The City in the Experience Economy

The book develops a new approach to urban development in which leisure, pleasure or experiences are seen as key drivers. History, authenticity, urban qualities, local culture and leisure offerings or a vibrant retail sector are thus assets in local development also outside of the big cities. Globalization and high mobility are necessary aspects of the development, which entails the development of high urban profiles in a globalized and highly competitive world. Apart from experiential qualities a critical urban size, is also required. Experience qualities can be connected to urban design, where particular designs stimulate citizens' learning and activity in the urban space. They can also be connected to more tourist related large scale projects of experiential mass consumption with fun parks and shopping. A combination of the two approaches has been developed to promote for example car brands and cities through experiential car museums. New stakeholders, new network based forms of cooperation and new entrepreneurial strategies are connected to urban development in 'the experience economy'. In particular new network based approaches are needed if small and rural places should also reap the fruits of the experience economy. This book was originally published as a special issue of European Planning Studies.

Anne Lorentzen is Professor in geography at the Department of Development and Planning, Aalborg University, Denmark. She has a PhD degree in technology planning. Carsten Jahn Hansen, Associate Professor in Planning at the Department of Development and Planning, Aalborg University, Denmark. He has a PhD degree in Urban Planning and Urban Development.

1. The Role and Transformation of the City in the Experience Economy: Identifying and Exploring Research Challenges, Anne Lorentzen and Carsten Jahn Hansen. 2. Cities in the Experience Economy, Anne Lorentzen. 3. The Geography of the Experience Economy in Denmark: Employment Change and Location Dynamics in Attendance-based Experience Industries, Søren Smidt-Jensen, Christine Benna Skytt and Lars Winther. 4. The Experience City: Planning of Hybrid Cultural Projects, Gitte Marling, Ole B. Jensen and Hans Kiib. 5. Experience Spaces, (Aero) mobilities and Environmental Impacts, Claus Lassen, Carla K. Smink and Søren Smidt-Jensen. 6. Experiential Strategies for the Survival of Small Cities in Europe, Peter Allingham. 7. The Experience Economy and the Transformation of Urban Governance and Planning, Hans Peter Therkildsen, Carsten Jahn Hansen and Anne Lorentzen.