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Destination London: The Expansion of the Visitor Economy
Destination London: The Expansion of the Visitor Economy

series edited by Andrew Smith
edited by Andrew Smith and Anne Graham

University of Westminster Press, 2019

ISBNs

Paper: 978-1-912656-26-4

eISBN: 978-1-912656-28-8

About the Book

“A welcome addition to the field of urban tourism research... its content could prove useful not only to students and academic, but also to policymakers interested in better understanding the implications of tourism development and the expansion of the visitor economy in large cities.” - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261517719301785

London is one of the world’s most popular destinations and visitors contribute approximately £14.9 billion of expenditure to the city every year. Its tourism and events sectors are growing and over the last few years London has received more visitors than ever before. However, detailed accounts of the city’s visitor economy are conspicuously absent.

This book analyses how the capital is developing as a destination through the expansion of tourism and events into new urban spaces. The book outlines how parts of London not previously regarded as tourist territory are now subject to the visitor gaze with tourism spreading beyond established central zones into peripheral, suburban and residential areas – in part propelled by a big rise in peer to peer accommodation use. Simultaneously, London’s airports and sports stadiums and their surrounds are becoming destinations in their own right. New vantage points have been created, allowing tourists to explore the city: from above, at night-time or through tours given by the homeless; via the opening up of the River Thames; or through the transformation of local parks into eventscapes. 

The book explores these trends and shows how urban destinations expand. In doing so, it enhances our understanding of London and highlights the growing significance of tourism and events in global cities.

About the Author
Andrew Smith is a Reader in Tourism and Events at the University of Westminster. He is the author of Events and Urban Regeneration (2012) and Events in the City (2016).

Anne Graham is Professor of Air Transport and Tourism Management at the University of Westminster. Her most recent books include Air Transport: A Tourism Perspective (2019) and The Routledge Companion to Air Transport Management (2018).
Tags
Human Geography, England, Urban, Architecture, Sociology, Social Science
Open Access Information

License: CC BY-NC-ND