Cultural tourism as an educational experience of leisure

Abstract

Tourism is probably one of the fewest human activities that include together both meanings: otium and negotium; thus it is related to leisure and productivity at the same time. Normally, it is analysed and studied as a productive object but in very few occasions it is mentioned as a leisure experience. And less, indeed, is said about the fact that tourism contains an educational dimension because of its consideration as a leisure experience. From this pedagogical point of view, the present article pretends to introduce a conceptual explanation about the educational experience that, specially, cultural tourism means for all the people involved in it: the visitor; the host professional; and finally, the community that welcomes the tourists.