Cultural and International Tourism for Life's Enrichment - Tourism: Principles, Practices, Philosophies - page 214

According to the 2009 study, cultural and heritage travelers are also interested in culinary activities
such as sampling local food and wines, attending food and wine festivals, visiting farmers markets,
shopping for gourmet foods, and seeking out unique dining experiences. 5

LIFE-SEEING TOURISM

Traditionally, a person '' sees the high points '' of a given location and thus feels that he or she has

'' seen '' this area. However, there is a growing belief among tourism specialists that such an approach,

although traditionally valid, is by no means
the best approach. Purposeful activities
that match the travelers interests are

becoming more commonly accepted and
recognized. (In popular tourist areas, such
arrangements may have to be limited to
the off-season periods of the year.) For
example, a physician on a vacation might
be interested in talking with local physi-
cians and viewing interesting or progres-
sive medical installations or facilities. He or
she might wish to participate in a sympo-
sium or some type of educational
endeavor there or have lunch with a group
of physicians interested in the same par-
ticular specialty or in public health or
medical practices in general. This visitor
may also wish to visit the home of a well-
known physician to exchange ideas.
Suggestions made by the travel agent
and the means provided to make such
experiences come about are of growing
importance to successful tourism. Any
place that wishes to become a successful
tourist destination must have a greater range of activities for visitors than the traditional
recreational activities such as lying on the beach or patronizing a nightclub or visiting popular
tourist attractions.
Axel Dessau, former director of the Danish Tourist Board, is credited with this concept of

'

This Witch Museum in
Salem, Massachusetts, is a
somewhat unusual cultural
attraction. This
distinctiveness is exactly
what tourism destination
managers are seeking. Not
only is it interesting and
motivating, but it also
serves to create a unique
image, which other
destinations often nd
dif cult to replicate. Photo
courtesyofTinaJordan/Salem
WitchMuseum.

life-

seeing tourism . In Denmark, for example, the visitor is met by a graduate student or other person who

is technically familiar with the field of interest that a visitor may have. This guide then arranges for
purposeful visits in a schedule suited to the visitor.
The plan is usually set up on a half-day basis, with the visitor spending afternoons visiting tourist
highlights, shopping, and pursuing other traditional recreational activities. The mornings would be
devoted to visiting organizations and establishments with programs planned by a special expert guide.
A travel agent can make these arrangements.
For example, the visitor might be interested in reviewing social problems and city government. The
expert guide would make arrangements for the visitor to visit city planning of ces, schools, social
welfare establishments, and rehabilitation centers; to attend meetings or seminars at which problems
of this nature are discussed; and to participate in other opportunities to learn firsthand what is
happening in his or her field in Denmark.
Another aspect of life-seeing tourism is the opportunity to have social intercourse with
families. These families host the visitor or the visitor ' s family in the evening after dinner for