NOSTALGIC TOURISM

This article presents exploratory research that focuses on a segment of cultural consumers who possess a yearning to connect with their ancestry. The article presents a conceptual framework to better understand the market segments within the cultural tourism industry and argues for the need to better understand and study the segment of consumers who rely on tours to search for their own ancestral roots. A multimethod study conducted over the course of a 23-day bus tour is presented. Observational, interview, and survey data gathered from tourists of British and Irish descent are used to test the proposed relationships.