MASS TOURISM IN HISTORIC CITIES.EFFECTS ON THE TOURISTS'EXPERIENCE AND POSSIBLE RISKSFOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

摘要

Urban tourism is booming. European cities can look back on an average annual growth rate of 3% (1) regarding overnight stays from 1995 to 2005 (Freytag, 2007). Recent analysis indicates that this trend continues to date (ECM, 2009). This growth and its effects have been commented frequently (Freytag, 2007; Freytag, Popp, 2009; Jagnow, Wachowiak, 2000; Pott, 2007). Due to the related job growth and the positive city image effects, the boom is very welcome by cities with low to moderate tourist activities. However, cities with already high visitor numbers have ambivalent feelings: when tourists increase beyond a certain number we can speak of mass tourism, and the related effects of this cause com-mon problems.