In article <[log in to unmask]>, John Martinson
<[log in to unmask]> writes
>Is there a good definition for a visitor and/or a tourist -- and are
>they one and the same?
>
>
For most national and international statistics there is an agreed
definition of a tourist as a person who stays at least one night away
from home on a trip.  Purpose of visit might be visiting friends and
relatives, business, education, leisure etc.  Compliance with this
terminology allows statistics collected by museums to be related to
other bodies of information.

On the wider issue of "visitors" to museums I find that this term can
lead to an over-emphasis of the importance of visitor numbers in the
assessment of performance of museums - it is one dimensional.  I tend to
think more of "users" of museums.  This is a term which embraces a wider
range of services and experiences provided by museums and reflects the
richness and depth of what museums' have to offer.  It also draws
attention to differing needs and interests of the museum-going public.
I am indebted to Kenneth Hudson for first impressing me with this
distinction.


Julian Ravest
Museum Consultant
Everyone's actions are rational
within the world as they see it