Inside City Tourism

Cities are the dominant geographical focus of business and leisure tourism travel, and cities everywhere are regenerating and reinventing themselves so as to attract visitors, students and investment. Inside City Tourism explores the organisational challenges to which this gives rise, and in particular examines the history, structure and functioning of the urban delivery mechanisms set up to raise profile and maximise tourism. The book is written by the Chief Executive Officer of European Cities Marketing who – as a former tourism academic and city marketing professional – is uniquely placed to synthesise academic and practical insights and to provide a distinctively European overview. While cities increasingly seek to differentiate themselves through brands, events and iconic structures, the approaches, techniques and language used by cities to promote themselves is remarkably similar across the length and breadth of Europe. Never before published case material exemplifies best practice in city marketing, with the greater part of leading edge practice to be found in Scandinavia, Holland, Germany, Austria and Spain. Inside City Tourism ‘tells it like it is’, uncovering the pitfalls and failures as well as the opportunities and successes, and the attendant leadership challenges. It is essential reading for practitioners and policymakers as well as students and academics.

John Heeley runs his own business advising destination marketing organisations, universities and local government on the subject of urban destination marketing. He is also a visiting fellow at Sheffield Hallam University, where he teaches destination marketing and is developing associated industry links and research.