Urban tourism or tourism in the city is becoming more and more important nowadays. Holidaymakers are attracted by the charm, folklore and activities of cities, especially European cities.
Urban tourism: what is it?
By definition, tourism is the act of moving from your usual environment to discover the ecological, cultural, or economic aspects of a place. This travel must not exceed a period of one year, and tourists do not engage in any paid activity in the places they visit. As for the word urban, it refers to everything about the city.
Urban tourism is therefore the socio-cultural, economic, ecological and infrastructural activities deployed in urban areas to attract external visitors. The visitor must spend at least one night in the city to be qualified as a tourist. Urban tourism creates additional income for the city in question.
Urban tourism around the world
Urban tourism is a practice that is becoming increasingly popular around the world. European cities are among the most visited cities. Paris and London are the most popular destinations for tourists with about a hundred million overnight stays per year. Then follow Rome, Venice, Berlin, Madrid, Barcelona, Istanbul, Prague or Amsterdam, which are the European cities preferred by tourists.
In American cities, the big apple is the most visited city with about ten million foreign visitors per year. Los Angeles, Miami and Orlando each attract about 5 million visitors per year. Finally, there are Las Vegas, San Francisco, Washington DC or Honolulu, which present to each of the surrounding tourists the annual 3 million.
As for the Asian continent, Asia Pacific holds the record for the ranking of cities favoured by tourists. Hong Kong, the Chinese megalopolis and Bangkok, the Thai capital, are the most popular with urban tourists.
Practice urban tourism
Urban tourism is very attractive for culture lovers. Visiting museums, attending a play or discovering a heritage, cultural activities are diverse in the city. Business tourism is also a practice of urban tourism, as it generally takes place in the city, including business trips, conferences, forums, symposia, etc. There are also those who carry out urban tourism for the purpose of shopping and acquiring new souvenirs.