The impact of tourism on the Old Town of Edinburgh

Abstract

Tourism in Scotland is undergoing a process of change and refocusing. Edinburgh plays an important role in the refocusing of Scotland's tourism, in terms of the importance of seasonality and heritage attractions. Edinburgh is therefore an important component of Scottish tourism and its Old Town is one of the UK's top tourist destinations, containing attractions of international significance. This paper discusses an approach to assessing the economic impact of tourism on the Old Town which, in turn, will inform the strategies designed to achieve and sustain tourism-related economic growth and social vitality. This approach is also more generally applicable elsewhere as many of the world's historic cities now face similar problems and require a holistic approach to economic development through conservation. In addition, the underpinning of the strategy with a rigorous economic model derived from empirical research in the Old Town provides an exemplary approach to the integration of tourism with other economic sectors in the regeneration of a historic built environment.