Art tourism: definitions, opportunities, and discussions based on a case study from Abu Dhabi

ABSTRACT

By presenting the case of Abu Dhabi, with newly opened Louvre, the position of art tourism in the context of cultural tourism is discussed in this paper. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, aims to position the city as the region’s arts and culture hub. Emirati artists and art-related projects play an important role in up-scaling the art experience for tourists in the region. To understand the views of Emirati artists, thirteen e-interviews were conducted to study the current role of art tourism and the levels of optimism observed among local artists. Interview questions focused on perceptions of art tourism, on the role of artists, and on the relation between art and culture in this fifty years old country. Findings exhibit a sense of optimism especially in relation to the newly opened Louvre, which has boosted art tourism in the UAE. However, the real art market is neglected and under-researched, but the predictions are generally auspicious.

KEYWORDS:

• Artists
• United Arab Emirates
• optimism
• Louvre Abu Dhabi
• e-interviews

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author .

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nataša Slak Valek

Nataša Slak Valek is an associate professor at Zayed University (ZU) in Abu Dhabi, UAE. She teaches tourism related courses and research methods in tourism at a Undergraduate and Graduate level. Her research focuses on Cultural and Heritage Tourism, Communicating Culture and Tourism Marketing. Her most recent publications appear in Tourism Management Perspectives, Journal of Tourism and Cultural Changes, and International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research. Prior joining ZU she taught at I-Shou University in Taiwan and at the University of Maribor in Slovenia.