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Professor Robert MaitlandDirector, Centre for Tourism Research
Citation preview
© Robert Maitland
“You want to see the people that live here”:using everyday life to create a distinctive city
destination
Professor Robert MaitlandDirector, Centre for Tourism Research
Centre for Tourism Research
© Robert Maitland
Events and Icons certainly attract visitors …
© Robert Maitland
London’s latest tourism attractions
© Robert Maitland
And coming shortly …
© Robert Maitland
But London’s greatest tourism attractions?
© Robert Maitland
1 Shift of focus
From Cities Shaping Tourists -planned, predictable tourism development
To Tourists shaping ‘their’ cities - exploration, experience, attachment
© Robert Maitland
1 Shift of focus
From Cities Shaping Tourists -planned, predictable tourism development• Heritage precincts • Tourism Bubble (Judd)• ‘Iconic’ attractions • Cultural Quarters (Montgomery)• EventsBut• Costly• City standardisation • Neglects changing visitor preferences
© Robert Maitland
1 Shift of focus
To Tourists shaping cities - exploration, experience, attachment
• Diverse, experienced tourists
© Robert Maitland
Beyond the tourist stereotype
© Robert Maitland
1 Shift of focus
Tourists shaping cities exploration, experience, attachment
• diverse tourists • other mobilities - ‘as if’ tourists – e.g. students
© Robert Maitland
Tourist? Tourists?
Tourist?
Tourist?
© Robert Maitland
1 Shift of focus
Tourists shaping cities exploration, experience, attachment
• diverse tourists • other mobilities - ‘as if’ tourists – e.g. students• search for ‘real’ experiences – often off the
beaten track
© Robert Maitland
LondonParisBerlinNew York CitySydney
Off the Beaten Track
© Robert Maitland
2 Everyday life in London: Islington & Bankside
Characteristics• Popular with visitors but• Not developed as tourism precincts • Off the beaten track
Research• Surveys of overseas visitors• In depth interviews
Off the (Yahoo) Beaten Track …
Bankside
Islington
© Robert Maitland
© Robert Maitland
Bankside
© Robert Maitland
Islington
© Robert Maitland
3. The Appeal of Bankside and Islington
1 ‘Not touristy’ • ‘off the beaten track’• ‘out of the way places where there aren’t so
many people catering for tourists’• Big ‘touristy attractions’ do not dominate
© Robert Maitland
3. The Appeal of Bankside and Islington
2 the appeal of everyday life
“I saw a lot of tourists, of course, but there were a lot of people that were from here. I think they were coming out of their offices and they were having something to eat at the restaurants… I like the mix. I don’t like to see all tourists. You want to see the people that live here, how they act, how they live their life.”
© Robert Maitland
The Appeal of Bankside and Islington2 the appeal of everyday life
“People going about their daily tasks”
“Normal Londoners just doing their thing”
“Museums [are] interesting – but they could be anywhere”
© Robert Maitland
The Appeal of Bankside and Islington2 the appeal of everyday life
“… tourist spots are always very generic … you feel like … I’m just doing the typical tourist thing but if you end up in the place where the locals go, it feels like a more authentic experience somehow. A glimpse of how life is in the city”.
© Robert Maitland
3. The Appeal of Bankside and Islington
“one of our favourite places has been Tesco … we just like to look around and see people”
“You can actually see the real London and see how people work. You can walk by … and see them typing on their computers … It’s kind of cool ”
© Robert Maitland
4. Discussion: Enjoying Everyday Life
1 Discriminating experienced visitors seek the distinctive and ‘real’
2 Distinctive and ‘real’= interesting cityscape + consumption opportunities + local people / everyday life
3 ‘Real London’: idealised city, emerging as islands in homogenised and branded London (residents would agree …)
© Robert Maitland
4 Conclusions
1 Everyday life a source of competitive advantage2 Costs the city less than icons and events
= € 13b +
3 Builds Distinctiveness not standardisation
4 And cheaper for credit crunched visitors
© Robert Maitland
Thank you
Professor Robert MaitlandDirector, Centre for Tourism Research
www.westminster.ac.uk/tourism