Cultural Tourism in the Digital Age: Evolving Trends in Marketing and Consumer Behavior

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid evolution of digital technologies has fundamentally transformed the cultural tourism sector, creating new opportunities and challenges for marketers, businesses, and consumers alike. The aim of this Special Issue is to explore the dynamic interplay between digital marketing strategies, consumer behavior, and cultural tourism in the digital age. As global tourism becomes increasingly influenced by technological advancements, understanding how these innovations shape consumer preferences, decision-making, and engagement is crucial for both academics and industry professionals.

This Special Issue will focus on the intersection of digital marketing and consumer behavior within the realm of cultural tourism. It will examine how digital tools, platforms, and technologies (such as social media, mobile apps, virtual reality, and AI) are influencing the way cultural experiences are marketed and consumed.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The role of digital marketing in promoting cultural heritage and tourism destinations.
• The impact of consumer behavior shifts, particularly among Gen Z, on tourism marketing strategies.
• Analyzing how digital technology influences the decision-making process of tourists, particularly in terms of choosing cultural destinations, attractions, and experiences.
• The role of online reviews, ratings, and user-generated content in shaping the perceptions and expectations of cultural tourists.
• Exploring the emotional and psychological drivers behind tourists’ preferences for cultural experiences, and how digital marketing can tap into these motivations.
• Examining generational differences in cultural tourism consumption, with a particular focus on Generation Z’s attitudes, behaviors, and preferences toward cultural experiences.
• The influence of social media and user-generated content on cultural tourism experiences.
• Digital transformations in the tourism sector—from traditional marketing to personalized, data-driven approaches.
• Virtual and augmented reality in cultural tourism marketing.
• Cultural tourism and sustainability in the digital age.
• Challenges and opportunities for tourism businesses in adapting to a digitally empowered, experience-driven consumer base.
• Digital disruption and innovation in cultural tourism.

Purpose: The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the evolving trends in cultural tourism marketing and the changing consumer dynamics in the digital age. By bringing together interdisciplinary research, this Issue will offer insights into how cultural tourism stakeholders can better engage with modern consumers, especially younger generations, and leverage digital innovations to enhance the cultural tourism experience. Authors are encouraged to contribute research that will inform both theoretical advancements and practical strategies for cultural tourism marketing in the digital era.

Dr. Dimitrios Theocharis
Dr. Georgios Tsekouropoulos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Tourism and Hospitality is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• cultural tourism
• digital marketing
• consumer behavior
• tourism marketing
• hospitality
• digital age