Urban tourism is a term describing multiple tourist activities in which city is main destination and place of interest. This form of tourism is relatively old and very complex.According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), urban tourism is defined as "a type of tourism activity which takes place in an urban space with its inherent attributes characterized by non-agricultural based economy such as administration, manufacturing, trade and services and by being nodal points of transport. Urban/city destinations offer a broad and heterogeneous range of cultural, architectural, technological, social and natural experiences and products for leisure and business.There are different activities carried out by city tourists, among them the visit to buildings within a city, such as museums and art galleries, religious temples, skyscrapers and buildings with some historical interest, monuments and memorials, cemeteries, etc. There is also another modality of city tourism associated with attendance at massive events, such as festivals, concerts, parades, conferences, demonstrations and protests, etc. Tourist activities linked to nightlife and cultural tourism are also typical of city tourism, due to the supply that exists in the most populated areas. In the same way, there is a correlation between city tourism and shopping tourism, especially for people from smaller towns or countryside, who take advantage of sightseeing while shopping.Tour operators have a varied offer of tourism packages that include visits within a specific city, as well as several cities within a country or continent. In addition, expert tourist guides are available in cities with a large influx of tourists.
Urban tourism can represent a driving force in the development of many cities and countries contributing to the progress of the New Urban Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, in particular, Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Tourism is intrinsically linked to how a city develops itself and provides more and better living conditions to its residents and visitors.
Fulfilling tourism’s potential as a tool of sustainable and inclusive growth for cities requires a multi-stakeholder and multilevel approach based on close cooperation among tourism and non-tourism administrations at different levels, private sector, local communities and tourists themselves. Likewise, the sustainable development and management of tourism in cities needs to be integrated into the wider urban agenda.