Marketing Research for Cultural Heritage Conservation and Sustainability: Lessons from the Field

Mara Cerquetti,Concetta Ferrara

doi:10.3390/su10030774

Abstract

This paper investigates the contribution of marketing research to cultural heritage conservation and sustainability, based on the assumption that the comprehension of the meaning of cultural heritage by new and extended audiences is a prerequisite for the future survival of tangible and intangible heritage. After discussing steps and achievements in the scientific debate on museum marketing, current gaps and possible further developments are considered. Since the early 1980s, marketing research has investigated visitors’ profiles, motivations, and behaviors, and has progressively focused on improving the experience of cultural heritage, especially through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in museums and heritage sites. A literature review suggests that scant attention has been paid to qualitative research that is aimed at investigating the knowledge and skills of visitors and non-visitors and their understanding of the value of cultural heritage. Moving from these results, and taking into account recent data about the attitudes and opinions of people in Europe on cultural heritage, the field research focuses on the perception and communication of local cultural heritage among young generations. The results of six focus groups conducted in 2016 with undergraduate and postgraduate students (University of Macerata, Italy) are analyzed. The research findings reveal a number of difficulties and limitations with regard to communicating and understanding the value of heritage. In order to better investigate these gaps, the outcomes of this preliminary study could be tested and put to cross-analysis using different methods. However, they do provide useful evidence for understanding the link between audience development and cultural heritage sustainability.

Highlights

The Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society, signed in Faro in 2005 [1], stated that cultural heritage is “a group of resources inherited from the past which people identify, independently of ownership, as a reflection and expression of their constantly evolving values, beliefs, knowledge and traditions”
The anonymous questionnaire submitted to each participant contained 7 questions that aimed to gain an overview of museum visits and perceptions of museums and cultural heritage
The second part of the focus groups analyzed some types of museum communication, while the third and last stages sought to identify what aspects of the value of cultural heritage might induce greater interest among young people

Summary

Introduction

The Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society, signed in Faro in 2005 [1] (art. 2a), stated that cultural heritage is “a group of resources inherited from the past which people identify, independently of ownership, as a reflection and expression of their constantly evolving values, beliefs, knowledge and traditions”. The Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society, signed in Faro in 2005 [1] 2a), stated that cultural heritage is “a group of resources inherited from the past which people identify, independently of ownership, as a reflection and expression of their constantly evolving values, beliefs, knowledge and traditions”. These percentages decrease if we analyze access to cultural heritage: in the last 12 months, just 61% of European citizens have visited a historical monument or site, while 52% have attended a traditional event, and 50% have visited a museum or gallery 16–17) revealed that in 2013 just 30% of young people aged between 15 and 34 had visited an exhibition or a museum (27.9% male and 32.1% female) and only 22.7% (21.4% male and 24% female) an archaeological site or monument

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Conclusion