Can local tours disperse tourists from city centres?

This study evaluates the effectiveness of decentralizing tourists by promoting alternative local-guided tours. Results from a discrete choice experiment among young travellers indicate that while culinary tours are preferred over central attractions, overall, young visitors demonstrated a strong tendency to visit the main attractions. Furthermore, tours labelled as sustainable were perceived as less attractive. The study implies that inter-city dispersal strategies that rely on ‘soft interventions’ may only be effective among certain individuals and are unlikely to lead to substantial changes in tourist behaviour. For dispersal strategies to be effective, local authorities should consider developing comprehensive tourism attractions and amenities.