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Urban Tourism

Encyclopedia of Tourism

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Due to its nuanced nature, urban tourism lacks an agreed-upon definition. However, it is generally referred to as tourism in towns and cities and is distinguished from other types by several features. In urban contexts, tourism is one of many economic activities, and it competes with several other industries for resources. Its development is restricted more by cultural heritage and residential needs rather than by natural environmental factors. More importantly, residents and commuters are significant users of attractions and infrastructure in urban areas.

It was not until World War II when tourism began to play an important role in the revitalization of downtown areas and surrounding neighborhoods, in the United States and many European countries. Cities have since become popular destinations as well as gateways, nodes, staging posts, and sources of tourists.

Urban areas are distinctive and complex places commonly characterized by four main qualities: high densities of structures,...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

    Mimi Li

  2. Peking University, Bei**g, China

    Bihu Wu

Authors
  1. Mimi Li
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  2. Bihu Wu
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Correspondence to Mimi Li .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Hospitality Leadership, University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, WI, USA

    Jafar Jafari

  2. School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China

    Honggen **ao

Section Editor information

  1. Department of Marketing, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    Juergen Gnoth

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Li, M., Wu, B. (2023). Urban Tourism. In: Jafari, J., **ao, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Tourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_208-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_208-2

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-01669-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-01669-6

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Urban Tourism
    Published:
    10 May 2024

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_208-2

  2. Original

    Urban tourism
    Published:
    22 September 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_208-1

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