THE IMPACT OF URBAN WATERFRONT REDEVELOPMENT ON TOURISM

Abstract

The urban waterfront redevelopment has become a major preoccupant for cities around the world. In diverse contexts ranging from post-colonialism and globalization to cultural revival and tourism development, developing countries are seeking to revive their waterfronts. It is no longer enough to engage in "infrastructural" development in urban situations, it is critical that cities also present an attractive image to would be investors and visitors. Urban waterfront redevelopment is one of the most important aspects of these broader regeneration and tourism agenda. This is due to the high visibility that urban waterfronts have. In many respects, it is along the waterfront that the most powerful images of any city can be constructed. By focusing on a case study of the Singapore River, this research looks at the importance of urban tourism and the conservation of the historic urban core to the redevelopment of port cities. It relates local issues to wider policies, relevant literature and experience elsewhere and looks at the subject of waterfront image and how this is perceived by tourists. This research concluded that practical waterfront attributes such as location, safety and image rank higher than scale or cultural concerns. Hence, tourism and leisure activities should not be viewed as the sole privilege for redevelopment. Wherever possible, the growing demand for recreational water space and tourist expectations would seem logical to complement the ever-widening need for riverside redevelopment.