Perception and experience of urban areas for cultural tourism: A social constructivist approach in Covent Garden

Covent Garden is firmly established in London’s tourism landscape due to its commercial sector, distinctive architecture and provision of different forms of performing arts including the UK’s leading Opera House at its core. This study aims to understand the factors that shape the tourists’ perception and experience of this long standing urban precinct and the influence that the Royal Opera House exerts on these processes. It contributes to the understanding of how a well-established area is perceived and experienced by tourists exposed to a range of stimulating factors including a cultural flagship for the performing arts. A social constructivist approach was adopted to address this complex area of study from a non-foundational perspective. A total of 306 semi-structured interviews were conducted in a variety of locations revealing that age and nationality are fundamental elements underpinning the tourists’ perception and experience of place leading to a process of cultural appraisal.