A blind spot? Cultural field perspectives on tourism

Abstract

This study addresses a possible mismatch between political rhetoric on creative industries and tourism relations and the experiences and expectations that artists and workers in the creative industries have of their artistic work and their sector. In semi-structured interviews, we asked if and then how creatives and developers in Norway relate to the concept of tourism and whether they see tourists or the tourism industry as a target market for cultural products. Our findings suggest that developers are likely, but creatives unlikely to see a relation between creative’s work and tourism or tourists, and the tourism industry as a target market for cultural products. Tourism is in other words a blind spot in the business practices of creative entrepreneurs.