OECD Culture and Local Development.pdf - PACA

4. THE CULTURAL FABRIC OF CITIES
pressure of numbers, as some resources are distorted to meet external demands,
or as the public spaces and transport routes are rearranged to the benefit of one
group and the detriment of others. These conflicts add, we might say, a more
qualitative dimension to the quantitative problem of carrying capacity, as the
characteristics of the multi-use product diverge from those demanded.
By combining these two characteristics, we can examine the potential dynamics
of the art city, as in Table 4.1.
Table 4.1. The dual characteristics of art cities
“Collective good” constraint
“Joint product” constraint Respected Exceeded
Respected 1 2
Exceeded 3 4
Situation 1 is the best. The art city can derive all possible benefit from its resource
without compromising its development and without provoking negative reaction
from residents or businesses.
Situation 2 commonly prevails today. There may be too many tourists but, in the
short run, this does not yet evoke negative reactions from residents. In fact, this
implies that the city is not yet too far beyond its carrying capacity, and that the
negative effects in terms of gentrification, property speculation or environmental
damage have probably not reached the critical threshold that would spark opposition
to this inflow. But the situation is unstable, because the arrival of flocks of tourists
will change the expected return on investments and those who derive the greatest
benefit may be tempted to downplay the importance of carrying capacities and
environmental constraints.
Situation 3 is the worst. It represents in a sense the logical extension of situation 2,
when there is no longer any control over tourist numbers. The processes of gentrification,
speculation and environmental collapse are now clearly apparent, and residents
begin to question the existing use to which cultural and heritage resources are being
put. Residents may find themselves divided between those who welcome the inflow
of tourists, and those who see it as a threat to their own situation. Moreover, the
authorities may differ over the best course of action. The local government may be
inclined to curb tourism, while the national authorities may prefer to let it run, because
they see in it a significant return for the country’s economy.
Situation 4 is not unrealistic, but it tends to appear when decisions are taken to
invest in more facilities rather than to limit the number of tourists.
144 CULTURE AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT - ISBN 92-64-00990-6 - © OECD 2005