Showing posts with label Tourism. Show all posts

Friday, March 16, 2012

Studying the effects of urban sprawl of metropolis on tourism - climate index oscillation: A case study of Tehran city

by Gholamreza Roshan, Iman Rousta and Mehdi Ramesh

The present research intends to identify the effects of urban sprawl of metropolis on tourism-climate index oscillation. To do this research, two types of data have been used. The first type includes climate data such as minimum monthly temperature average, monthly temperature average, minimum relative humidity rate and monthly relative humidity average, average of wind speed, duration of sunshine and monthly rainfall, and the second component includes parameters related to urban sprawl components of Tehran city such as number of population, density, expansion and number of automobiles per 100 persons. In this research in order to identify climate-tourism range for different months TCI coefficient has been used. Based on the results taken from the average of three 18-year periods using TCI index, it has been concluded that time oscillation is seen for the majority of months in qualitative and quantitative range of climate-tourism coefficient. In a way that these time oscillations of TCI has positive trend for some months and negative for others. In the next step after making correlation between the components of urban sprawl of Tehran city with TCI index, it has been concluded that in April, May, September and November, the results show that the components of urban sprawl of the city has direct effect on providing more suitable climate-tourism conditions, however in June, July, August and September, the components of urban sprawl of the city has had a negative effect on TCI index. But in general, considering the outcome results for annual statistics, we can conclude that urban sprawl of metropolis of Tehran has had a negative effect on TCI index and this factor can be followed by undesirable conditions for Tehran in view of climate comfort in future and it will be considered as a difficulty in view of biologic conditions for tourists.

The chronological development of Tehran between 1952 and 2006, source: Zanganeh SS (2006). The analysis of Tehran urban sprawl and its effect on agricultural lands, M A Thesis in Geography and Urban Planning, University of Tehran (In Persian)

more about the urbanism of Iran:

TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT IN IRAN: TRAFFIC SAFETY AND CLEANER CARS

An Analysis to Challenges of Urban Management in Historic Center of Cities in Iran

COMPARATIVE SUSTAINABILITY OF BAZAAR IN IRANIAN TRADITIONAL CITIES: CASE STUDIES IN ISFAHAN AND TABRIZ

AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN TEHRAN

STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES FOR TEHRAN

IRAN’S MASHHAD LRT OPEN

URBAN SPRAWL AND CLIMATIC CHANGES IN TEHRAN

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Challenges to Urban Transport Sustainability and Smart Transport in a Tourist City: The Gold Coast, Australia

by Tan Yigitcanlar, Lawrence Fabian and Eddo Coiacetto

This paper aims to identify challenges to achieving sustainable and smart transport in a city whose form has been produced mainly by tourism urbanisation: the Gold Coast, Australia. The first part of the paper investigates urban transport sustainability, reviewing how urban density, travel behaviour and lifestyles, and the availability of various transportation services and modes influence urban transport sustainability. This is followed by an empirical analysis of transport trends, modal splits, and basic community profiles in the Gold Coast, to identify challenges to sustainable transport development therein. The paper also introduces and acknowledges potential positive outcomes of the current public transport policies and projects, and then explores the concept of smart transport focussing on automated people movers. The paper concludes by stating more actions for a sustainable transport system in the Gold Coast needs to be done including adaptation of smart transport options.

Coolangatta CBD at the very Southern end of the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, photo by Galleriestoday

Gold Coast, Australia, by Galleriestoday

Surfers Paradise in Gold Coast ,photo by Sarmu

more about urban Australia:

Skyline photos of Sydney, Australia (2)

Sustainability on the Urban Scale: ‘Green Urbanism’

Affordable Housing - theoretical utopia or achievable reality

Assessment of Garden City Planning Principles in the ACT

Evaluating urban transport and land use policies through the use of an accessibility modelling framework

Sydney Cycle Strategy: Building a Bicycle Friendly City

PhD of urban planning in The University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Design (MSD)

Friday, November 25, 2011

TOURISM, HERITAGE AND AUTHENTICITY: STATEASSISTED CULTURAL COMMODIFICATION IN SUBURBAN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

by Renee Wirth and Robert Freestone

Places are (re)constructed for tourism consumption through the promotion of certain images that have implications for the built environment. The act of consuming places itself is a place creating and place altering force. The visual and physical consumption of places also shapes the cultural meaning attached to spaces and places. New meanings of place emerge which often conflict with the meanings once ascribed by the local community. These processes of commodification are well known to cultural theorists and practitioners. This paper uses the broader literature to inform a more specific study revealing state intervention in a process now enveloping suburban centres in global cities. Newtown in Sydney, Australia finds itself being reshaped through a convergence of the market forces of gentrification and the entrepreneurial initiatives of government and in the process is seen to be losing some of the authenticity which was part of the appeal in the first place.

A sidewalk in Newtown, Sydney, photo by Vanessa Pike-Russell

more about tourism:

Cologne Carnival, 2011, and the Rose Monday

Tourism Gentrification: The Case of New Orleans’ Vieux Carre (French Quarter)

by Kevin Fox Gotham

This paper examines the process of ‘tourism gentrification’ using a case study of the socio-spatial transformation of New Orleans’ Vieux Carre (French Quarter) over the past halfcentury. Tourism gentrification refers to the transformation of a middle-class neighbourhood into a relatively affluent and exclusive enclave marked by a proliferation of corporate entertainment and tourism venues. Historically, the Vieux Carre has been the home of diverse groups of people. Over the past two decades, however, median incomes and property values have increased, escalating rents have pushed out lower-income people and African Americans, and tourist attractions and large entertainment clubs now dominate much of the neighbourhood. It is argued that the changing flows of capital into the real estate market combined with the growth of tourism enhance the significance of consumption-oriented activities in residential space and encourage gentrification. The paper contests explanations that view gentrification as an expression of consumer demands, individual preferences or market laws of supply and demand. It examines how the growth of securitisation, changes in consumption and increasing dominance of large entertainment firms manifest through the development of a tourism industry in New Orleans, giving gentrification its own distinct dynamic and local quality.

New Orleans - French Quarter: Music Legends Park, photo by wallyg

New Orleans, French Quarter, photo by CanadaGood

more about tourism:

Cologne Carnival, 2011, and the Rose Monday

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Cologne Carnival, 2011, and the Rose Monday

Cologne Carnival is one of the most famous festivals and the most important traditional street festival in Germany. It takes a week between Fat Thursday or in German Weiberfastnacht and Ash Wednesday or Aschermittwoch. The whole week is called The Crazy Days. What is called Rose Monday or Rosenmontag is the peak of excitement throughout the week.

The event is mainly held in Cologne but other cities of the North-Rhein Westfalia province of Germany, which Cologne is one of its cities, celebrate the fest. Cities like Duesseldorf, Dortmund, Leverkusen, Münster , Bochum, Duisburg, ... have also Rose Monday carnivals. Also smaller cities like Linden, Hiltrop, Höntrop, and Lechenich have traditional smaller Rose Monday events. Normally the importance of the events become less when going far from the center of the carnival in Cologne. The center of the program is in Alter Markt and around the Cologne Cathedral. The Germans usually take part in the festival wearing interesting costumes.

The carnival dates back to 1820s. During the past decades it has gained the importance of a tourist-attracting event. It is estimated that about one million people attend it each year. The cities of the region have used this festival to promote the tourism and also livability and creativity of their cities.

Here some photos of the 2011 carnival of Cologne in Rose Monday are posted.