Urban Rehabilitation and Tourism: Lessons from Porto (2010–2020)

José Fernandes, Pedro Chamusca (), Jorge Pinto, José Tenreiro and Pedro Figueiredo
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José Fernandes: Geography and Spatial Planning Research Centre (CEGOT), University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
Pedro Chamusca: Communication and Society Research Centre (CECS), University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Jorge Pinto: Institute for Social Sciences, Entrepreneurship and Tourism (ISCET), Geography and Spatial Planning Research Centre (CEGOT), 4050-180 Porto, Portugal
José Tenreiro: Centro de Investigação Gallaecia, Universidade Portucalense, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
Pedro Figueiredo: Worst Tours, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 8, 1-22

Abstract: Cities experience rapid growth and transformation. Over the past decades, change has been particularly intense and complex, associated to globalization, spatial compression and temporal acceleration. Within this context, the EU funds introduced new urban rehabilitation dynamics that made a city center more and more attractive. This, alongside the growth of international tourism, has increased the number of city users, which has furthered the discussion on the relation between the physical, economic, social and environmental intervention of the city, as well as the debates on the positive and negative impacts of tourism in cities. With that in mind, we look at the intense change that occurred in the city of Porto, Portugal, in the period from an intense economic crisis to the COVID-19 confinement. We consider changes in buildings, retail and policies to conclude that a neoliberal attitude favoured a tourism-led and sustainability blind gentrification. Based on a survey and analysis of 50 urban rehabilitation initiatives in downtown Porto and on the analysis of recent public policies, we discuss the relation between urban rehabilitation and tourism in Porto, and therefore the effectiveness of public policies and its contribution to sustainable urban development.

Keywords: tourism; sustainability; rehabilitation; urbanism; Porto (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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