Performing tourists and the role of co-tourism in the perception and experience of Covent Garden

Understanding the role of tourism and culture in urban precincts is complex since many elements are involved in the process of place-making and the debates that they generate. Covent Garden, as an important area of London’s urban tourism landscape, is a case study of interest because it is a well-established tourism precinct with a variety of land uses, a recently redeveloped Opera House, a strong commercial sector and the provision of many forms of culture. Centuries ago, it was London’s first planned square. Since then, it has evolved into a popular area for tourism and cultural consumption, with distinctive architecture, heritage and a wide range of attractions, many of which relate to the ample supply of high and popular forms of performing arts. For these reasons, it is important to explore tourists’ experiential and perceptual processes and how they assign meanings to the urban settings that they visit, considering the diversity of elements that can influence their perceptions and experiences of the area. This research aims to understand how a tourist precinct is experienced and perceived by the tourist and the influence that performance has on these processes.