Fifth International Conference on Tourism & Leisure Studies

Abstract

Planning for tourism fostered on cultural events should reflect the cultural identity of a city, being inclusive and welcoming of all the diversity that it comprises and attracts. Assessment of permanent and special agendas should enable the city to operate cultural events in three specific and simultaneous dimensions: 1) Seasonal Agendas (which take advantage of the natural seasons of tourism in the city); 2) Permanent Agendas (which guarantee there is always something to do in the city); and 3) Special Agendas (which balms a city’s daily life, with extraordinary events that break the routine, shake the establishment, and renew the aesthetics of regular events). Based on the different requirements of each agenda, key design parameters have been identified to provide guidelines for guaranteeing that diversity of the city is accounted for in official planning strategies, while delineating paths for configuration and promotion of all the agendas. Systematic consideration of these guidelines leads to a dynamic ecosystem of tourism of cultural events that attracts, not only diverse audiences, but a constant and renewed flow of tourists to the city. These findings are based on the analysis of the agenda building and setting processes in a Colombian city carried out through a consulting process. The results provide clues for a more comprehensive approach to planning for tourism of cultural events for cities with a robust heritage of diverse cultural manifestations.