‘Step back in time and live the legend’: experiential marketing and the heritage sector

Abstract

This paper investigates experiential marketing as a potential survival strategy for cultural heritage attractions competing in the leisure and tourism marketplace. The paper explores the nature and scope of the heritage industry, heritage as a consumption‐based experience and the evidence of adoption of the experiential paradigm by a number of sites and attractions. A content analysis (Krippendorf, 1980 cited in Easterby‐Smith et al ., 2002 ) of promotional leaflets and websites and a case study provide the analytical basis for this evaluation and the paper concludes by proposing an indicative framework for experiential marketing in this sector. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.