Museums as Protagonists of Cultural Tourism : experience from Serbia

The development of tourism, the optimal use of natural and cultural resources, as well as the identification of attractions that engage domestic and foreign tourists, are the critical factors of a successful strategy for the longterm development of national tourism. The starting point for a successful national branding and positioning, is the cooperation of national and local decision-makers in the field of tourism, with the emphasis on cultural tourism, where tourists choose their destination motivated by their interest in getting to know the local culture of the city (or the state). Museums, as guards and presenters of the (local) heritage, became brands of their kind since the new museum paradigm shifted the focus to the visitors experience. In addition, through their mission of preserving heritage, museums become unique exponents of the local community. Their goal is to introduce national and local cultural heritage to the global public, in an appropriate manner, through understanding and meeting the needs of tourists who want to experience cultural specifics and particularities. In this paper, we focused on two cities in Serbia, Valjevo and Kikinda, where museums took the lead in branding cities as cultural tourist destinations.