CHALLENGES FOR TOURISM IN HISTORIC CITIES

Bartłomiej Walas Ph.D.

IT’S THE END OF TOURISM AS WE KNOW IT?

Credit photos: EOI

• The conference is not about developing tourism,

it is about developing the city as a whole,

• Long-term benefits of all stakeholders: tourists, businesses and citizens,

• No focus on ready-made solutions that become

outdated quickly, but a process of continuous urban tourism transformation,

• Cities have to work across sectors and not let „mono-sectoral” visions.

A new approach to build value creation for business,

society and other stakeholders in the city. Focus on

the values and value co-creation, different way of

thinking about products, markets and customers,

building reputation.… Even thought the dimension

4.0 has already been determined.

WHY 3.0.?

• Autonomous vehicles,

• Graphen,

• 3D Printing,

• Massive Open Online courses,

• Drones,

• Smart Home Technologies,

• Virtual Curriences (bitcoin)

• Big Data,

• Electricity Storage (hydrogen),

• Wearable Technologies.

TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN CHANGE

OUR LIVES …which in tourism?

HISTORIC CITIES HAVE A HIGH

RATE OF TOURIST FUNCTION

• Legal Regulations Directly Addressing Public and Private

Lands, • Traditional and Customary Systems of Management, • Listening to the People, Promoting Quality of Life, • Redefining the Role of Professionals, • The Concepts of Equilibrium and Resilience, • Identity and Sense of Place, • Governance: Public Management in Historic Urban Areas? • Public Institutions: what kind?

RECONNECTING THE CITY

NEW SEGMENTION ?

Urban Lifestyle Seekers

Sightseers Culture Travelers

City Breakers

City Hipsters

Informed Adventurer

Habitual Travelers

………………….

THE TOURIST IS NOT LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO GO… BUT WHY

URBAN TOURIST

G. Ashworth, Urban Tourism Research, 2011

The experience of temporary localhood. New generations of travelers seek out a sense of

localhood, looking to experience the true and authentic destination – that which makes a

destination unique. With the increasing number of providers and businesses that tap into

the sharing and collaborative business potential, travelers gain increasing access to the

local travel experience. The delivery of an authentic destination experience depends upon

the support of locals, whereas the liveability and appeal of our destination – and thereby

the advocacy of locals – depends on our ability to ensure a harmonious interaction

between visitors and locals.

Wonderful Copenhagen, Strategy 2020

A NEW BEGINNING OF LOCALHOOD

Collaboration between local citizens and

tourism stakeholders must create a

positive effect and provides equilibrium

between the opinions of the tourists and

the opinions of the citizens. A place not

enjoyed by locals will not be enjoyed by

visitors.

THE NEW CULTURAL TOURISM

• Strengthened links between suppliers and consumers,

• Co-creation,

• Increased contact with the local culture,

• Increased emphasis on the everyday and intangible heritage,

• A shift towards events as a means of valorizing place,

• Creative spaces,

• Holistic, spiritual approaches,

• New grounds for authenticity (moving away from authority for the sake of context and originality).

G. Richards

• THE „NEXT ECONOMY”

• THE EXPERIENCE BECOMES THE PRODUCT

• EXISTS NOT ONLY IN TOURISM BUT ALSO IN URBAN PLANNING, ARCHITECTURE

• „EXPERIENCE MANAGEMENT” AS THE FOUNDATION

EXPONOMY

IDENTIFIED PROBLEM AREAS...

…”Everyone can become an entrepreneur. And this is the economy based on cooperation. "

Brian Chesky, co-founder of AirBnB

Regulation or deregulation of services? Not only for tourists..

REVITALIZATION VS. GENTRIFICATION

Leisure, tourism and work are increasingly

being mixed. The number of hybrid

arrangements offered will grow…

HYBRID TOURISM

BREAKING MONOPOLY IN TOURISM INDUSTRY?

LOCALS IN TOURISM

NIGHT ECONOMY

THE AESTHETICITY OF THE CITY

TRANSPORT

OVERTOURISM OR/VR TOURISMOPHOBIA?

Tourismophobia is not necessarily rooted in overtourism but in xenophobia of locals?

The phenomenon of impact of tourism on local community has long been known (Doxey’s model of irritation, 1975)

SMART CITY: PRESENCE, FUTURE?

„Technology made large populations

possible; large populations now make

technology indispensable.”

Joseph Wood Krutch

TECHNOLOGY NEXT GENERATION vs CRS, OTA…?

PROMOTION, BRANDING, WHETHER REPUTATION…

DESTINATION BRANDING IS MORE THAN AN IMAGE IMAGE-BUILDING CAMPAIGN

WHO IS A PREMIUM TOURIST AND WHO CAN HE BE?

THE MEETING INDUSTRY?

HIGHT CULTURE?

HOW TO MANAGE DESTINATION?

IS THE ROLE OF CONTEMPORARY DMO CHANGING? FROM MARKETING TO ENABLING…

credit photo: W. Bakker

The DMO’s role is shifting towards

developing and spotlighting the

right kind of experiences, and

engaging the right people at the

right time to tell the right stories

about the destination based on a

shared strategic branding

framework.

In today’s digital economy, the players have access to enter the market, making innovation an increasingly open process between many different participants across industries. The DMO of tomorrow will need to find its place in that cross-section of innovation while also balancing its close link to the public sector. In a data-driven, experience-driven world, a DMO’s KPIs need to be adapted beyond bed-nights, but extend to the broader value creation within the visitor economy.

TOWARDS A NEW BEGINNING OF LOCALHOOD. WONDERFUL COPENHAGEN ,

STRATEGY 2020

AGILITY TO CHANGE AND FAIL FAST

THE KEY DRIVERS FOR ACTION TO FOSTER SUSTAINABLE URBAN TOURISM

• Long term and inclusive vision, shared among the public, private and civil

society and supported by urban development policies and processes,

• Renewal and revival of cultural heritage and the development of creative industries to the benefit of local communities and individuals,

• Innovation and Technology,

• Local citizens and stakeholders must benefit from the positive economic and social impact of tourism,

• Transparency, knowledge and professionalism,

• Tourism as an instrument to make cities livable, lovable and economically sustainable,

• A city that is not good for its citizens is not good for tourists,

• Visitors as temporary residents of a city vs. residents as guests of the city.

• Pedestrianisation?

• Banning accommodation investments?

• Defining the capacity of the destination?

• Reducing low cost?

• New tourist products outside the historical centre?

• Limits for sharing economy?

• A different redistribution of benefits resulting from the tourism between various social groups and areas of the city?

• Increasing the tourist tax?

• Coopetition?

• Governance?

• ……

What are the correct and what are the demagogic tools?

IS IT POSSIBLE AND WITH WHAT TOOLS?....

WHAT TOOLS AND SOLUTIONS WILL WE HEAR DURING THE PANELS….

The theory of Fourth Turning suggests that mood era’s are cyclical. Things will

likely take a turn for the worse over the next decade before getting better.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

bwalas@onet.eu