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Urban tourism

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Urban tourism: some key elements

Urban tourism

A more and more

popular tourism product

A short stay (max.

3days)

A destination not further than 3 h of

flightA tourism product

complementary to the

main holidays

A product adapted to the main

target clientele of

Romania

It often represents a

sudden buying pattern as it is connected to a special offer or

an event: festival, expo,

etc.The city-breakers:

urban dwellers who usually travel in

couple without kids or with friends.

They tend to be from higher

income/status social groups

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Expectation of urban tourists

Different urban tourist profiles but

complementary expectations

A smooth city with a mobility facilitated by a fluid information

and transportation network

Anxious : waits to be reassured on the visit

A practical city

A city of happening, but also a city of memory: rich in heritage but full of

life, thanks to cultural events, gatherings, etc..

Impulsive : departure is decided on the spot, late, by a

special events / desire

A magic city that surprises

Adventurer : looking for a geographical

and emotional wandering

A different city that promises an

escapade from daily life

Clever: discovers the best quality / price

offer

A playful, fun, recreational city

Looking for a surprising city, fun and practical. The urban tourist will want to be constantly informed, along his journey to discover this destination.

Profiles for urban tourists

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Urban tourism: characteristics

Major tendencies in urban tourism:

• Towns and cities try very hard to differentiate themselves, build on their specificities and attract through intensive event agendas…

• Urban space itself becomes a stage

The town has to be playful, festive and sustainable

• Development of tourism related networks of locals: greeters (e.g.: Berlinezer, etc.)

• The need for tourists to “live the life of a local”, to integrate as full as possible: “repeaters in Paris”

Encountering and interacting with

locals

• The increasing interest in visiting and discovering off the beaten track attractions and places: favelas, contemporary living area, etc.

• New motivations for travelling apart from the traditional cultural-patrimonial and shopping ones : industrial tourism, natural areas in urban surroundings, ethnic tourism, etc.

Decentralization of touristic areas

in the city

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Urban tourism: characteristics

New strategies and instruments for marketing the urban tourism destinations and products:

IT instruments for promotion and information• Multimedia guides,

mobile app.• Augmented reality

Free and instantly available information• Before, during and

after the trip• Mobile websites,

free access to WiFi, etc.

Web 2.0• Contents that are

generated by end-users/tourists are trusted and researched

• Social networking (facebook, twitter, tripadvisor, …) for conveying the message

The multiplication of influencers “many to many”• Institutions• Private providers• Clients• Locals• Networks of

friends and communities

Territorial branding development• The city branding

combining tourism, residential and economic aspects is on the increase

• Targeting international visibility by building on local specificities

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Urban renovation/revitalization through tourism: All this was possible because this offer responds to a increasing demand.

• Often urban tourism (business or leisure) has developed by a strategic work on the offer offer and by inserting it in amuch wider urban strategy (renovation and reconversion of ancient urban areas, economica development, creationand promotion of local brands, …)

• The following models can be identified:

o Metropolitan areas that have put the tourism industry and events’ management in the center of their strategies : Sevile,Barcelona, Valencia, Athens, … These have in common the following features :

o Creation of a major event as a launching elements or catalyst (Universal Expo in Seville, the Olympics in Barcelonaor Turin, European Capital of Culture in Galsgow or Lille, …)

o Prioritizing the tourism activity, espacially the urban renovation: reclaiming the port area in Barcelona for leisureactivities, creation of a adventure park in Seville, creation of large touristic equipement (Cité des Sciences,aquarium, …) in Valencia, urban renovation in Athens, but all with a special emphasis on the touristic and leisureactivity.

o Bilbao targeted the world level architectural creation (Guggenheim Museum) for attracting limelight, creating abrand and boosting the urban renovation based on the industrial heritage and problems of the town.

o Metropolitan areas who have invested in leisure tourism, meetings and professional events as part of a broader strategy.Examples:

o Marseille : rebranding the port with its cultural, leisure and touristic activities (150 milion € investments).

o Lyon with a lot of investement in the MICE tourism (palais des congrès,, renovation of Tony Garnier venue,annoncement of the construction of a expo park), and in the leisure tourism : obtaining a UNESCO World HeritageSite classification and the creation of a great cultural venue on a department level : the Museum des Confluences.

o Hanover : strategy based on business tourism, especially based on fairs and expositions. The Universal Expo hasobtained important external financing (EU, the German State, etc.).

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Urban renovation/revitalization through tourism

• Longtime seen as a self-standing activity, urban tourism is increasingly perceived as an instrument andfacilitator for the creation and promotion of the attractivity of the big towns/cities in Europe.

o Urban tourism remains and important economic sector (industry) but its connections to othersectors becomes increasingly important : it generates new equipments/infrastructures (museums,accomodation facilities, restaurants, etc.) with an impact on the quality of life of residents.

o From another perspective the tourism development leverages the cities image and perception: if atown is viewed as a touristic destination this gives it some of the attributes that makes it attractivenot only for tourists but also for its inhabitants and the business sector as a whole.

o Cities increasingly implement territorial branding strategies that are based on tourism arguments « IAmsterdam », « Only Lyon », « Be Berlin », the famous « I Love NY ».

• The instruments for the promotion of urban destinations are diversifiying in a decisive way :

o There was usually a barrier between the promotion and communication actions on the one hand andthe tourist information and tourism development ones on the other

o These barriers are becoming irrelevant as the quality of the information a town gives to its visitorsrepresents nowadays an important element in the seduction and promotion process. The originalityof the tourism products is also a promotion element per se.

o In an urban setting the modernity and interactivity of tourism products/offers is an essential featureas the urban environment is by its nature is the place of innovation and modernity.

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• The main characteristics that enable the evaluation of touristic town arebased on the traditional tourism offer, but the way in which the touristsdiscover it has changes dramatically

o Heritage and culture are still the basis of tourism attraction. Yet, theway in which these are highlighted has evolved considerably:

o The staging of museums and heritage places are playful andincreasingly use IT solutions and tools to guide and inform.

o The discovery tours integrate also this tendancy to integrate newtechnology and multimedia instruments.

o The use of virtual reality and augmented reality as a tourismguiding instrument is still limited due to the high price it entails

o Some themes are extremly popular among urban tourists:

o A rather scientifical culture, especially for men

o The discovery of gardens, British clientele si very attracted tothis theme

o Contemporary art and its place in the public areas, especiallyamongst young tourists (with a special interest amongstnorthern European young tourists)

Urban renovation/revitalization through tourism

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o Event management is also a rapidly evolving feature

oThe event strategy is a key element in creatingtourism attractivity for a town that is in a constantsearch of originality. The budgets are big but theimpact is very important.

oOn the other hand having a event agenda that isbalanced and includes an event for each part of theseason is an important aspect for an urbandestination: something has to be happeningeverytime in the city!

oThese events are also occasions to discover in adifferent manner the traditional heritage of the city:e.g. light shows on the façade of the Chatre Cathedral,

oThe creation of major events outside of the maintouristic season can represent a good way to increasethe tourism circulation during the low season:Strasbourg and its Christmas fairs has managed tohave its highest occupancy rates for hotels inDecember, something unheard of in France!

Urban renovation/revitalization through tourism

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Amsterdam

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Tourism in Amsterdam

The evolution of foreign tourist’s overnights in Amsterdam compared to European cities 1987-2007 (index)

o The forecast for hotel capacity in the metropolitan area of Amsterdam in 2015 is of 13,500 hotel rooms, out of which 9000 will be located inside Amsterdam. The Amsterdam tourism board targets the clienteles

according to their life-cycle.E.g.: the French clientele is beginning its decline butthe Chinese, Indian and Russian ones are emerging.

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Marketing strategy 2009-2012

Positioning / Images Amsterdam as a destination

is: A water metropolis (sea, rivers, canals, polders, …)A regional metropolis, yet

retaining its human dimension

Development strategyMultiplying the direct and indirect effects of tourism

and creating new jobsImprove Amsterdam’s

perceptionSupporting sustainable

developmentAmsterdam as an

international business destination

Cruise market development

Communication plan Targeted publicity

campaings Organising eventsSocial networking

Ambassadors Guides

….

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City Card

Direct access to Facebook

Ambassadors network

o The website of the Tourism Board of Amsterdam and itslogo « I amsterdam »

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o Facebook page « I amsterdam »

o Ambasadors network webpage

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Bilbao

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Tourism development strategy of Bilbao

Ambition :

• Urban and socialtransformation -regeneration of the city

• Economic dynamism -develop tertiary andtouristic activities aroundthe industrial tissue of theregion

• Creation of a « brand »,associating the nameBilbao to the image of acultural city and animportant landmark ofcontemporaryarchitecture.

Key factors for success

• A coherent strategy builtfor the entire city and theregion

• An ambitious and boldcultural policy: worldrenowned GuggenheimMuseum of contemporaryart

• Focus on architectureinvolving prestigious(Gehry, Calatrava,Foster), but also localtalented architects

• Important infrastructureworks that have allowedthe release of land fornew urban developmentprojects

• Offensive communicationstrategy

Total investment of 3.609 million Euro:

• Guggenheim Museum: 144million Euro (financedmainly by the Basquegovernment and theprovince of Biscava, whilethe city-hall gave thelands)

• Congress Hall: 84 demillion Euro

• Airport : 204 million Euro

• Urban developments inBilbao : 288 million Euro

• Urban developmentsaround Bilbao : 108million Euro

• Subway network : 1 491million Euro

Public-private partnership:

• Europe / State / Region /Province / City – gatheredin an strong structure:Bilbao Ria 2000

Context : Embedded in a river valley where available land is scarce, Bilbao had to face in 1980 the decline of itstraditional industries (heavy industry, steel mills, shipyards). In 1987 one revitalization plan, developed in collaborationwith the authorities in Madrid and in the Basque province, formalized the ambition of the city of Bilbao :

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A development around a structure – element: the Guggenheim Museum

Guggenheim Museum Cultural and business hub

San MamésStadium

40 000 seats

A new culture and business hub on Ria, between the Guggenheim Museum and the Congress Hall: 35 hectares on the strategic site of

Abandoïbarra.

Program :o 80.000 m² office spaces.o 31.000 m² mall.o Hotels.o Extension of the University area.o 800 new apartments.o 200.000 m² of green spaces and

construction free areas.o Promenade along the banks and

integration with the 3 km pedestrian circuit along the Ria.

o Pedestrian bridge to connect the two banks

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Communication

Focus on culture:World capital of design, concerts, events,…

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Marketing

Direct access to reservation and purchase system of « Bilbao Card »

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Zoom on the reservation system

Geolocation of accommodation offers

A guide for the hotels and restaurants

Available places live and in real time

Daily promotions

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Riga

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Riga : city of contrasts

o European Capital of Culture in 2014

o UNESCO city historical centre

o But also, a city where the tourism by night is developing and becoming more attractive for numerous English « staggers »

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« Stag Parties » in Riga : main target of Low-cost airlines

Concept

« Stag Parties » (Bachelor parties) : a wild week-end among friends

In order to insure a high occupancy rate for the flights to the Baltic Countries, low-cost airlines, likeRyanair, don’t hesitate to target groups of young Englishmen who are looking for cheap « Stag Parties ».

Ryanair Riga promotion for English clientele : « Cheap Beer, Cheap girls »

Product

On average, a return flight to Riga costs less than 50 Euro. The Ryanair return flight London –Riga alcosts only 9 Euro (trade agreement between the company and the Latvian authorities)

Other touristic products: Strip Limousine, paint-ball in an old Russian army base, driving an oldRussian car and running it into a tree on a race track …

Between 2004 and 2008 : + 53% « staggers » in Riga

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Marketing the « Stag parties »

A tour-operator / Travelling agency that is specialized in organising « Stag parties » vacations

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Official website of the Tourism Office in Riga

Official communication on the « Blonds’ parade », in the heart of the City of Beautiful Women

Presentation of Riga’s patrimony