How Urban Sustainable Development Can Improve Tourism Attractiveness

This paper investigates the role of sustainable development in city tourism attractiveness. A tripartite theoretical model of tourism attractiveness was tested to verify the relevance of the economic, environmental, social and cultural aspects of urban sustainable development. The comparative analysis of Québec City and Bordeaux was based on visitors' perceptions established through a questionnaire survey conducted with 499 tourists in summer 2014. This analysis produced three main findings. First, four levels of city tourism attractiveness were revealed (context, belt, complementary attractions and nucleus) and variables related to the urban living environment stood out in importance. Second, visitors recognized four sustainable development dimensions, and proved most sensitive to cultural aspects, followed by environmental concerns. Third, the correlations between tourism attractiveness and sustainable development were stronger within the broader spheres of attractiveness. The study reveals that sustainability notions are most strongly internalized by tourists when tangibly reflected in the public space. By offering visitors new perspectives on urban living, sustainable development brings smart solutions to perpetuate the urban tourism industry while improving quality of life for residents.