Segmentation of Tourists That Participate in a Cultural Event: The Fiesta of the Patios in Córdoba (Spain)

Abstract

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognizes various historical sites as world heritage sites (WHSs). A historical heritage represents the cultural tradition of people, to whom it grants the essence of their diversity. In 2003, UNESCO expanded the area of cultural protection to include other heritage assets known as “intangible cultural heritage” (ICH). The Fiesta of the Patios celebrated in the city of Córdoba (Spain) was recognized as an ICH by UNESCO in 2012. The problem this research analyzes is studying and understanding whether the tourists who participate in an event registered as an ICH have the same motivations as the tourists who visit a specific WHS have. This research is thus to find out the segmentation of tourists who wish to discover ICHs using two models: Poria et al. and McKercher. On the basis of this segmentation, four groups of tourists of WHS were identified: alternative, cultural, emotional, and heritage. In addition, in this research, three motivational dimensions were detected when visitors decide to attend the Fiesta of the Patios: hedonic, cultural, and convenience.