Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Older People as a Developing Market for Cultural Heritage Sites

2014; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 20; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.7227/jace.20.1.9

1479-7194

Anna Schjøtt Hansen, Henrik Zipsane,

Religious Tourism and Spaces

Is it morally acceptable for the heritage sector to see the growing population of senior citizens as a developing market? Jamtli is an open air museum in the north of Sweden. The main target group is families with children, but an increasing number of activities for older adults are being offered. The growing population of older people is a potential market for Jamtli's commercial role as a tourist attraction, if the right activities are offered. At the same time Jamtli has an important part to play in providing learning activities and working for social inclusion for various audiences. This paper takes as its starting point an acknowledgement that senior citizens as such are not a homogeneous group. Some are more active than others, and their willingness to get involved varies. Some want entertainment, others crave learning while social inclusion and access are important to some people. Four examples will illustrate why there might be a moral dilemma in being both a money-making tourist attraction and at the same time work with learning and inclusion, arguing that older adults are an important market for cultural heritage sites.