Challenge Accepted. The Future of Tourism

Tourism today is one of the key sectors of the urban economy – in tourism-oriented megacities, the share of this industry exceeds 10% of the gross product. At the same time, unlike other industries, tourism gives a huge cumulative effect of development: a city that is attractive to tourists, in which public spaces, services, infrastructure, and eventfulness appear, will also be attractive to residents. In the end, the technological revolution in tourism, which has greatly expanded the possibilities of individual travel, has practically erased the line between a tourist and a “local”. Business tourism also gives the city more than direct income. This is the establishment of business ties, an impulse for the development of local industries, and new investments. Not surprisingly, more and more cities are competing for tourists.

• What city do tourists need today and what kind of tourism do citizens need?
• Do cities need to compete for tourists, or can cooperation be more productive?
• Can eventfulness be a universal recipe for building a stable tourist flow?
• How do cities use digital and media technologies to attract tourists?