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Urban Tourism

Chapter · January 2012

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Cave, J and L. Jolliffe (2012) Urban Tourism. Tourism: The Key Concepts. Robinson, P. (Ed.) London:
Routledge. pp 268-270.

Urban tourism

Urban tourism encompasses the activities of international and domestic visitors as well as local
residents in urban areas, contextualized by built and natural landscapes, amenities and
infrastructure. Urban areas such as towns and cities are sources of travelers, act as tourism
destinations and are gateways to other places. Over 50% of the world's population is urbanized,
thus the dynamics and features of urban tourism are important to understand as drivers of the
global tourism economy. Urban tourism is inseparable from the social, spatial, economic, and
technological as well as governance issues of urbanization and local responses to globalization.

Case study approaches dominate the literature on urban tourism. Examples of research in this
field encompass developmental and inner city regeneration (Karski, 1990; Page, 1995),
geographic (Pearce, 2001), recreation (Law, 1993, 2000), heritage (Chang et al., 1996; van der
Borg et al., 1996) and events (Getz, 1991). Yet as a field of study, urban tourism is challenged
by vague demarcation and a lack of analytical frameworks (Ashworth & Page, 2011; Edwards et
al., 2008; Page, 1995; Pearce, 2001). A broader social science view of urbanization processes,
including investigations of social dynamics, the notion of world cities, re-globalization and re-
scaling of cities (Ashworth & Page, 2011) and migration might aid understanding of the scope
and scale of urban tourism.

As large centres of population, cities are major generators of tourist traffic, in part caused by the
desire to holiday away from crowds (United Nations World Tourism Organization, 2002). Yet
the global options for travel destinations are extensive, meaning that cities compete alongside
all others, for visits longer than short break or single visits (Dwyer et al., 2009). As
destinations, cities and towns are characterized by high densities of physical structures, people
and functions, cultural and social heterogeneity, multi-functional economies and physical
centrality within regional and inter-urban networks (Pearce, 2001). Tourism in urban
environments can be addressed at micro geographic neighborhood levels of analysis and at a
wider systems level (Page, 1995). The wider analysis encompasses flows across urban
transportation, natural and built infrastructure. Tourism flows are driven by consumer demand
and supply of tourism services mitigated by public and private sector management strategies,
marketing, planning and development and other factors.

The scale of urbanization and urban tourism ranges from mega cities of more than 10 million
inhabitants, to small cities and towns in both the developed and undeveloped worlds. Urban
tourism is likely to follow geopolitical shifts from developed world cities, to cities in the
undeveloped world, in parallel with the development of megacities. In 1950 the globe had two
megalopolises of more than 10 million people (United Nations, 2005), by 2000 eighteen and in
2007, nineteen - the majority in the developing countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. By
2050, over twenty seven are anticipated, most likely to be in Asia, two in Africa, and one in
Europe (Smith, 2010) but none in North America. Global changes in age profiles, economic
wealth and migration produced by political, climatic and economic shifts will continue to drive
urban tourism trends.
Cave, J and L. Jolliffe (2012) Urban Tourism. Tourism: The Key Concepts. Robinson, P. (Ed.) London:
Routledge. pp 268-270.

In terms of scope, urban tourism encompasses site specific, district, city-wide, national and
international linkages (Pearce, 2001). Urban tourism is made up of:

 primary elements such as visitor attractions with the ability to attract tourists, and
 secondary elements such as transportation used by tourists to travel to the destination
or as services after arrival (Jansen-Verbeke, 1986).

Tourists visit cities for many purposes, but are largely economically and physically invisible
(Ashworth & Page, 2011) since it is difficult to quantify discrete ‘tourist’ usage of infrastructures
or amenity supply, as opposed to the use of the same amenities by residents (Page, 1995).
Exceptions are small island cities in developing states where tourists may be more ethnically
and functionally visible (Nunkoo & Ramkissoon, 2010). Major tourism events such as the
Olympics provide a legacy of infrastructure in urban settings, with facilities and processes
created for visitors but remaining for resident benefit after the events (Ieromonachou,Warren
and Potter, 2010).

Paradoxically, little of the city has been created specifically for tourist use (Ashworth & Page,
2011). Tourism activities do not take place evenly across the cityscape but tend to be
concentrated in the central city or dispersed across the city in clusters of arts, ethnic or natural
activities, multipurpose events amenities and facility-specific locations. The city centre offers a
wide variety of activities in a relatively compact environment (Kadri, 2007) offering ambiance,
contrasts of contemporary and historical architecture, and a range of nightlife, shopping and
other amenities (Erhlich & Dreier, 1999). The urban landscape also provides areas that attract
visitors, such as creative arts precincts (Pappalepore et al., 2010), historic districts (Ashworth,
1990; Ashworth & Tunbridge, 1992; Jansen-Verbeke, 2010) ethnic migrant neighborhoods
(Chang, 1997; Conforti, 1996), sacred spaces and entertainment destinations (Pearce, 2001).
These factors are all significant but so too are issues such as effective city management,
transport infrastructures and traffic congestion (Hensher & Puckett, 2007).

The rural-urban fringe is often a locus for many recreational, leisure and tourism activities.
Incorporation of open natural landscapes within city environments has become essential to
urban tourism, linked to the idea that cities are for work and the ‘country’ is for pleasure (Tacoli,
1998). For instance, rural scenic areas (Xiao & Wall, 2009) and urban forests function as a main
attractor for many visitors and complement other tourism attractions (i.e., historical sites) in the
city (Deng et al., 2010). The city of Montreal links tourism in parklands and water with its urban
environments (Timur & Getz, 2009).

Revitalization of marginalized economies or mature city destinations developed in the latter part
of the 20th century (Law, 2000) as a worldwide trend for urban regeneration, based around
multi-year development strategies, the development of multifunctional entertainment venues,
expos and hallmark events such as Olympic Games (Coles, 2003; Getz, 1991.

There is asymmetry in the tourist-city relationship. A vibrant tourism industry needs the variety,
accessibility and flexibility that cities can provide, but in terms of city planning and policy,
tourism is only one element amongst many. While tourism has potential for economic benefits to
 Cave, J and L. Jolliffe (2012) Urban Tourism. Tourism: The Key Concepts. Robinson, P. (Ed.) London:
Routledge. pp 268-270.

cities, the greatest benefits are produced in cities that have a wide and varied economic base,
yet are the least dependent on tourism (Ashworth & Page, 2011; Ashworth & Tunbridge, 1992;
Pearce, 2001).

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Further reading:

Ashworth, G., & Page, S. J. (2011). Urban tourism research: Recent progress and current
paradoxes. Tourism Management, 32(1), 1-16.

Edwards, D., Griffin, T., & Hayllar, B. (2008). Urban tourism research: Developing an agenda.
Annals of Tourism Research, 35(4), 1032-1052.

Law, C. M. (2000). Regenerating the city centre through leisure and tourism. Built Environment,
26(2), 117–129.

Jenny Cave and Lee Jolliffe

Add to bibliography

Hall,C.M. and Page, S. (2006), The Geography of Tourism and Recreation: Environment, Place
and Space. 3rd Edition. Routledge. London.

Ieromonachou, P., Warren, J. & Potter, S. (2010). The Olympic transport legacy. Town and
Country Planning, 79(7), pp. 331–336.

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