PREIT-tour and CPM participate in two conferences presenting their preliminary results on the Airbnb phenomenon in the Historic Center of Cuenca 🤝🏙️

Last week, the research groups PREIt-tour and World Heritage City actively participated in two academic events focused on the analysis of the city and tourism. 🏙️🎓

The first took place at the IX Ecuadorian Congress on City Studies (IX CEC), organized by CIVITIC and PUCE Santo Domingo. In this event, we presented papers examining the phenomenon of short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb and their effects on the Historic Center of Cuenca. 🏘️📊

During the same week, we also took part in the International Tourism Conference: “Sitting in the chaos of tourism”, organized by the University of Cuenca and the University of Jaén. There, we reflected on the tensions between tourism development, heritage conservation, and urban livability.

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The growth of short-term rentals not only reshapes the economic dynamics of neighborhoods, but also the everyday life of their residents. It is a phenomenon that reconfigures the city and raises urgent debates around housing, identity, and the use of public space. 🏛️💬

These contributions are part of the research project:

CULTURAL HERITAGE, LEISURE, AND TOURISM: Analysis of consensus and disputes over the use and enjoyment of public space in the Historic Center of Cuenca, Ecuador. 📚🔍

We will soon share the full results in an academic publication. ✨📄We continue researching, discussing, and contributing to the ongoing debate on the future of our historic cities. 💡🤝

Photo credits: PREIT-tour & CPM