Market orientation: Finding a new roadmap for sustainable archaeological sites

Abstract

While there is quite substantial research on how marketing strategies for archaeological sites affect destination branding, little can be found in literature on the impact of a market orientation adoption in these heritage assets on the development of sustainable tourism. This study aims to examine and propose a market orientation model which variables best define tourism sustainability in archaeological sites. The methodology is based on a qualitative and quantitative research to empirically test the model, using an international sample of eleven heritage management experts for the qualitative study, and 129 managers of archaeological sites worldwide for the quantitative research. This research provides empirical evidence indicating that market orientation positively influences tourism sustainability in archaeological sites, and proves the relevance of analysing the tourism functionality of these assets before implementing a market orientation plan.