Cultural tourism is a market sector which, since the 1980s, has been receiving growing attention in the analytical literature, which attempts to form precise concepts, construct a theoretical framework, compile data, and test hypotheses, both for the tourism industry, which is constantly searching for appropriate new attractions for tourism consumption, and for countries, regions and cities around the world, keen to attract their share of the growing global tourism market. This article seeks to explore the specific André F Fontan ontan Köhler; José Carlos Garcia Durand - Turismo cultural: conceituação, fontes de crescimento e tendências characteristics of the cultural tourism sector, based on the “cultural” attribute, presenting and discussing points such as concept, origins and sources of growth, importance, principal characteristics, and the division of the cultural tourism market. The article includes an extensive review of the national and international literature on tourism, with emphasis on cultural tourism, sociology, economics and anthropology, related contents seen in these areas of knowledge, and discusses the main ideas and positions on points such as the definition of cultural tourism and the influence of post-modernity on the consumption of cultural experiences, among others. This discussion provides the theoretical basis necessary for understanding the cultural tourism sector. Key ey words: Cultural Tourism; Market Segmentation; Public Policy.