PhD defence S. (Shirley) Nieuwland

Summary:

This thesis is about new forms of tourism in cities (new urban tourism and creative tourism), where tourists are increasingly looking for authentic and local 'off-the-beaten-path' experiences. These new forms of tourism are increasingly embraced by city authorities as they are seen as a way to develop tourism more sustainably as it can contribute to the well-being of all city users.

However, this research has made it clear that not all parties benefit equally from this form of urban tourism. On the contrary, there are also many people who experience many negative effects. It is therefore important to not immediately label new forms of tourism as sustainable. These recent forms of tourism also have their challenges and do not automatically lead to more sustainable tourism.

Urban development and tourism development appear to be closely linked and cannot be viewed separately. For example, the presence of Airbnb apartments in the city is not only a tourism problem, but can exacerbate existing urban problems such as gentrification. In practice, the problems surrounding tourism in cities are not always viewed in this way. This could be done more, for example by tourism not being a separate policy department, but by integrating it into different policy areas.

Because recent forms of tourism in the city often take place in traditionally less touristic destinations (such as 'second cities' or neighborhoods outside the city center), it is important to also take the perceived impact into account when it comes to the development of tourism. In the city center, for example, people are often used to larger groups of people and crowds, while in the suburbs, where people are less used to visitors, nuisance can be experienced by only a small number of tourists.

Sustainable tourism in cities is also difficult to achieve because many of the strategies are based on (unconscious) neoliberal growth thinking. Because this way of thinking is so strongly represented in our society, the development of sustainable tourism has little chance of success. This is not only the case with governments, but also, for example, with city marketing organisations, entrepreneurs and even residents. For example, as a city, strategies are often chosen that generate more visitors and more income, and as consumers we often opt for a cheaper option compared to a sustainable option (for example, a plane ticket vs. train ticket or a cheap Airbnb vs. official registered accommodation). It is important that these ways of thinking change among all those involved. Science can play a role in this by using action research in the research design.