Museums, cultural organizations and heritage sites have traditionally been among the most popular visitor attractions for both domestic and international tourists, especially in countries like Greece where tourism has extensive economic, social and political influence. They play a key role in cultural tourism and leisure, as they offer the cultural asset, not only by preserving and promoting cultural heritage, but further by producing cultural experiences.

As cultural tourism develops into an experience industry, there is an opportunity for museums to further engage the tourism market and increase their audiences and revenue, while at the same time strengthening their role as unique storytellers of the history, culture, and contemporary life of societies. And this is true for cultural organizations of all sizes, as cultural tourists increasingly search for niche inspiration and localized cultural experiences.

At the sixth installment of the Museum Conference, museum and cultural professionals from Greece, the U.S. and the UK will examine how museums and cultural institutions can strengthen their role as destinations and be part of sustainable cultural development; how they can improve relationships and form stronger partnerships with municipalities, tourism associations and other stakeholders to expand their visitors; what type of technologies are available to develop a content-driven approach in their marketing strategy; what types of fundraising and development they can pursue based on the tourism model; how international partnerships and touring exhibitions can attract more audiences and also build the country’s tourism brand; and how investing in culture and museums can have a strong economic impact for countries where tourism is one of the top industries.