The Creative Tourism is considered a new generation of tourism by involving the tourists themselves and the locals in the creation of the tourist products
‘‘Tourism which offers visitors the opportunity to develop their creative potential through active participation in courses and learning experiences, which are characteristic of the holiday destination where they are taken.”
Blowing glass in Biot (French Riviera), dancing Rumba in Barcelona, baking “croissant” in Paris, performing a concert in a church in Rome, participating in a cooking class in Bangkok, weaving according to Mayan Tradition in Guatemala or even producing chill out music in Ibiza… are some of the many experiences the creative tourists are eager to live when they travel.
This new way of discovering a foreign culture by experiencing it, has been growing increasingly for the last decade. Nowadays, the tourists no longer conform themselves in attending a traditional sightseeing tours, they need to feel involved into the destination’s daily life. They don’t want to be considered as “tourists”.
“Creative tourism is a projection of a new tourism in which natural, cultural and
personal ressources are not manipulated and exploited but valued and enriched“.
If we consider the reasons that lead the visitor to choose this type of creative journey, we can observe a recent development. Until five years ago the tourist was a creative person who practiced an artistic activity in the country of residence and wanted to improve it during the holidays (painting courses, dance, guitar, etc.), now there is a new trend, so tourists generally add to their traditional program of visits more creative and participatory activities, with the aim of living cultural and human experiences.
It is difficult to paint a standard portrait of those new tourists who, by definition, want to be “unique”!
– They can be solo, couple, family or a group of travelers.
– They can plan their trip themselves or contract professional services.
– The nature of their creative activities can be educational (courses, workshops), or can even refer to the creation (art residency, co-creation with local artists) or the representation (performing concert, acting, exhibiting).