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Научни трудове на Съюза на учените в България-Пловдив, Серия A. Обществени науки, изкуство и култура, том II, Съюз на учените сесия 5 - 6 ноември 2015. Scientific works of the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria-Plovdiv, series А. Public sciences, art and culture, Vol. II., Union of Scientists, ISSN 1311-9400, Session 5 - 6 November 2015.
МОТИВАЦИЯ НА ЖИТЕЛИТЕ И ПОСЕТИТЕЛИТЕ НА ПЛОВДИВСКА ОБЛАСТ ЗА КУЛТУРЕН ТУРИЗЪМ Елена Петкова Софийски университет „Св. Климент Охридски", катедра „География на туризма"
MOTIVATIONS OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS OF PLOVDIV DISTRICT FOR CULTURAL TOURISM
Elena Petkova Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", Geography of Tourism Department
Abstract:
The aim of the paper is to present the results of a questionnaire survey with local people and tourists, who visited cultural and historical sites on how important for them the participation in cultural tourism is. In addition, the importance for respondents to participate in other types of tourism is studied too with the view to determine which types of tourism they consider as important and what the role of cultural tourism in their priorities is.
Key words: types of tourism, cultural tourism, Plovdiv
Introduction
Scientific literature review reveals a large number of highly similar definitions of cultural tourism. Appropriate for that paper is the following one:
"Cultural tourism includes travelling, which primary or secondary aim is visit of historical, art, scientific or related to cultural heritage sites and events" [1]. Therefore cultural tourism includes specific activities carried out in order certain objectives of people who travel to be achieved.
Cultural tourism could include activities, such as: visits of museums and galleries, participation in festivals and other events; historical places, attractions, archeological heritage, etc. [3].
The participants in cultural tourism, who travel to specific regions, are motivated to visit cultural sights and events, whether this is the main reason for the trip/ journey or not. In this sense, cultural tourists meet their specific needs, such as: acquisition of knowledge, social contacts, positive emotions, prestige, etc. Conditions necessary to meet these needs are: accommodation, food, additional services, transport, etc. [2].
It can be concluded that in order to carry out cultural tourism certain preconditions should be met. Primary among these are people, in this case tourists, as tourism is human activity. These people have certain needs and motives, which are the cause for their participation in cultural activities during their trips/ journeys.
Methodology of Study
The aim of the paper is to present the results of a questionnaire survey with local people and tourists, who visited cultural and historical sites on how important for them the participation in cultural tourism is. In addition, the importance for respondents to participate in other types of tourism is studied too with the view to determine which types of tourism they consider as important
and what the role of cultural tourism in their priorities is. Respondents are people, who visited the district of Plovdiv, as it has significant prerequisites for cultural tourism development, i.e. availability of a large number of cultural and historical monuments and sites, well-developed general and specialized tourism infrastructure, etc.
The district of Plovdiv is situated in the central part of Southern Bulgaria and has an area of 5972.9 sq. km, which represents 5.4% of the territory of the country. The district is characterized by a favorable transport, geographic position, high natural, economic and human potential, highly-productive lands, thermal mineral waters and extremely rich cultural heritage. The favorable geographic position of the district is complemented by the availability of transport infrastructure [4].
The questionnaire includes 3 questions. In the first respondents were able to indicate in a free text what is important to them when they decide to take a trip. In the next question they estimate the importance of opportunities to participate in various forms of cultural and other types of tourism. Chosen are those forms and types of tourism that Plovdiv district has appropriate prerequisites for development. The importance is evaluated by a 5-point scale, where 1 mean not important at all and 5 - very important activity. The results are summarized and shown by mean values. In the next question the respondents could point their country or region of residence. The questionnaire is in English and in Bulgarian and it was distributed in the first half of 2014. The total number of respondents is 53 people.
Results of Study
Almost all respondents are Bulgarians. There are only 2 foreigners (from Romania and Italy). Most Bulgarians are local people - just over half of all respondents (51%), and similar is the share of domestic tourists - 45% - little less than a half of the respondents (Table 1).
Table 1. Region of Residence of Respondents
Region Number Share
Foreigners (Romania, Italy) 2 4%
Rest of Bulgaria 24 45%
Plovdiv District 27 51%
Total 53 100%
The answer of the open question reveals that the availability of attractions and entertainments or the experience is important to some of the respondents. The availability of sights and sites is important to those respondents. They wish to visit interesting and beautiful places or a place, where they have not been before. They strive to acquire knowledge about local culture or to have good time. Other respondents consider the preliminary organization of the trip as important. They strive to be well-prepared, to develop a preliminary plan of the route, and choose in advance the accommodation and interesting places to visit. Important to them is preliminary to get information about the trip. Still other respondents pay more attention to practical aspects when they decide to take a trip. They consider as important the time and price of travel, safety and security. Some of them consider as important to have friends in the destination they visit. Important to these respondents are also the successful arrival, infrastructure and accessibility. Other respondents consider as important the appropriate conditions during the stay, such as a good company, cleanliness, attractiveness, comfort, atmosphere. Some respondents consider as important the travelling itself, including the availability of good roads, suitable transport and quick and comfortable trip (Table 2).
Table 2. What is Important to Respondents When They Decide to Take a Trip/ Availability of Sights and Tourist Sites To visit interesting and beautiful places To learn more about the local culture To have a good time To visit a place, where they have not been before Journey? Attractions and entertainments - the experience
Preliminary studying interesting places that they can visit Development of preliminary plan - route, accommodation establishment, schedule To consider the route in advance and to reserve hotel, motel, etc. Preliminary to get information about the trip/ journey To be well prepared Preliminary organization
Time of travel Prices that they can afford and to have funds Safety and security To have friends there to show them the place To arrive successfully The infrastructure Accessibility Practical aspects
Good conditions Good company Cleanliness Attractiveness Comfort Pleasant atmosphere Appropriate conditions during the stay
Good roads Availability of suitable transport to the destination Quick travel Comfortable travel Traveling
The importance of practicing different types of tourism activities for respondents is presented in Table 3. Most important to respondents are the opportunities to practice nature-oriented tourism (mean value 4.13), followed by urban types of tourism - entertainments, nightlife, shopping (4). These activities are extremely important to respondents.
There are very important to the respondents activities (mean values 3.50-3.99), which include opportunities for contacts with local people, communities, languages and styles of living (3.81), opportunities to learn about material culture - visiting museums, cultural, historical, arche-ological and architectural monuments, sites and sightseeing (3.63) and opportunities for business tourism - participating in conferences, seminars, fairs, trade shows, training and other educational and business events.
All the other activities could be classified as important to respondents (mean values above 3 up to 3.49). These include opportunities for acquiring new knowledge - learning about local culture, art, crafts, history, traditions, architecture and folklore (3.40), followed by the oppor-
tunities to learn about non-material culture - visiting theatres, concerts, exhibitions, festivals and other specific cultural events (3.38), for religious tourism - visiting religious monuments - monasteries, churches, etc. (3.35), for sport tourism - opportunities for sport and attending sporting events (3.35), and the lowest (though positive) mean values receive the opportunities for medical and spa tourism (3.24).
Residents of Plovdiv district give the highest estimate to the importance of the opportunities for entertainments, nightlife and shopping (4.27), followed by the opportunities for visiting natural areas and sights (3.96). The lowest but still positive estimate they give to the importance of opportunities for visiting theatres, concerts, exhibitions and festivals (3.19).
Domestic tourists give the highest estimate to the importance of the opportunities for visiting natural areas and sights (4.33). High estimate they also give to the importance of the contacts with local people, communities, languages and lifestyles (3.92). The lowest - average - estimate they give to the opportunities for medical and spa tourism (3.00).
Most important to Bulgarians as a whole are the opportunities for nature-oriented tourism (4.14), followed by the opportunities for entertainments, nightlife, shopping, etc. (4.02), and least important - the opportunities for medical, spa and wellness tourism (3.30).
Table 3. Importance of the factors, which determine the place of visit Total Plovdiv District The Rest of Bulgaria Bulgarians overall Foreigners
Opportunities for visiting museums, cultural, historical, archeological and architectural monuments, sites and sightseeing 3.63 3.46 3.79 3.62 4.00
Opportunities for visiting theatres, concerts, exhibitions, festivals and other specific cultural events 3.38 3.19 3.54 3.36 4.00
Opportunities for visiting religious monuments - monasteries, churches, etc. 3.35 3.54 3.21 3.38 2.50
Opportunities for learning about local culture, art, crafts, history, traditions, architecture and folklore 3.40 3.31 3.50 3.40 3.50
Opportunities for contacts with local people, communities, languages and styles of living 3.81 3.65 3.92 3.78 4.50
Opportunities for visiting natural areas and sights 4.13 3.96 4.33 4.14 4.00
Opportunities for medical, spa and wellness services 3.24 3.46 3.00 3.30 1.00
Opportunities for sport and attending sporting events (competitions, tournaments, etc.) 3.35 3.50 3.29 3.40 2.00
Opportunities for participating in conferences, seminars, fairs, trade shows, training and other educational and business events 3.56 3.65 3.29 3.53 5.00
Opportunities for entertainments, nightlife, shopping, etc. 4.00 4.27 3.75 4.02 3.50
Foreigners give the highest (maximum) estimate to the importance of the opportunities for business tourism (5.00). Very high estimate they give to the importance of the opportunities for contacts with local people, communities, languages and styles of living (4.50). High estimate (4.00) they give to the importance of the opportunities to get acquainted with the tangible and intangible culture of the district and for practicing nature-oriented tourism. Above average value (3.50) they give to the importance of the opportunities to acquire new knowledge about the culture and for shopping and entertainment tourism. Below average value (2.50) foreigners give to the importance of opportunities for practicing religious tourism, low value (2.00) - to the importance of the opportunities for practicing sport tourism, and the lowest value - to medical, spa and wellness tourism (1.00), i.e. these types of tourism (religious, sport, spa and medical tourism) are not important to them.
Conclusion
Most important for respondents overall is the opportunity for participating in nature-oriented tourism, followed by entertainment and shopping tourism. However, opportunities for participation in cultural tourism are very important to the respondents too. More import is the opportunity to learn about tangible, and less important - about intangible culture- cultural events and performances. This applies for Bulgarians in particular, while foreigners consider as very important both tangible and intangible culture, which have the same significance for them. Especially important to both the respondents overall and Bulgarians (locals and visitors) and foreigners in particular are the contacts with local people, communities, languages and styles of living.
References
[1] Assenova M, Marinov V, Dogramadjieva E, Semerdjiev D. A Manual of the Entrepreneur about Domestic Tourism: How to Attract and Serve Bulgarian Tourists? Ministry of Economy, Energetic and Tourism. Sofia. 2010 - in Bulgarian
[2] Kostov E. The Cultural Tourism. University Press „Economy". Sofia. 2001 - in Bulgarian
[3] Mileva S. Recreation through Specialized Tourism. Editorial House „Avangard Prima". Sofia. 2004 - in Bulgarian
[4] www.pd.government.bg - June, 2015
