Understanding Urban Tourism Attractiveness: The Case of the Archaeological Ötzi Museum in Bolzano

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation is to analyze to what extent a museum may be regarded as a potential driver for urban tourism. Via a travel cost model, the likelihood to revisit South Tyrol's Museum of Archaeology (the Ötzi museum), in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano (Italy), is estimated and the factors that influence visitors' experience, motivations, and their intention to revisit the museum are analyzed. To this aim, the number of actual visits to the museum is used as an economic indicator of museum attractiveness. The findings show that the museum has an important educative role in addition to being an economic earner for the city. Nevertheless, entrance fees discourage repeat visit, particularly for those on a low income. The findings also provide a tool to manage urban heritage resources and plan future urban developments around the Ötzi museum. © 2012 SAGE Publications.