A comprehensive outlook of culture, creativity and sustainability in rural areas through tourism development

Abstract

One of the main components of the creative movement in tourism has been the experience economy. In particular, the market for unforgettable travel experiences is expanding as a rising number of travellers - known as creative tourists - seek out first-hand experiences as active participants in the creation process, as opposed to being passive recipients of experiences that have already been prearranged. In this context, creative tourism, which emerged with the blending of culture and creativity, is a new paradigm and niche tourism type through which 21st-century tourists try to find transformative experiences. Since creative tourism does not require large investments and utilizes existing cultural and natural elements, it is an important approach to overcoming poverty and economic problems and developing tourism in rural areas. However, it can be said that most of the research on creative tourism focuses on the urban context and there is not much work focused on how creativity can be used and developed in the rural tourism environment. From this point of view, this chapter aims to examine the role of this niche tourism type in rural sustainable development by addressing the concept of creative tourism in a comprehensive manner and to contribute to the literature by analysing creative tourism practices in rural areas. © CAB International 2025. Niche Tourism and Sustainability: Perspectives, Practices and Prospects (eds A. Farmaki et al.). All rights reserved.