Historic cities, architecture and tourism: the threat of globalisation

A keynote address that discussed tourism in historic cities around the following aspects. First, historical attributes as a primary element of urban tourism; second, being part of a wider system of city elements; and third, the opportunity of trails to showcase historic sites and spaces. The address then focused on the relationship between tourism and architecture, where the argument was made that architectural forms are very much part of tourism attraction both in historical and modern. The lecture concluded with some observations between tourism, architecture and globalisation where homogeneity was contrasted with heterogeneity. The argument being made was twofold: 1, the importance of maintaining the aesthetic attributes of places and 2, the avoidance of creating spaces that are all the same.