ANNULÉ - New urban tourism in Barcelona and Paris: Reflecting the limits of touristification

European urban tourism has been shaped by dynamic growth during the past few several decades. Urban neighborhoods are affected by ongoing touristification. In numerous places, the presence of an increasing number of travelers leads to an intensification of stress and conflicts. Consequently, it is important to think about how much tourism urban areas can bear and how tourism can be arranged in a way that accommodates locals and travelers alike.

Drawing upon the cases of Barcelona and Paris, the presentation will address and reflect various aspects of the touristification of urban spaces. Firstly, some of the reasons for the current growth of urban tourism will be sketched out. Secondly, a few examples will be used to illustrate how travelers’ interests and activities contribute to the rise of new urban tourism. It will be demonstrated that the limits of touristification are perceived and evaluated differently by locals and travelers.

Tim Freytag is professor for human geography at the Institute of Environmental Social Sciences and Geography the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (Germany). His main interest in research and lecturing are tourism and mobility studies, social and cultural geography, educational geography as well as urban- and metropolitan studies. His principal focus of the last few years has been the transformation of European city tourism.

After completing his studies in geography, history and romance studies at the Universities of Heidelberg (Germany), Granada (Spain) and Geneva (Switzerland) Freytag earned his PhD at the University of Heidelberg in 2003. Before being appointed at the University Freiburg in 2010, Freytag has been first academic researcher in Heidelberg and then professor for cultural geography at the University of Kiel (Germany). Is research is interdisciplinary driven and internationally orientated.