Tourists' space–time behavior in heritage places: Comparing guided and nonguided visitors

This paper analyzes guided tourists' space–time behavior in heritage sites and compares the results with the behavior of nonguided tourists. Data from 127 guided visitors from 127 different local tours and 1,242 nonguided tourists visiting the historic town city of Girona (Spain) were gathered from participant observation, GPS tracking, and questionnaires. Findings demonstrate that guided tourists have a more qualitative experience (less walking time, more time spent visiting monuments, more information, and sometimes privileged information) than have nonguided tourists. Despite this, results also suggest that tourists who take guided tours, and those who do not, show a very similar behavior pattern.