“ You want to see the people that live here”: using everyday life to create a distinctive city destination Professor Robert Maitland Director, Centre for Tourism Research Centre for Tourism Research

Events and Icons certainly attract visitors …

London’s latest tourism attractions

And coming shortly …

But London’s greatest tourism attractions?

1 Shift of focus From Cities Shaping Tourists - planned, predictable tourism development To Tourists shaping ‘their’ cities - exploration, experience, attachment

From Cities Shaping Tourists -

planned, predictable tourism development

To Tourists shaping ‘their’ cities -

exploration, experience, attachment

1 Shift of focus From Cities Shaping Tourists - planned, predictable tourism development Heritage precincts Tourism Bubble (Judd) ‘ Iconic’ attractions Cultural Quarters (Montgomery ) Events But Costly City standardisation Neglects changing visitor preferences

From Cities Shaping Tourists -

planned, predictable tourism development

Heritage precincts

Tourism Bubble (Judd)

‘ Iconic’ attractions

Cultural Quarters (Montgomery )

Events

But

Costly

City standardisation

Neglects changing visitor preferences

1 Shift of focus To Tourists shaping cities - exploration, experience, attachment Diverse, experienced tourists

To Tourists shaping cities -

exploration, experience, attachment

Diverse, experienced tourists

Beyond the tourist stereotype

1 Shift of focus Tourists shaping cities exploration, experience, attachment diverse tourists other mobilities - ‘as if’ tourists – e.g. students

Tourists shaping cities

exploration, experience, attachment

diverse tourists

other mobilities - ‘as if’ tourists – e.g. students

Tourist? Tourists? Tourist? Tourist?

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

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

Off the Beaten Track London Paris Berlin New York City Sydney

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

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

Bankside

Islington

3. The Appeal of Bankside and Islington ‘ 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

‘ 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

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 .”

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 .”

The Appeal of Bankside and Islington 2 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”

2 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”

The Appeal of Bankside and Islington 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 ”.

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 ”.

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 ”

4. Discussion: Enjoying Everyday Life Discriminating experienced visitors seek the distinctive and ‘real’ 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 …)

Discriminating experienced visitors seek the distinctive and ‘real’

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 …)

4 Conclusions Everyday life a source of competitive advantage Costs the city less than icons and events = € 13b + 3 Builds Distinctiveness not standardisation 4 And c heaper for credit crunched visitors

Everyday life a source of competitive advantage

Costs the city less than icons and events

Thank you Professor Robert Maitland Director, Centre for Tourism Research [email_address] www.westminster.ac.uk/tourism

Thank you

Professor Robert Maitland

Director, Centre for Tourism Research

[email_address]

www.westminster.ac.uk/tourism