ABSTRACT
Cultural tourism is, arguably, one of the most important segments of tourism and is increasingly a major channel for cultural consumption in general. As leisure time becomes more pressured (or is perceived to be), so traditional forms of cultural recreation undertaken at home tend to spread into holiday time, the one remaining substantial block of leisure time for many people (Richards, 1998). Cultural tourism is particularly significant as a leisure activity, not just because of this displacement, but also because it provides a laboratory in which to study key aspects of leisure consumption and production.
