Purpose – The purpose of this editorial is to introduce the special issue on creative cities and cultural spaces, as … offering new perspectives for tourism. Design/methodology/approach – The paper identifies some key concerns that cities … capability of cities to distinguish themselves from other competing places. Originality/value – The paper identifies key concepts …

. Design/methodology/approach – Based on current definitions of creative tourism, on the literature of culture, culture …

world‐class status, despite its historical significance as a center of trade and culture in the ancient world, its current … discusses the role of culture in positioning Istanbul as a world city, and examines its relationships with commercial activities …

Purpose – To create a competitive edge in today's tourism marketplace, cities seek to differentiate themselves and … fashion or culture and heritage and the implications of this positioning for Milan's re‐branding in preparation for Expo 2015 …