism --------------------------------------- gaining in importance because of:(a) change of work habitsno separation between work and free timemore numerous but shorter vacations(b) growth of individualism and activism driven by rising educational levels(c) ozone holes dangerless sunbathing, more city tourism

29. the new cultural tourists? ------------------------------------------------- cultural? post? soft? - all of this, but also more than this,and not exactly this - all the elements are there, but inan “impure” mixAMBIVALENCE

30. the postmodern cultural tourists ? ---------------------------------------------------------- ambivalence = fundamental trait of postmodernity Bauman- hence: the best descriptionwould probably be:“the postmodern cultural tourists” /but the problem = the connotations of the word “postmodernism”/

31. Peristyle, Diocletian’s Palace, Split

34. street survey---------------------------------------------------July, August, September (2005)historic core of the city of Splitan average visitor to Split= younger, better educated, professionals, managers, students, without children an average visitor to Croatia = older, less educated, on holiday with children(TOMAS 2004)

35. age

36. age

37. profession

38. level of education

40. learned about Split through:

41. reasons for coming(1-5 scale)recreation, fun, recharging batteries, Diocletian’s Palace

42. but once in Split(regardless of primary motivation) they have seen or want to see Diocletian’s Palace

43. interes for culture and age

44. interes for Diocletian’s Palace and age

45. interes for Diocletian’s Palace and income

46. Interest in theater (elite culture) and age

47. interes in theater (elite culture) and income

48. expectations: historical monuments = met, fun and culture =/= met

49. most important attractions(1) Diocletian’s Palace, cultural monuments(2) restaurants with authentic localcuisine and everyday life of the city-------------------------------------------------------- less important attractionsbeaches; the islands--------------------------------------------------------least important attractionsmuseums and summer festivals

50. cluster analysis – types of tourists