INTRODUCTION
The declaration of particular places as a World Heritage Sites (WHS) dates back to the year 1972, since when the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has conferred this distinction to places that have a cultural or natural heritage worthy of preservation for future generations. This declaration, besides cultural recognition, implies a source of attraction for certain types of tourists. In an attempt to analyse the relationship between tourism and WHS status, scientific research (e.g.,Ribaudo and Figini 2016;Poria, Reichel and Biran 2006;Poria, Reichel and Cohen 2013;Su and Wall 2011) has focused on the socioeconomic impact on that territory, on the importance of promotion strategies and site management, on the changes in tourists’ attitudes and perceptions, or on the effect of achieving WHS status on visitor flow.
This article contributes, through empirical evidence, an analysis of tourist experiences in WHS such as the city of Sucre (Bolivia). Its historical centre was recognised as such in 1991. The objective of this research is to provide information relevant on heritage tourism so that both public and private actors can better understand the attitudes of tourists in places that have an exceptional cultural heritage and, therefore, allow them to formulate appropriate policies.
The definition of heritage tourism has been much discussed by academics.Nguyen and Cheung's (2014) approach focuses on activities related to visiting or living experiences in destinations that have a cultural or natural heritage. FollowingPoria et al. (2006), the possible relationship between the tourist and the cultural heritage has become a key to a greater understanding through their experiences in that place. It is worth noting that tourists can show differences in their behaviour when they identify their own cultural heritage in the destination and when these perceptions are related to their visiting patterns. Aside from studies that have been carried out to understand the definition of heritage tourism, knowledge of the different types of tourists that visit cultural destinations has been deepened. Thus,McKercher’s (2002) two dimensions are relevant for tourist classification: the first dimension refers to the motivation that tourists must go to a cultural destination, while the second dimension analyses the degree of knowledge that tourists have about the site.
Based on this classification, this study proposes a segmentation of the tourists that visit Sucre, based on Poria’s (Poria et al. 2003) andMcKercher’s (2002) models. In order to carry out sample analysis and segmentation, the tourists surveyed were asked to assess the emotions perceived in their visit to the historical and monumental heritage of Sucre with four different questions, as stated byPoria et al. (2003), and the degree of cultural motivation in this destination, followingMcKercher’s (2002) contributions.
1. LITERATURE REVIEW
1.1. Heritage tourism
The existing relation between the historical and monumental heritage of a destination and the visitor in that place are analysed by the existing literature in the field of heritage tourism (Nguyen and Cheung 2014). Sometimes, the acknowledgement of WHS means a global recommendation to visit the destination (Adie and Hall 2017) due to tourist demanding authentic experiences and unique experiences (Timothy and Boyd 2003;Park 2014). It implies that tourists are looking for a connection with their roots and its cultural heritage (Remoaldo, Vareiro, Ribeiro and Santos 2014).
FollowingTimothy and Boyd (2003), there are two ways of approaching the question of what heritage tourism is. The first approach is the analysis of the presence of tourists in places where there is a relevant heritage site. The second one is via the perception tourists have of the place visited and how it is linked to their personal culture (Poria et al. 2003). Currently there are two main lines of research of the analysis of heritage tourism (Su and Wall 2011): first comes the definition and categorisation of tourism related with historical and cultural heritage; the second one is the necessary relation between the preservation of the heritage and the management of tourist flows.
1.2. Segmentation
Saipradist and Staiff (2007) underline the importance and the need to have information about the different types of tourists that go to a destination considered as WHS. This knowledge is vital for administrators and managers in a WHS, since it allows them to formulate the appropriate strategies to cover tourist needs. In order to identify the patrimonial tourist,Nguyen and Cheung (2014) argue that it is necessary to define and determine different types of heritage tourists. These authors indicate that understanding these distinctions between the different groups of heritage tourists, and knowing their motivation and their perceptions contribute to better identify these travelers.Adie and Hall (2017) point out that tourists must be identified in WHS that are especially interested in heritage wealth.
The scientific literature has established different types of tourists in these places.Silberberg (1995) identifies four groups of tourists: accidental cultural, cultural, partially cultural, and especially cultural. Meanwhile,McKercher (2002) establishes five types: pragmatic, contemplative, casual, incidental, and fortuitous. This classification was replicated in the research conducted byNguyen and Cheung (2014).Poria et al. (2003) establish three types of visitors: (1) visitors who go to destinations that have no relation to their own culture; (2) visitors who go to destinations where they can find part of their own cultural heritage; and (3) visitors who do not identify the site as part of their own cultural heritage. These three types were found based on the analysis of the perception of tourists in relation to the heritage of the destination visited and the cultural links that may exist between them.
On the other hand, we must say there are different kinds of visitors when it comes to dividing them into segments in destinations with a rich cultural and historical heritage. A full relation of the different studies done in this field of tourist segmentation can be found in the research done byChen and Huang (2018).
The segmentation of consumers and, hence, from tourists, has been approached from different angles in the scientific literature. Maybe the way used the most is the one denominated ‘factor-cluster analysis’ (Park and Yoon 2009;Prayag 2010). However, this analysis has received much criticism, e.g.: the loss of original information obtained from interviewed consumers or the, sometimes, abstract interpretation it can lead to (Dolnicar 2008;Dolnicar, Kaiser, Lazarevski and Leisch 2012;Prayag and Hosany 2014). Therefore this research uses the segmentation method used byDolnicar (2008). This approach does a direct grouping of the scores. This makes the segmentation more precise and detailed due to its capacity to retain a greater amount of original data (Sheppard 1996;Dolnicar 2002;Prayag and Hosany 2014).
Following scientific literature, the hypotheses to be contrasted are the following:
H1: Certain types of tourists have emotional experiences that lead them to feel rather than to contemplate the place they visit.
H2: In response to the emotional experiences and cultural interest in a WHS, there can be different types of visitors.
1.3. Socio-economic profile of the heritage tourist
The socio-economic profile of tourists has been widely studied in the social sciences, since the information provided by these investigations is very useful for tourist actors to efficiently manage a site’s attractions.
Gender is one of the variables studied within the socioeconomic profile of tourists. Numerous studies highlight the importance of this variable in reference both to how to attract visitors, and to the experiences they have in a particular destination. Results vary with some authors stating that women show greater preference for cultural destinations (Vong and Ung 2012;Nguyen and Cheung 2014;Remoaldo et al. 2014;Ramires, Bradao and Sousa 2018), while the opposite is indicated in other empirical studies (Correia, Kozak and Ferradeira 2013;Antón, Camarero and Laguna-García 2017;Chen and Huang 2018;Adie and Hall 2017).
Opposing evidence can also be found regarding another of sociodemographic variable in these studies: age. Empirical evidence allows one to identify different age groups in terms of their level of interest with the cultural heritage of the destination. For instance,Chen and Huang (2018) identify those between 21 and 35 years of age as the most interested in heritage tourism;Antón et al. (2017), ages between 30 and 44 years;Remoaldo et al. (2014), ages ranging from 26 to 45 years;Huh, Uysal and McCleary (2006), ages ranging from 38 to 47 years; whileCorreia et al. (2013) andRamires et al. (2018) establish an age over 45 years.
There is a more generalised consensus among the different researchers regarding academic formation that establishes that tourists who have completed a university education are those with greater interest in destinations of great patrimonial and cultural wealth (Silberberg 1995;Huh et al. 2006;Correia et al. 2013;Remoaldo et al. 2014;Antón et al. 2017;Ramires et al. 2018;Adie and Hall 2017). However, academic literature also recognises students as another well represented group (Chen and Huang 2018).
Regarding tourists’ income level, the evidence suggests that visitors who come to cultural destinations have medium to high-income levels (Chen and Huang 2018;Antón et al. 2017;Ramires et al. 2018). Obviously, this result is related to the level of training common in these visitors (Huh et al. 2006;Correia et al. 2013;Bright and Carter 2016;Chen and Huang 2018;Antón et al. 2017;Ramires et al. 2018).
According to scientific literature, the hypotheses to be tested would be the following:
H3: The cultural interest in a WHS increases with the age of the tourist.
H4: Travellers with a greater cultural interest in a WHS have higher level of education.
H5: Tourists with a greater cultural interest in a WHS generate a greater economic impact in the visited destination.
1.4. Assessment of destination attributes
Scientific literature (Tung and Ritchie 2011;Kim 2014) points out that, in order for a tourist to have an unforgettable experience in a destination, the tourist must take the touristic attributes of the place into account as vitally important elements. Visitors are attracted by the attributes of the destination, which are conditioned by the perceptions that tourists have in that place.
Consequently, a tourist’s degree of satisfaction will increase if they have a memorable experience in the destination, which in turn increases their loyalty towards the destination and its promotion (Ozdemir et al. 2012). Scientific literature (Chi and Qu 2008;Kim and Brown 2012) states that it is necessary to combine different elements such as site heritage, the gastronomic offer, cultural interaction or infrastructure.Prayag (2008) points out the importance of identifying those attributes that allow establishing a competitive advantage in a WHS.
Scientific literature (Driscoll, Laxwon and Niven 1994;Dwyer and Kim 2003;Beerli and Martín 2004;Chi and Qu 2008;Crouch 2011;Chandralal and Valenzuela 2013;Kim 2014) addresses the need to evaluate the attributes through the identification of aspects such as citizen security, offering a better notion of the process of generating satisfaction for visitors, and thus contributing to the improvement of the image of the destination.
2. METHODOLOGY
This research is of empirical nature based on a field study consisting of surveys applied to tourists visiting the city of Sucre. To obtain the requested information, a structured and closed questionnaire based on previous research was used (McKercher 2002;Poria et al. 2003;Correia et al. 2013;Remoaldo et al. 2014). The initial survey was refined through three stages: first, the items were reviewed by a researcher specialised in the field of tourism; second, various tourism managers in Sucre checked the items; and third, a pre-test was carried out on 40 tourists in Sucre.
The field work was carried out in different emblematic sites in Sucre, establishing that the respondents had to have spent enough time in the city to guarantee a valid opinion regarding their visit (Correia et al. 2013;Remoaldo et al. 2014).
The questionnaire was structured in three different blocks. The first block collected the perceptions of tourists about the visited heritage, in order to segmentate them. The second block studied the evaluation of the attributes of the destination. And the third block analysed the sociodemographic profile of the tourists surveyed. The questionnaire contained open and closed questions, as well as questions on a five-point Likert scale (1, unimportant; 5, very important). To avoid acquiescence, the questions were posed in a positive and negative sense.
A team of interviewers linked to the Pontifical University of San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca (Bolivia) conducted the surveys. The forms were available in English and Spanish, and each tourist freely chose the language. The rate of refusal to the questionnaire was very low and not significant. The time for conducting the survey was no longer than ten minutes.
The fieldwork was carried out between November 2017 and March 2018. A total of 557 surveys were completed, of which 529 were valid. The application of surveys took place over different days and times in order to reach a wide variety of visitors. The type of sampling used was a non-probabilistic technical sampling, a technique typically used when respondents are accessed in a given time and space (Finn, Elliott-White and Walton 2000). Given the absence of relevant information from previous research in this city, fieldwork was not stratified by any sociodemographic variable.
2.1. Sample and sample error
The scope of this study is the domestic and foreign tourists who visit the city of Sucre, regardless of whether they stay overnight or not in the city and visit other places in Chuquisaca, the department where Sucre is located. To establish the target population, the number of tourists that stayed in 2017 in hotel establishments in the city was considered, which, according to information from the National Institute of Statistics of Bolivia, was 143,294. Therefore, and on an estimative basis, if a random sampling had been used, and considering a confidence level of 95%, the sampling error would be ± 4.25%.
2.2. Data analysis
The statistical analysis of the data obtained was performed using the SPSS v.23 software. In data treatment, statistics were applied to determine the reliability and validity of the questionnaire responses. Cronbach's alpha was used. In order to determine the similarity among the respondents, and seeking to group the cases, multivariate analysis techniques were applied through clusters. A discriminant analysis was carried out to validate the segments obtained by cluster analysis.
Once the clusters were obtained, and starting from a two-dimensional contingency table, statistics were applied to assess the existing association through its characteristics, similarities and differences. Similarly, nonparametric statistical procedures such as Krustal-Wallis’s H and Mann-Whitney’s U were applied in order to study the segments from the sample analysed, and their potential significant differences.
3. RESEARCH RESULTS
3.1. Tourist segmentation
In order to carry out the analysis and segmentation of the surveyed tourists, a series of items assessing the emotions perceived in the visit to the historical and monumental heritage of Sucre were included, using four different issues –asPoria et al.(2003) point out– and the degree of cultural motivation in this destination –following theMcKercher’s (2002) contributions.Table 1 shows the six items. The calculation of Cronbach's alpha coefficient on the final scale gives a result of 0.793, which supposes a meritorious internal consistency between the elements of the scale. The critical level (p) of Friedman's χ² statistic (262,723) corresponding to the null hypothesis is less than 0.001. Therefore, this null hypothesis is rejected.
A non-hierarchical conglomerate analysis was carried out in order to establish similar groups and to know their characteristics. Thus, and under the criterion of maximising the variance between tourist types and minimising the variance within each of group, the best solution that meets the criteria determined four clusters. TheKruskal-Wallis H-test (1952) was also carried out for three possible groupings -three, four and five conglomerates-. It was concluded that the solution in four conglomerates was that it provided the highest values of the Kruskal-Wallis statistic.
Table 1 shows the characterisation of the different segments based on the means of the items. These items seek to measure tourists’ perception about the WHS visited and the assessment of cultural motivation regarding the destination. The Kruskal-Wallis H statistic tests the hypothesis determining mean differences between the groups, yet it fails to identify where the detected differences are. To do so,Mann-Whitney’s (1947) U statistic was used. The denomination given to each one of the segments, following the models ofPoria et al. (2003) andMcKercher (2002), has been the following: alternative tourist, cultural tourist, emotional tourist, and heritage tourist.
The first group, called alternative tourists, represents 15.88% of the respondents, exhibiting significantly low values in each of the items. Visitors who do not feel that their cultural identity is related to the heritage visited are included in this category. Cultural tourists, or those with a high cultural interest in the destination and a medium-high perception of the historical heritage, represented 24.20% of the sample. The third group is composed of emotional tourists, represented by 26.47% of the sample, and is characterised by intermediate values in the items associated with the perception of cultural heritage and a medium-low cultural interest in the destination. Finally, the fourth group, called patrimonial tourists, represents 33.46% of the respondents, and they show high emotional bonds with a site’s historical heritage and a high cultural interest in that destination.
The results obtained in this research allow comparing two of the research hypotheses proposed. Thus, and in line with the scientific literature (Urry 1990;Bruner 1996;Cheung 1996; Poria et al.2003,2006), some tourists have emotional experiences that lead them to feel more than to contemplate the place they visit (H1). On the other hand, it can be concluded that there are different types of tourists attending to the emotional experiences and cultural interest in the historical heritage of the visited destination (H2) (Silberber 1995;McKercher 2002;McKercher and du Cros 2003; Poria et al.2003,2006).
Source: Own elaboration
3.2. Tourist sociodemographic profile
Out of a total of 529 valid surveys, 55% of the respondents were male, with no significant differences during the period in which the fieldwork was carried out. In general, the surveyed tourists were young.Table 2 shows that more than 80% of them were under 40 years of age, and no correlation between age and emotional link with historical heritage was detected (contingency coefficient = 0.130, p = 0.871). This result does not allow contrasting one of the research hypothesis proposed in this study: Cultural interest in a WHS increases with age (Tse and Crotts 2005;Pérez-Gálvez et al. 2017) (H3).
The level of academic education of the respondents was very high, as shown inTable 2. 81.9% of the tourists surveyed declared that they had completed college or postgraduate studies. When analysing education according to age, significant differences were detected. Tourists of a lower age had a higher academic level, so that, as the age increased, the presence of tourists with postgraduate studies was lower (gamma coefficient = 0.280, p = 0.000). Differences were also detected between groups. Alternative tourists were less likely to have college level studies (statistical H of Kruskal Wallis = 8.235, p = 0.041). The results of this research would support the hypothesis (H4) on the greater cultural interest in a WHS by travellers with higher academic education (Kivela and Crotss 2006;Pérez-Gálvez et al. 2017).
Considering the origin of the tourists surveyed, 50.5% of visitors to the city were domestic tourists, while the remaining 49.5% were of international origin. Within this group, visitors from Canada (7.9%), Argentina (7.0%), the United States (6.4%), France (4.5%), and Germany (4.2%) were predominant. The analysis by groups showed a strong correlation between the cultural interest of the visitor and the emotional connection and the origin of the visitor (contingency coefficient = 0.154, p = 0.005). National origin was much more representative in alternative and emotional tourists (Table 2).
Source: Own elaboration
Results showed that 47.1% of the tourists surveyed claimed to have incomes lower than $1,000 per month, while 21.1% declared an income higher than $2,500 (Table 3). Therefore, tourists visiting the city of Sucre have low or medium-low purchasing power, which is higher in tourists of international origin: 29.4% of them said they have a regular monthly income exceeding $2,500, while this amount only coincided in 13.1% of national visitors. No significant differences were found (statistical H of Kruskal Wallis = 2,726, p = 0.436) when analysing the relationship between the level of income and the emotional attachment and cultural interest in the site visited. However, a direct relationship was found between the estimated expenditure for the trip and the family income of the respondents (gamma coefficient = 0.334, p = 0.000). In reference to this result, tourists who declared higher levels of income expected to spend more, while those with a lower income level expected lower spending. However, there were no significant differences in the average daily expenditure between the four segments obtained (statistical H of Kruskal-Wallis = 1425, p = 0.700).
The average daily expenditure declared by tourists surveyed was between $20 and $40. These results do not support the hypothesis (H5) that tourists with a greater cultural interest generate a greater economic impact on the destination visited (Fields 2002).
There is a high rate of repetition of the visit, since more than 50% of the tourists surveyed declared that it was not their first visit to Sucre. Therefore, a high degree of loyalty seems to be associated with this destination. Emotional tourists had a repetition rate greater than that of other groups, with 58.6% declaring having visited the destination in other opportunities (Kruskal-Wallis statistical H = 7.312, p = 0.063, significant at 90% confidence level). The results obtained could imply that the tourist's emotional experience is associated with the repetition of the visit since three out of ten visitors considered emotional tourists had visited Sucre on more than three occasions.
Regarding the type of trip made, results show that for international visitors, the trip is associated with rest and leisure on holiday. This conclusion is similar in all tourist groups (Kruskal-Wallis coefficient H = 3.802, p = 0.284).
67.1% of tourists surveyed said they stay overnight at least two nights, while only 6.2% said they do not spend the night in the city. Stays that exceeded the week predominated in the emotional tourist group. These values are consistent with the income levels and with the expected daily expenditure. Yet, there are no statistically significant differences between groups (statistical H of Kruskal Wallis = 0.318, p = 0.957).
Source: Own elaboration
As for the type of accommodation used, the one with the highest frequency was the one-star hotel, followed by accommodation in relatives or friends’ homes (Table 3). A low percentage of visitors (6.6%) stayed in luxury or semi-luxury hotels, which may be indicative of low numbers of tourists with high levels of purchasing power. This result would be consistent with those detailed inTable 3. This variable especially affected the tourists considered cultural and heritage tourist (contingency coefficient = 0.225, p = 0.021).
3.3. Destination attribute assessment
For the evaluation of the attributes of Sucre, a question formed by several items which tried to register the valuations of different attributes of this city was included in the questionnaire in order to identify their strengths and those that should be improved.Table 4 shows the different valuations obtained for each attribute. In this sense, the valuation of certain attributes is less than the assessment made in terms of the general level of satisfaction of the respondent since they are specific criteria in which personal and social factors concur. Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.827) of the scale gives us the evidence of a meritorious internal consistency. Thus, the critical level associated with Friedman's χ² statistic (624,392) is less than 0.001. Therefore, this value allows us to contrast that the means of the elements are not equal.
Source: Own elaboration
Attributes were grouped into three dimensions: service, historical and monumental heritage, and infrastructure (Table 4). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the three dimensions shows the reliability of the scales used. This analysis provides an indicator of the degree of importance that the attributes of Sucre as a tourist destination have for the travellers surveyed. The main attributes that affect the degree of satisfaction of the visitor and the image of the destination are the following: ‘Beauty of the city’, ‘Diversity and quality of local gastronomy’ and ‘Monumental wealth’. Meanwhile, the attributes that less contribute to the competitive advantages of the destination, and which, therefore, would need to be strengthened, are: ‘Public transport’, ‘Tourist information’, and ‘Leisure complementary offer’.
Table 5 establishes the relationship between the different groups of tourists obtained and the attributes of the city. This analysis highlights that the assessment obtained is greater among tourists with greater cultural motivation-cultural tourist groups and heritage tourism (Table 5). One of the conclusions of this research would be the need to strengthen the cultural offer in Sucre.
Source: Own elaboration
CONCLUSION
The declaration of a place as a WHS in UNESCO’s list implies the increase of tourist flows in that city due to improved profile. Yet, obviously, the recognition that these destinations receive from UNESCO also implies the need for the conservation of the place for future generations. The balance between heritage conservation and sustainable tourism management of the destination is the basis for the proper functioning of the place. For this reason, it is necessary to carry out scientific studies that determine the sociodemographic profile of tourists who come to these cultural destinations and the assessment they make of the different attributes found in the destination. Results allow the public managers in charge of tourism in Sucre and the private companies that operate in it to know the tourists, making it possible to improve and create tourist and cultural products for each of the segments identified. Thus, it is concluded that tourists exhibit different behaviour according to their interest in culture.
Results come from classifying tourists using the combination of two models, the Poria model (Poria et al. 2003) and theMcKercher model (2002). Thus, four clusters of tourists have been identified in Sucre (alternative tourist, cultural tourist, emotional tourist and patrimonial tourist). Likewise, the results obtained in this research reaffirm the validity with empirical evidence of the two models used.
The practical application of this research focuses on obtaining results that can lead to the public managers’ understanding of Sucre, of who the tourists are, and their assessment of the attributes of this destination. Thus, with these results the potential of the tourist offer of the city can be increased, responding to the needs of those who come to this destination. For this, it is necessary for tourism managers to design strategies aimed at improving, above all, public transport services, the quality of tourist information and to reinforce the diversification of the complementary leisure offer. A product could be developed for alternative tourists focusing on other attraction the destination has to offer, for example gastronomy. Also, for tourists that are more interested in culture (cultural and patrimonial tourists) some new tours can be developed that delve deeper in the destination´s heritage. For emotional tourists, we recommend the design of tours that reinforce the connection the tourist feels with the culture of the destination, which the tourist feels like its own.
The limitations of this investigation are centred on the time period in which the fieldwork was carried out. Therefore, the extension of surveys throughout the year is proposed as a future line of research, as well as the analysis of the tourist offer in Sucre.