ABSTRACT
A growing body of literature on “creative tourism” has emerged since the term was first introduced about two decades ago as a way to refer to a type of tourism that offers visitors the opportunity to apply their creative potential through active participation in learning experiences characteristic of the destination where they take place. This growing awareness that visitors are increasingly seeking to play an active role during their travels by participating in local socio-cultural experiences is a direct consequence of their desire to experience the culture of others. As such, it has become evident that around the world there is exponential growth in experiential travel aimed at this niche of visitors, as it involves more experiential encounters and greater learning opportunities for the visitor.
This chapter analyzes trends in creative tourism. This analysis is based on its impacts, players, main catalysts, opportunities, challenges, implications, and future forecasts. Since the growth of academic studies, as well as the increase in practical efforts on the ground to promote creative tourism, are current evidence and it is seen as a niche capable of enhancing sustainable tourism.
