New York City Tourism + Conventions’ Post

Cities around the world are facing unprecedented challenges in managing the surge of tourists descending upon their streets. While it's no secret that #tourism is vital for economic growth, the influx of visitors has put a strain on infrastructure, resources, and the overall quality of life for residents. It is crucial for cities to adapt to this new reality and find innovative solutions to manage over tourism. Charging visitors may seem like a straightforward way to deal with the issue, but is it really the only way? I believe that cities can take a more holistic approach to managing over tourism by implementing a combination of strategies. This can include promoting sustainable tourism practices, investing in infrastructure to accommodate crowds, and working with local communities to ensure their needs are met. Charging visitors may help alleviate some of the strain on cities, but it is essential to consider the impact it may have on accessibility and equity. #architecture #urbandesign #urbanism #placemaking #cities https://lnkd.in/ekPB5giv

Way to go Pensacola! Let's keep up the momentum! "The smallest city in our ranking shines as bright as its Gulf of Mexico beaches." Pensacola's ranking jumped from #96 in 2023 to #77 in 2024 in the 2024 America’s Best Cities Report! Rankings are Based on: 1. Livability: What are the top three towns or cities you would most like to live in? 2. Lovability: What are the top three towns or cities you would most like to visit? 3. Prosperity: Which three towns or cities do you think offer the best job opportunities? #economicdevelopment

We have been saying this for years - #Tallinn is one of the most walkable cities in the world. Thanks to Insider Monkey and Forbes we now have proof! Great reporting Laura Begley Bloom! Insider Monkey—an investing website—has curated a list of the most walkable cities in 2024, places that are perfect for #travellers who believe the best way to experience a destination is by going to locations where every step is an #adventure. We're happy to be in amazing company ranking 7th of the bunch!   What does #walkability give to a city? It definitely enhances the city experience for both business event attendees and holiday makers.   Imagine that you are taking part of a #convention! You have just had a full day of motivating presentations & inspiring interactions with colleagues at a huge event centre. The closing speeches are on their way. What next? A long commute on a bus or a hired car to your hotel? A feeling that it's too late to explore the spectacular city that you are visiting? Well, in Tallinn there is none of that. The event venues, hotels, entertainment and shopping are all within a walking distance from each other. You could probably catch a glimpse of the city on your lunch break and transition to a lovely #restaurant, #café or a #pub to enjoy Tallinn’s top-notch #gastronomy with your new found friends after the event.   The same goes to holiday visitors, because of the #compactness you don’t need to make compromises. Walking around the city will slow down your experience to a walking pace that will allow you to take everything in, all the while enjoying a great work-out and not stressing that you are not experiencing every aspect of the destination.   There is no FOMO in Tallinn!   Do you need any further convincing before including Tallinn in your plans?!? #VisitTallinn #VisitEstonia #WalkableCity #HiddenGems #CityWalks #MICE #MICEDestination #HumanScale https://lnkd.in/dVDe-SsM

What assets does your region have that could be utilised in a whole different way? Reframe, rejeuvenate, reinvent.

A few themes which I found very interesting from the past few days attending the World Cities Summit: 1. "No regrets" - this is Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore (URA) Chief Planner Adele Tan's over-arching philosophy when it comes to urban planning. It is a great and simple way for all stakeholders to think about what we want for our cities 10, 20 or even 50 years out. We have seen around the world many big, shiny objects planned today which have become white elephants just 5 years on. Let's not do that. 2. Be a city of "Yes!" - this was how Edith Hsu-Chen from New York City government describes the Big Apple. This planning philosophy requires governments to proactively engage members of the communities, domain experts and the private sector to build a coalition which will come together to transform neighbourhoods, districts or even an entire city. It also means that governments have to start from a place where the goal is to enable and empower, not just ban and block. 3. Public-private partnerships are still mission critical - this was something we were pushing hard throughout the 3 days summit, whether on stage by my most able colleagues Mich Goh and Huw Phillips or off the stage by my entire team at the Summit. And we found from the other speeches and the conversations we had that it is also a very widely-believed and frequently repeated philosophy by many of the other attendees. The pandemic has shown us clearly that governments alone cannot solve something which is so widespread and so disruptive. Everyone needs to come together and do their parts to get us through the challenge and recover from it. There are a lot more disruptive, widespread and longer-lasting challenges facing all humanities today - climate change, housing crisis, technologies threatening existing jobs, youth unemployment, etc. And most existential of all - geo-political tensions which, if not handled well, might just unleash World War 3. For whatever little part Airbnb can play in bringing people together, bringing the world closer and promoting a different way of living, working and travelling, we hope we have gotten our message across over the past 3 days in Singapore. If we have not had a chance for a chat and you are still curious about how we can partner with your government, organisation or company, check out this link to see the various ways we can do so - https://lnkd.in/gj4jVnYc? And drop me a line to do a Zoom call or grab a coffee. Let's build our cities better together. #worldcitiessummit #airbnb #singapore #publicprivatepartnership

Here are some interesting reminders for intelligent urban regeneration: Urban areas strained by overtourism, saturated with short-term rentals and retailers selling cheap souvenirs have lost their authenticity and are not good for the local community or the environment. Sustainable tourism can be good for cities: repeat visitors rather than one-off city hoppers, and short-term rentals can help drive urban regeneration in those areas of a city that are not the more traditional attractions, but in some cases are still authentic. Attracting innovative businesses and new foreign residents, such as young families and nomadic talents who come to work and are committed to lay roots in the lesser-known urban areas, can have a very significant regenerative impact. Tackling the housing crisis is not just about building new homes, but also making the most of the existing stock. Porto has paid some owners a rent and then sublet their homes at a lower, affordable rate.. “This form of subsidizing rents is much cheaper than building housing,…” and “It has another big advantage, which is that we don’t uproot people. It’s an anti-gentrification strategy.” #urbanregeneration #urbanplanning #urbandevelopment #cities #sustainability #housing #realestate #tourism #sustainabledevelopment #gentrification #affordablehousing

A potentially historic moment for #shorttermrental regulation and #urbanplanning in Europe in Florence's historic centre - all this at a time when #Barcelona has just announced its own potential ban on #holidayrentals by late 2028. If you are affected by the TAR decision or would like to contribute your insights to our ShortTermRentalz article, please do get in touch. All of the details can be found in the news story below. ShortTermRentalz International Hospitality Media Limited #shorttermrentals #vacationrentals #Florence #Firenze #Italy #affitibrevi Associazione Italiana Gestori Affitti Brevi - AIGAB Marco Celani Giulia Buia Alice La Marca Airbnb

Liverpool tops poll to find best large city break: Liverpool’s “buzzing atmosphere” has led to it being named the UK’s best large city break in a survey. The city topped a Which? poll which asked its members about their visits to UK cities and towns in the last two years. The destinations were scored on accommodation, food and drink, cultural sights and value for money, the consumer brand said. Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said Liverpool also stood out for its “fantastic cultural scene” in its survey of almost 4,000 members. Liverpool took top spot in the large cities category with a city score of 84%, beating Manchester (71%) and capital cities Belfast (77%), London (76%) and Cardiff (72%). Boland said: “Whether you’re after vibrant nightlife, world class museums or a first-rate dining experience, our survey shows that the UK has a wealth of fantastic cities just waiting to be explored. Liverpool stood out among the UK’s large cities for its fantastic cultural scene and buzzing atmosphere, beating London and the UK’s other capital cities to take first place

ICYMI: New York City Tops World’s Priciest Most Visited Cities List: Opting for a short-haul city break presents an excellent opportunity for prospective holidaymakers who wish to explore new destinations while keeping their expenses in check. SOURCE: New York City Tops World’s Priciest Most Visited Cities List BY: eTurboNews | eTN #travelnews

What are your feelings these days about short-term rentals, #eventprofs? Do they play a role in shrinking hotel room blocks for your events? Are you concerned that more cities cracking down on Airbnb, VRBO and the like will drive up hotel room rates in general? Short-term rental controversy certainly isn't new, but Barcelona now hopes to curb overtourism and out-of-control housing costs with a hard-line stance they believe could serve as a blueprint for other destinations. This article touches on some interesting points about neighborhood community and quality of life, too. #str #overtourism #airbnb