Trends and gaps in place-making in the context of urban development and tourism

Abstract

Purpose Many scholars have addressed the concept of place-making, yet there is still little formal knowledge about how major societal changes have influenced place-making. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 is an earthshaking event that changed the world, with regard to geopolitics and the internationalisation of our cities and places, thus generating many urban and tourism developments. Therefore, this paper aims to analyse how the term “place-making” has been variously defined and developed as a concept since the time of the fall. Furthermore, it intends to assess whether such analysis can reveal potential competition and synergy for places between tourism and urban developments. Design/methodology/approach To address these two questions, a systematic quantitative literature review of research published between 1991 and 2016 has been used, providing a 25 years overview that reveals the current trends in the research on this topic and highlights the gaps in the existing literature. Findings Findings concerns the variety of definitions, demonstrating the complexity of place-making; four emerging topics (place-making and globalisation; participation; conflicts/challenges; and trendy strategies); and a lack of synergy between tourism and urban development regarding place-making. Research limitations/implications The major limitation to this research is the language criterion, restricted to English, thus automatically eliminating articles written in any other languages. Practical implications This paper can help key stakeholders to re-assess the place-making strategies in light of the findings. Social implications This research demonstrates the emergence of new trends in place-making that need to be addressed to fulfil societal demands and own changes. It can be used as a basis to start reflection and further development for communities and a wide variety of stakeholders. Originality/value The originality of this research resides in the 25-year overview that displays gaps and trends around place-making.