C
ities now constitute the battleground
for visitors, with urban travellers making
up the greatest percentage of potential
and actual visitors in the global tourism
industry. Up to 80% of all international tourists
travel to a city and explore the surrounds thereafter.
City trips increased with 13% in 2012 as opposed
to sun and beach holidays that grew with only
1%. ?The rapid growth of city tourism will have a
dynamic influence on destinations and the travel
industry in the years to come. For destinations and
the industry to benefit, it is important to understand
the dynamics of city tourism and the unique
needs of the urban tourist.
This growing yearning for authenticity,
accountability and responsible living is key
to understanding today’s human and travel
landscape. The deep need to connect emotionally
has given way to new, more affordable and
accessible forms of enjoyment that will focus on
the human and interrelational dimension of the
human race. A good example is the popularity
of a Bo-Kaap cooking safari in Cape Town and the
response it gets from around the globe.
Cities connect people. Urban tourism has a critical
role to play in the preservation of cultural identity
and fostering a greater understanding and mutual
respect of each other.
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