Italian Cathedrals and Chinese Tourists

Abstract

Significant heritage buildings in Europe, and most especially cathedrals and churches in Western Europe, are sites of considerable international tourism appeal. A developing analytical approach termed the orchestra model of experience was used to structure the collection of empirical data about Chinese tourists’ reactions to major cathedral sites in Florence and Milan. These results are used to identify the challenges of meeting not just the needs of Asian tourists but also simultaneously deriving commercial benefits and maintaining the Christian values of the settings. Emphases are placed on the roles of interpretation and the management of protected spaces to meet these goals.

Citation

Wu, M.-Y. and Pearce, P.L. (2016), "Italian Cathedrals and Chinese Tourists", The World Meets Asian Tourists (Bridging Tourism Theory and Practice, Vol. 7), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 149-167. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2042-144320160000007020