City destinations, overtourism and governance

Purpose There has been limited research on the governance of cities coping with large numbers of tourists. Empirical studies of the ways in which elected authorities in cities balance the conflicting interests of the tourism stakeholders, other businesses, communities and residents. It is clear that this requires a whole of government approach, and cities generally have a wide range of expertise and powers. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses conceptual viewpoint approach. Findings As the cases of Barcelona and Venice demonstrate, they are unable to manage the flows of day visitors arriving from the surrounding region, and the airports, ports, roads and railways are managed by regional and national governments. The different functions, powers and performance of government bodies need to be researched if we are to secure a better understanding of the complex and multi-layered activity of tourism can best be governed. Originality/value This is an original viewpoint.