Muzeum jako firma turystyczna stosująca marketing

Abstract

Museums represent a significant part of cultural heritage. The role of muse-ums was understood differently depending on historical epochs: they were regarded as treasure-houses, art temples, museums for masses, culture-and-distraction institutions or permanent education centers. In recent times they tend to be perceived as enterprises–tourist attractions such as e.g. the Magurski National Park, the Jorvik Viking Centre or Disney World. At the turn of the 20th century museums have faced various very ambitious challenges. It requires energetic efforts and, which seems most difficult, changing mentality and giving up well-worn habits. To become attractive for mass tourism, museums, following the example of for-profit organizations, must respond to demands expressed by the customers, foresee their needs, aptly supply tourist product, masterly implement promotion measures, create a positive image of the company and adopt an appropriate marketing mix strategy (marketing mix consists in adequate coordination of marketing ingredients in order to most efficiently market the product and put the adopted marketing strategy into operation; in service sector the so-called 7 P’s marketing model is used that includes the 4 ‘classic’ P’s – product, price, place, promotion – and 3 additional P’s – people, physical evidences and processes). The marketing communication should be interactive and allow for building long-term bonds with important elements of the environment, getting acquainted with the customers, and taking into consideration their needs in order to create better offer, according to modern trends and demand. To be competitive on increasingly demanding market, museums must employ so-called customization i.e. adapt the offer to particular needs of the customers, in respect of the product itself and the communication sphere alike. Museum collection must not be regarded as ‘sacrum’ anymore – it is simply a product. To market this product museums must craft ever more engaging forms of exposition, enlarge the thematic scope according to the variety of needs, interests and level of knowledge of the visitors. Actually, the visitors should become the centre of attention rather than museums and their collections.