Tourism and Heritage: A Case Study

Abstract

Culture-related economic activity accounts for more than 2.4% of Spain’s GDP. Specifically, according to the 2017 Spanish Cultural Statistical Yearbook, cultural tourism was the motivation for 16.8% of total trips within Spain taken by domestic tourists in 2016, and more than 12% of trips by foreign tourists visiting Spain. The valuation of the cultural heritage assets that attract tourists involves using, among other techniques, direct methods that account for potential visitors’ preferences. The aim of this research is twofold: first, to identify the socioeconomic profile of the tourists who visit Jaén; and second, to quantitatively assess, by means of the contingent valuation method, visitors’ willingness to pay for the services offered by a cultural heritage interpretation centre. The results of this case study confirm the tourism potential of the site.