Urban development and the future of tourism

Abstract

The transition from a manufacturing and goods-handling economy to the service economy of the 1980s has resulted in an urban economic decline especially in the traditional industrial areas of Europe. Tourism can play an important part in economic development strategies for many older cities by providing jobs, but cities will also have to provide improved quality of life in the form of, eg restaurants, shops, activities and entertainment. US expertise is dominant in this field. Many UK cities could benefit from following the US example with imaginative and professional planning projects.