Smart City Attractiveness: for tourists and residents

The attractiveness of a smart city is in the eye of beholders, Romao et al. (2018) argues. Through his study on the factors that influenced how residents and tourists rate the attractiveness of their cities. For instance, population growth is influenced by the economic condition and the availability of cultural interaction in the city. Cities that encourage research and development environments also are attractive quality residents appreciate, as it opens diverse kinds of employment opportunities. In addition, residents favour an environment that supports creative industry and good working environments. On the other hand, economic growth that is unsustainable may cause the rise of housing costs and price level, negatively affecting residents’ attraction to live in the city. 

While tourists also enjoy the city with various cultural activities, tourists put high regards on the liveability of the city to choose it as a destination. This may be due to the aspect related to security, ease of living and well-being that contributes to the liveability. Tourists also appreciate accessibility more compared to the residents as the condition may be more catered toward the needs of tourists. As the “attractive” qualities that the two groups prefer slightly differ, it is critical for the municipalities to balance the need of attracting tourists and retaining residents satisfactory in their wellbeing in the city.

Reference:

Romao, J., Kourtit, K., Neuts, B., & Nijkamp, P. (2018). The smart city as a common place for tourists and residents: A structural analysis of the determinants of urban attractiveness. Cities, 78, 67-75.