More than 35 million adults in the U.S. have decided on a travel destination based on the art, food, culture, or heritage activities of that destination. (Americans for the Arts) These travelers—broadly defined as cultural travelers—are a dynamic and valuable audience segment for the hospitality industry. They want to immerse themselves in the authentic traditions, arts, history, heritage, and culinary traditions of a destination. To effectively engage cultural travelers, hospitality providers must deliver compelling cultural tourism content that immerses visitors in local traditions, arts, history, and culinary experiences, while highlighting both iconic landmarks and unique cultural offerings.
All cultural tourism providers – which can include tour guides, museums, restaurants, and even artisans – can position themselves as experienced cultural guides by presenting their own “insider” take on on how to best experience the local culture. Imagine an artist sharing their landscape art alongside a map or driving directions to the best photo sites to recapture the spirit of their artwork.
Read More: How to Promote Cultural Tourism
Below are ten essential cultural tourism content pieces for professionals who want to attract visitors, inspire exploration, and boost engagement.
Cultural Tourism Content: The Top Five
Top 10 Sites or Must-See Landmarks
Visitors are drawn to the iconic, but they aren’t always great at geography. So, specify your iconic sites or landmarks. These top ten sites don’t necessarily have to be the de facto favorite choice, either. Including a few local treasures or way-off-the-beaten-path spots adds authenticity and a spirit of adventure. Be sure to include stunning visuals, historical context, and an overview of why these sites are significant in the context of the local culture.
Cultural Tourism in Action
Some 11 federally recognized Native American tribes maintain cultural connections to the Grand Canyon. Many with their own language and cultural traditions. The Desert Watch Tower, which features presentations by artisans from many of the area tribes, provides a new take on visiting the Grand Canyon, one of the world’s most iconic landmarks.
Festivals & Events Calendar
There’s nothing worse for a cultural traveler than arriving at their destination and learning they just missed the annual fair or festival. Create a high-level content piece with a running list of major events like powwows, artisan fairs, and cultural celebrations so travelers can plan their dates well in advance of their travelers. Include tips for attending and mention if your organization will be present at these events or can be hired to help serve as a local guide.
Cultural Tourism Content in Action
Feast Days are a popular tradition among New Mexico’s 19 Pueblos and occur all year long. Without a formal invite, however, outsiders might feel reluctant to attend or worry about fitting in. Provide an insider guide on how to best enjoy the area celebrations or performances so visitors feel welcome to explore.
Seasonal Travel Guides
Create seasonal guides that show what visitors can do year-round. This not only relieves high-season infrastructure pressure but also helps visualize activities like snowshoeing, apple picking, or leaf peeping.
Cultural Tourism Content in Action
The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s Visitor Guide, Welcome to Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, provides year-round inspiration for visiting this Lake Superior destination.
Food & Drink Guides
Cultural travelers love foodie experiences. Provide them with in-depth information about what they can eat and where. Suggestions on must-try dishes, food tours, local markets, and dining-with-the-locals events are much appreciated. Be sure to include original stories and local food traditions, as well as recipes when available.
Cultural Tourism Content in Action
The Bayou Food Trail in Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou offers a delicious journey through iconic dishes like gumbo and jambalaya, connecting visitors to the rich culinary traditions of the region. With a downloadable trail map and stories of local chefs, it’s the perfect guide for foodie travelers.
Marketing Tip: What would make this even better? If the tourism board offered an extended version (with recipes), so they could capture emails. This would allow them to continue marketing to people already interested in the region’s flavors and culture
Themed Itineraries & Cultural Trails
Connect your iconic attractions with some of your lesser-known treasures through themed itineraries or tourism trails. Whether three hours or three days, itineraries help travelers organize their plans, while trails connect themed attractions and activities. Culinary trails—from cheese to beer—have become especially popular in recent years
Cultural Tourism Content in Action
You’d think a destination located just an hour away from Chicago would be shy about claiming their place as a Pizza Paradise. Hold on though, Indiana Dunes is giving the Windy City a run for its money. Although it’s not so much a trail, but rather a challenge, Indiana Dunes launched the 3 Pizza Challenge. Anyone picking up the gauntlet gets a chance to win amazing prizes. Including their own pizza oven.
Cultural Tourism Content: Insider Tips
Insider Secrets
Highlight lesser-known cultural spots, workshops, or activities that surprise and delight visitors. Travelers love to discover the “secret” finds.
Cultural Tourism Content in Action
Secret menu success? Just ask In-N-Out Burger, the iconic Southern California-based foodie favorite. Yes, Southern California might seem like an unlikely place for burger culture. But In-N-Out continues to attract devotees from around the world, despite having a menu that’s barely changed since launching in 1948. In-N-Out’s “secret menu,” especially the animal-style Double-Double is marketing gold. These off-menu items aren’t really that secret—even In-N-Out calls them not-so-secret—but travelers love the insider feeling when they uncover these “secret” finds.
“Meet the Locals” Features
Your people are the heart of your culture, so help them shine. Create content about your cultural bearers, artists, historians, restaurant owners, local guides, and more. Never underestimate the power of human connection.
Cultural Tourism Content in Action
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tim Tiller, a security guard for the Cowboy and National Heritage Museum, achieved viral fame when he augmented his security duties to also manage the museum’s social media. His posts boosted the museum’s online following exponentially.
Places to Buy Authentic Art & Crafts
Buying authentic and local arts and crafts has started to feel like a high-performance sport. Help visitors understand what constitutes authentic art and where to find it by creating guides that feature ethical buying practices as well as a list of artisan cooperatives, markets, fairs, and shops where they can buy safely. Remember, visitors love the iconic – don’t forget to elevate your artisans.
Cultural Tourism Content in Action
The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, invites vetted artists to sell their work directly to visitors during peak seasons. This gives shoppers the confidence they are truly buying local AND it supports the artisans by bypassing the normal commission and fees charged in the nearby gift shop.
“What the Locals Like” Guides
The best “insider” locations are often not featured in travel guides but instead are the secret locales where locals love to eat, gather, and enjoy impromptu shows. These local favorite hangouts add personality and authenticity to your marketing materials.
Cultural Tourism Content in Action
Whare are the best places to eat in Miami? Well, of course, it could be VERY hard to narrow *that* list down to just a few top restaurants. The Miami CVB asked local chefs about their favorite eats. The results, found here, are sure to tantalize any first-time visitor.
Hotels with Cultural Elements
Many hotels are prohibited – by branding or marketing agreements, or just sheer oversight – to promote the local culture. Those that do should be elevated. Help visitors discover places to stay—or dine—where they can find local foods, local history and culture or authentic merchandise.
Cultural Tourism Content in Action
What are three things every Louisiana visitor wants? Gumbo, crawfish and gators. The Tunica Biloxi Tribe in Marksville, Louisiana features all three (plus a few other Louisiana favorites) at its Paragon Casino Resort. Particularly impressive is its pop-up museum of local history and culture, located right in the lobby of the resort. Even cooler? The popup is located next to the Atrium, which is home to its own gator family. Guests can attend live feeding shows once a month.
Closing Tip: Don’t overwhelm yourself by tackling all content at once. Start with your top priorities—like must-see attractions, food guides, and itineraries—then build out additional content over time. Each piece has the potential to attract media, inspire exploration, and drive meaningful visits.
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