How can major European cities remain open to the growing flow of visitors while taking into account the living needs of their inhabitants? The SMARTDEST project is looking for answers to this question. The Creative Business research group of Inholland University of Applied Sciences has received more than € 250,000 in funding to contribute to this European research. The Urban Leisure & Tourism Lab is at the forefront of this project.
The purpose of SMARTDEST
SMARTDEST is a European project supported by Horizon 2020, a multiannual innovation programme set up by the European Commission. The project focuses on the social effects of overtourism in major European tourist destinations, such as Venice, Barcelona and Amsterdam. Due to large numbers of tourists and the rise of Airbnb, the shopping, catering and housing offer changed. The cost of living increases, but also the character and appearance of entire neighborhoods change. Such effects can lead to gentrification and social exclusion. With SMARTDEST we look for innovative and inclusive solutions with partners, from residents to entrepreneurs.
How is the field involved?
We work together with universities from Spain, Italy, Scotland, Austria, Portugal and Israel, among others. Inholland is of great added value because since 2015, thanks in part to the Urban Leisure & Tourism lab and our design-oriented approach, we have a diverse network and design experiences. Locally we work together with the municipality of Amsterdam (Research, Information and Statistics Department), amsterdam & partners, residents and various stakeholders and interest groups such as Reinvent Tourism Network.
What are the (expected) results?
At the end of the project, we provide European and local policy makers with policy and community tools that have (proven) effects.
How does Inholland approach this research?
We are investigating the situation in Amsterdam. We combine different forms of research for this. For quantitative research, we work together with the Research, Information and Statistics Department of the Municipality of Amsterdam. Corona independent is our discourse analysis for 2000-2020 towards changing policy outcomes, based on a collection of many thousands of articles from various media. In addition, we carry out qualitative research with residents, experts (Amsterdam & Partners, Reinvent Tourism Network) and stakeholders in Amsterdam to map out the problems and existing coping mechanisms. Finally, we carry out participatory research in which co-creation with residents, stakeholders and students is central. For this we use the Urban Leisure & Tourism Lab (ULTL). The first results of the study were recently published on the lab’s website.
What are the benefits for education?
The benefits are multifaceted. Insights and issues gained flow back into education through elective programmes and minors. We also link a number of partners with which we work closely, to students for their graduation trajectory. For example, the Tourism Managment programme has set up a separate graduation circle around Fairbnb and as part of the Reinvent Tourism Festival #21.
“It has been agreed to share the data of students with the researchers of SMARTDEST. In this way there is a constant interaction between education, the field of work and research.”
You can find all publications of SMARTDEST here.