| 1. |
- Abbasian, Saeid, 1961-
(författare)
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Solo travellers to city destinations : an exploratory study in Sweden
- 2019
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Ingår i: International Journal of Tourism Cities. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 2056-5607 .- 2056-5615. ; 5:1, s. 35-50
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to gain more insight into the phenomenon of solo travel to city destinations and attain more knowledge on the topic.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a questionnaire consisting of qualitative and quantitative items. In all, 21 individuals (12 women, 9 men) responded.FindingsThe most important reason for solo travel was their own free choice and in some cases, difficulty finding companions. Their activities at the destinations were mostly visiting attractions followed by visiting friends, shopping, walking, eating at restaurants, learning the language, working, etc. They mostly mentioned advantages but also some disadvantages with solo travelling. Their experiences, especially with the people in the host destinations, have been positive and they show overall satisfaction with their visit. A predominant share of the interviewees showed a kind of loyalty to one or more specific city destinations and wished to revisit them again and again.Practical implicationsThe current study might have some implications for city tourism developers/destination developers, travel agencies, national or regional tourism boards and tour operators in major urban areas and cities. Especially, this study has a practical contribution to the city tourism practitioners and gives them more insight in what values, attitudes, perceptions, expectations and motivations the solo travellers might have before or while they visit their cities. The study also has implications for potential solo travellers seeking more knowledge and information on the issue.Originality/valueThe phenomenon of solo travel to city destinations is an unresearched topic in Sweden. This exploratory study is the first in Sweden to focus on solo travellers visiting city destinations.
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| 2. |
- Adie, Bailey Ashton, et al.
(författare)
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Urban tourism and urban socialist and communist heritage : beyond tragedy and farce?
- 2017
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Ingår i: International Journal of Tourism Cities. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 2056-5607 .- 2056-5615. ; 3:3, s. 291-304
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose - Existing literature on state socialist and communist heritage as a form of tourist consumption predominately focuses on destination contexts, such as the former Soviet countries and the few remaining state communist countries (i.e. China, North Korea and Cuba). As a result, the visitation to places linked to the history of socialism and communism in the so-called western pluralist democracies has often been overlooked and, at most, unacknowledged, especially as most research on "socialist" heritage focuses on sites connected to statist heritage rather than sites connected to socialist movements. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach - This paper aims to fill the gap in terms of research focusing on these types of sites, with evidence from a range of countries in Europe and the Americas. It does so by illustrating the presence and engagement with official and non-official communist/socialist heritage at varying levels of commodification. Findings - The paper concludes that not only is there a need to broaden the concept of socialist heritage but that its framing needs to continue to be understood from present day ideological discourses and struggles with respect to the marking of urban heritage tourist locations. Originality/value - This contribution advocates the broadening of the concept of socialist heritage by acknowledging the relevance of "hidden" urban sites related to key socialist thinkers, socialist opposition to fascism, and civil wars in which the socialist movement was involved, while also drawing parallels between the levels of socialist/heritage recognition and use as a commodity in relation to the historical narrative within the studied countries.
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| 3. |
- Bassols i Gardella, Narcís, 1965-
(författare)
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Guided tours and tourist attractions in the postpandemic world : thematic evolutions and spatial changes
- 2023
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Ingår i: International Journal of Tourism Cities. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 2056-5607 .- 2056-5607. ; 9:4, s. 960-973
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to widen the understanding of the shifts the tourism industry experienced as it went though the Covid-19 pandemic. To contribute to this question, an empirical comparison is made between the supply of guided tours and sights at an urban destination in the pre- and postpandemic eras, thus gauging the changes in the guiding tours industry after the pandemic.Design/methodology/approachBy conducting a convenience data gathering and a double-level analysis (tours analysis and sights analysis) on the tours and attractions supply at an urban destination, underlying trends come to light, related to the changes in the postpandemic era. This empirical comparison (2019 vs 2022) allows the authors to assess what has and has not changed in the postpandemic context. FindingsGuided tours and attractions supply are evolving in the researched destination, but at a slow pace. Therefore, we conclude that long-term processes in destinations prevail over short-term disruptions, no matter how strong these disturbances are. Practical implicationsThe results are of interest to practitioners as they facilitate a better assessment of the impacts of a crisis and greater awareness of the evolution of attractions in urban tourism. While the “staple tours” in a destination are always there, practitioners should keep an eye on new spaces in the city which the sector is opening up and also new touring trends. Originality/valueThis study is one of the few to empirically compare a pre- and postpandemic situation, as far as city-guided tours are concerned. It helps practitioners and authorities in urban destinations to assess the new trends that have emerged in the postpandemic era, and offers a two-level tool for tour analysis that could be applied to any urban destination.
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| 4. |
- Cassinger, Cecilia, et al.
(författare)
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The narrative rhythm of terror: : A study of the Stockholm terrorist attack and the 'Last Night in Sweden' event
- 2018
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Ingår i: International Journal of Tourism Cities. - 2056-5607. ; 4:4, s. 484-494
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how the mediatisation of terror attacks affects the brand image of tourism cities.Design/methodology/approachInformed by theories of mediatisation and space, the study analyses two different types of terror attacks in Sweden during 2017 as media events. The focus of analysis is on identifying spatial and temporal patterns that underpin the narrative rhythm of the discussions of the events on Twitter and online news platforms.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that the unfolding of the events can be divided into three phases of varying intensity in rhythm and implications for city brand image. The manifestation of an imaginary terror attack in a digital environment had a greater impact on the narratives of the city than an actual one.Research limitations/implicationsRythmanalysis is introduced as a useful device to examine how urban space is mediatised through social media and online news flows.Originality/valueThe study contributes with novel knowledge on the mediatisation of city space on digital media platforms in a post-truth world. It shows that city administrations need to deal with both real and imaginary terror attacks, especially when there is an already established negative image of the city.
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| 5. |
- Nilsson, Jan-Henrik
(författare)
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Conceptualizing and Contextualizing Overtourism: the Dynamics of Accelerating Urban Tourism
- 2020
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Ingår i: International Journal of Tourism Cities. - 2056-5607. ; 6:4, s. 657-671
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: From the background of the dramatic increase of urban tourism, framed by the concept of overtourism, the purpose of this paper is to analyze and discuss current dynamic processes of urban tourism growth, as presented in the scientific literature. With the help of a literature review, this paper aims to discuss current definitions and conceptualizations of overtourism and discuss the driving forces for the growth of urban tourism, thereby situating overtourism in relational to general structural change. Design/methodology/approach: This paper builds on a non-exhaustive review of the scientific literature about overtourism and related topics, supplemented by a review of a few central policy documents. Findings: Conceptually, overtourism relates to two different, but related, perspectives. The first one concern (negative) experiences of resident population and visitors, whereas the second relates to thresholds for the carrying capacity of destinations. Most of the reviewed literature focuses on three aspects of overtourism: localized problems in inner cities, the supply of unregulated accommodation through Airbnb and Airbnbs as a driving force of gentrification. Important perspectives are missing from the literature, mainly related to the development of driving forces of urban tourism growth in time and space. This observation is the starting point for a discussion on driving forces in an evolutionary perspective with the ambition of relating the growth of urban tourism to long waves of structural development. Research limitations/implications: The paper focuses on overtourism in urban contexts, rural tourism is not discussed. Practical implications: In identifying the importance of driving forces for understanding the dynamics of urban tourism growth, a holistic view on managing mitigation might be possible. Originality/value: The paper adds an evolutionary perspective to the discussion about overtourism and its causes. Thereby, it answers to a need to take tourism seriously in social science, as a major economic, social and ecologic force. In emphasizing the relationship between driving forces on different geographic scales and levels, power relations are highlighted. The paper discusses the role of driving forces for mitigating overtourism. An understanding of the dynamics of driving forces is essential for the development of urban sustainable tourism.
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