tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-1688010 2010-07-10T15:13:48-04:00 Rossitza Ohridska-Olson's blog about the business of cultural tourism, culture discovery, emerging destinations, art adventures in Europe, Internet strategies and world travel TypePad tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553ae619b88340133f232504d970b 2010-07-10T15:13:48-04:00 2010-10-11T06:43:39-04:00

The creative tourism is a form of cultural tourism – it counts on cultural assets to attract travelers to a destination. It is also a form of creative community’s development – by stimulating the creative industries from outside, the local economy improves beyond the profits from tourism.

Rossitza Ohridska-Olson tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553ae619b883401348188b2b3970c 2010-05-24T15:51:10-04:00 2010-05-24T15:51:11-04:00

To my knowledge, there is not a culture related Saint in any other Christian to be celebrated by both Eastern Orthodox believers, Catholic devotees, and atheists alike for more than 10 centuries and across so many countries. Literacy and culture were so important in Eastern Europe during all these years, that portraits of Saints Cyril and Methodius, who created the Cyrillic alphabet were painted over and over again in churches and cathedrals. Their icons received the same devotion as the ones of St. Mary and St. George, and their life stories were told and retold in numerous books.

Rossitza Ohridska-Olson tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553ae619b88340133ecf754a4970b 2010-04-26T12:33:52-04:00 2010-04-26T12:31:58-04:00

32 out of the 50 featured trip are cultural tourism trips. From them, National Geographic Traveler classifies 22 as cultural, the rest are classified as cultural by the tour operator who organizes them. As I underlined, cultural and creative tourism, are recession resistant. In the 2009 edition of “50 Tours of a Lifetime”, National Geographic lists 22 trips. If we apply their criteria, there still be an increase of 100% over the last year.

Rossitza Ohridska-Olson tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553ae619b883401347fce160b970c 2010-04-11T18:35:21-04:00 2010-04-11T18:52:33-04:00

The ultimate form of cultural tourism – experiencing the creation of cultural values in the creative tourism – continues to be a big trend in destination marketing. The focus is on local arts, crafts, gastronomy, wine culture, and everything that a place can offer. Combined with the brand war between similar places to show their uniqueness, the main element of the tourism product for creative tourism is the local focus. Is this the right approach? Yes and no.

Rossitza Ohridska-Olson tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553ae619b883401347facf7ef970c 2010-04-04T00:31:00-04:00 2010-04-06T00:37:15-04:00

Tour operators and travel agencies offering classical cultural tourism destinations will suffer from the introduction of this device. While the iPhone is a locked device, without the ability to connect when you are abroad, unless you spend a fortune roaming, iPad will come in the end of this month with global GPS and an unlocked SIM card, making it the first global media distribution Wi-FI and 3G device. That means that information will reach the iPad user around the world, making dynamic packaging a breeze.

Rossitza Ohridska-Olson tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553ae619b8834012876e958ea970c 2010-01-18T03:49:53-05:00 2010-01-18T03:49:53-05:00

Thracian Helmet with Mask, originally uploaded by The Traveling Frog - Rossitza and Stevan Olson. Thracian Helmet with Mask: Amazing photo. National Museum of History, Bulgaria

Rossitza Ohridska-Olson tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553ae619b88340120a79eaf35970b 2010-01-03T14:28:31-05:00 2010-04-06T00:41:04-04:00

Cultural travelers travel because they need to unveil something mysterious, something familiar, something…unexpected. They are driven not by prices, but buy deep-rooted need for new experiences or nostalgic familiarity. That is why they spend more money and they travel more often. Their travels are longer in time and distance. This pattern will not change in 2010. What will be different and what will stay the same in 2010?

Rossitza Ohridska-Olson tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553ae619b8834012875624d08970c 2009-11-08T01:11:45-05:00 2009-12-21T12:21:50-05:00

Finally my (im)patience is generously rewarded: the Country Brand Index of Future Brand is here. That, on the top of the 2009 edition Nation Brands Index (NBI) by Anholt-GfK Roper, made me jump of joy. They encompass information, which will be my “food for thought” for the weeks to come. You might say that I am partial to the CBI, since I was one of the experts for the 2009 edition. In fact, I will try to prove that I see objectively both Indexes as sources of very valuable information. This combined “sea of knowledge” for professionals like me, is precious when it comes to create strategies for tourism development and destination management.

Rossitza Ohridska-Olson tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553ae619b88340120a69a3101970c 2009-10-31T14:50:35-04:00 2009-11-01T10:05:37-05:00

As a consultant on cultural tourism for the travel industry and a macro-strategist in this field, I always applaud when governments are thinking strategically about this industry. That is why I was extremely excited when during the last month the Bulgarian parliament approved the Strategic Plan for Cultural Tourism Development.

Rossitza Ohridska-Olson tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e553ae619b88340120a5930294970b 2009-09-23T16:44:46-04:00 2009-10-03T12:19:07-04:00

The mission of the Intellect Institute is to research, preserve, enhance experience and promote culture through scientific research, high technology solutions, best business practices, sound marketing and communications systems, and international tourism. The INTELLECT Institute primary goal is to assist disadvantaged communities, organizations and individuals involved in research, preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage and living cultures, enhancing their capacity for productive and sustainable business operations.

Rossitza Ohridska-Olson