Expanding the beaten track: mapping and nudging cruise tourism mobility in the city

Urban destinations are increasingly concerned about regulating overtourism and the saturation of public space by different types of mobile consumers. In the past two years, European cities, like Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Berlin have launched degrowth strategies, including incentives to leave the beaten track and visit neighbourhoods outside of central tourist zones. Yet, these nudging measures are seldom grounded in a deeper understanding of mobility patters of transient visitors. This paper maps the spatial dispersion and consumption choices of cruise visitors Copenhagen, by combining GPS-tracking with traditional visitor survey data and ethnographic fieldwork. Results indicate that previous experiences, planning autonomy and preparation levels significantly affect intra-destination itinerary decisions and the spending patterns of cruise day visitors. By understanding the drivers of cruise tourism mobility, the study can inform differentiated, micro-scale governance of dispersing visitors and alleviating tourism pressures in the city.