Volume: 2  Number: 1  Page: 1–13  doi:10.2167/jht011.0

Framing Urban Heritage and the International Tourist

Martine C. Middleton Department of Tourism and Leisure Management, Lancashire Business School, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR 1 2HE, UK

Cities often resemble congested, complex and chaotic places, yet tourists continue to arrive from an ever-increasing number of new and different generating regions. In particular, the postmodern urban landscape endeavours to fulfil the broadest expectations and experiences of such transitory users. Whereas tourists may participate within the same urban location, individual preference and experience may perhaps differ. This study focuses upon the postmodern city of Manchester and asks ‘who is the urban heritage tourist, and what defines them from others?’ Using principal component analysis, four statistically independent factors were extracted to illuminate the solely urban heritage tourist. The urban heritage tourist is initially defined by visual preference, and then further characterised through verbal narrative. Thus the tourist experience of critical engagement and emotional detachment towards their newfound physical surroundings serves to frame contemporary urban heritage today.

Keywords: urban heritage, cities, landscape, environment, tourist type

© 2007 M.C. Middleton

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