Sustainable tourism development in post-war settings: The influence of the slow city movement

Abstract

Wars can inflict profound harm upon a nation's cultural, historical, and natural treasures, jeopardizing tourism resources and potentially leading to their depletion or destruction. However, meticulous and judicious post-war tourism development planning can transform these crises into opportunities. However, it is rare to find countries that have emerged from conflict and shifted their focus toward tourism. This research delves into such a nation, one scarred by the ravages of war, to evaluate its tourism potential and its challenges as perceived by stakeholders. The study examines the current state and forecasts future implications for urban tourism development amidst the seldom-addressed post-war obstacles in tourism literature. Analysis of participant responses revealed a prevailing positive sentiment towards the Slow City Movement, with a majority expressing willingness to support a potential membership process actively. Its primary goal is to delineate the perspectives of local stakeholders on tourist development in a post-war context and to elucidate the role of revitalization in catalyzing the Slow City Movement's growth. The study closely intertwines with pertinent literature by employing qualitative data collection and analysis methodologies. MAXQDA, a robust qualitative data analysis program, facilitates data analysis, ensuring a comprehensive exploration of stakeholder perspectives and insights into post-war tourism development.