URBAN TOURISM

According to UNWTO, urban tourism is a type of tourism activity which takes place in an
urban space with its inherent attributes characterized by non-agriculture based economy
such as administration, manufacturing , trade and service and by being nodal points of
transport. Urban city destinantion offer a broad and heterogeneous range of cultural,
architectural, technological, social and natural experiences and products for leisure and
business.

According to the nations, in 2015, 54% of the world’s population lived in urban areas and
by 2030, this share is expected to reach 60%. Along with other key pillars, tourism
constitutes a central compenent in the economy, social life and the geography of many
cities in the world and is thus a key element in urban development policies.

Urban tourism can represent a driving force in the development of many cities and
countries contributing to the progress of the new urban agenda and the 17 sustainable
development goals, in particular, goal 11: make cities and human settelements inclusive,
safe, resilient and sustainable. Tourism is intrinsically linked to how city develops itself and
provides more and better living conditions to its resident and visitors.

Kuala Lumpur is an urban tourism that I have visited. Kuala Lumpur the capital city
Malaysia, has been chosen to host the 6th global summit on urban tourism. The city, which
was recently recognized in a Euromonitor international report as being the 10 th most
visited city in the world. The attendees for the event include world leaders in tourism, high
level policy makers, speacialist and experts from the public and privates sector,
academicians, local, authorities and urban planners.

Kuala Lumpur has grown from a simple mining settelement to cosmopolitan city that it is
today , with towering skyscapers, modern infrastructure and efficient transport and
communication services. Some of the popular atrractions in Kuala Lumpur include the
petronas Twin Towers, the Royal Selangor Visitors Centre, the Sultan Abdul Samad
building, the Bukit nanas forest reserve and the National Museum.
 Visitor can move around Kuala Lumpur city centre conveniently, as several option are
available for public transportation. KL hop-on-hop-off is a fun and easy way to explore
Kuala Lumpur al fresco from open rooftop deck of the double-decker bus. Alternatively,
visitor can use the Rapid KL mass public transportation system which connects various
tourist attractions on its widespread railway and bus routes all across city.