Evaluating the Attractiveness and Authenticity of Cultural Heritage Sites

The quest for authenticity is often cited as a key trend in cultural tourism. However, some researchers argue that contemporary tourism increasingly undervalues authenticity when assessing the attractiveness of sites. This article examines these perspectives through a case study of Ojców National Park (ONP), analyzing data from Tripadvisor, Google, Polskie Szlaki, and ZamkoMania websites to evaluate the popularity and appeal of cultural heritage sites within the park. The study investigates how tourist opinions and ratings correlate with their perceptions of authenticity. It finds that authenticity is a significant factor for only a small segment of visitors to ONP, and there is notable variability in how authenticity is understood. Tourists often struggle to accurately and consistently evaluate the authenticity of attractions such as historic buildings, including castles and ruins.