Cities : The Future of Tourism

The 21st century will not be dominated by emerging economies such as the BRICS, MINTS or SLIMMAs but by cities. Across Europe in 2013, city breaks outstripped international tourism growth by 20%.  Recent research by ABTA showed that nearly half of 25-34 year olds took a city break in 2013. Cities, city tourism and the market for city tourism is growing. The nature of this growth, how it can be handled and how urban planners should respond are the subject of a conference: “Tourists, Cities and the Future”. As part of the International Festival of Business in Liverpool on 17th June,European Tour Operators Association (ETOA) will bring together leading voices in tourism and urban studies at a conference to explore the relationship between the new tourist profile and the city environment. ETOA, whose members bring millions of tourists in to Europe each year, says that cities are the global hubs of economic and cultural activity; where people live, where people visit and where the infrastructure is in place to cater to growing demand. It argues: to define the importance of tourism to cities, understand the changing tourist and to forecast what cities need to do are all vital topics for the industry to discuss with local government. Speakers at Tourists, Cities and the Future conference will include:

Tony Travers, Director of the Greater London Group at the LSE, who will chair the event, Hans Domincus, Managing Director, the Centre of Expertise Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality, who will share his recent groundbreaking research and analysis on ’what cities do’, Professor Michael Parkinson, European Institute for Urban Affairs, who will explore what cities mean in the 21st century,  Sir Terry Farrell, the architect who has been a key player in many of the UK’s recent urban regeneration projects, including the Newcastle Quayside, the Edinburgh Exchange District and the Greenwich Peninsula, Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool, who was a driving force in the organisation of Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture and at the heart of Liverpool’s recent tourism success,  Even Tangen Heggernes from the innovative company Airbnb, which helps individuals rent rooms in their own properties to visitors, who will explain a new tourism phenomenon, Loyd Grossman, Chairman of the Heritage Alliance, who will advocate balance in the debate as to how cities can evolve while retaining their appeal, Nick Hall, from Digital Tourism Think Tank, who will explain how technology is changing both how people choose where they go and what they do,  A senior executive from the BBC responsible for the Corporation’s mobile services, who will describe how tourists of the future will engage electronically with their environment.

ETOA CEO Tom Jenkins said:  “The role that visitors play in the urban economy is important, and is set to grow in importance.  Tourism creates employment, it drives exports and it funds the development of infrastructure.  The 91% increase in holidaymakers to Liverpool in years immediately after it was designated the 2008 European Capital of Culture is testament to how cities can take control of their environment and capitalise on the interest of the modern tourist.” The conference is jointly sponsored by Visit England and The March Marketplace. It takes place with the co-operation of Liverpool Vision, European Cities Marketing, European Travel Commission and Tourism Alliance.