Tides of Tourism

In this track we will investigate tourism as a spatio-temporal phenomenon, with its own daily, weekly, seasonal and yearly rhythms, which can be guided and governed as flows and tides. Rhythms, like tides, engage temporality and spatial compositions, and in the urban context they also gain a policy dimension. Conceptualising tourism through these frames of reference allows space to reconsider ontologies around demographics (i.e. the tourist and the local), regulations (local and regional scales), and spatial usages and distributions, while rhythm interventions choreographs how these urban practices intersect. Our exploration takes place in Amsterdam, Venice and Glasgow, cities that were adapted to tidal rhythms throughout the centuries. The first two cities are faced with overflowing tourism, and have adopted different management approaches, while the latter is looking for ways to invite tourism, enrich the economy of the city. By proposing rhythm interventions, we will think speculatively about orchestrating tourism in cities.