History buffs, art and architecture lovers among tourists: who values heritage most? cultural heritage as part of public intangible capital as part of tourist destination attraction

Tourists choice of destination depends on numerous determinants. Based on individual preferences, tourists seek very different experiences, from clean nature, to food, history, architecture, culture, shopping and many other. European culturalheritage is very rich, representing both tangible (architectural and material culturalelements) and intangible capital ( especially culture) in tourism and general economic development. UNESCO lists a number of European sites and the World Heritage List as well as stresses the role of intangible cultural heritage in promoting tourism development. This paper explores to what extend cultural heritage and world heritage sites in general attract tourists, and in particular focuses on the structure of tourists preferences. Namely, heritage sites can provide significant value added, especially when attracting guests, who are highly interested in the heritage itself. Based on an extensive dataset of user-generated content, the paper explores the differences among the guests at some of the European most attractive locations, from Paris to Dubrovnik and many other in order to identify, what percentage of guests to most valued heritage locations are in fact arriving due to the heritage and how they evaluate the experiences. By doing so, the paper is able to distinguish between history buffs, foodies, architectural lovers and other groups, clearly defining their preferences towards tangible and intangible heritage. Consequently, the paper provides important managerial implications for both destination management as well as facilities management, primarily focusing on how to strengthen their competitive advantages in the field of heritage and focus on attracting tourists that value the heritage itself and are not just attracted by "trendy" locations.