Tourism has long been a major part of the urban experience and is increasingly seen as a transformative industry for many local environments. As the role of tourism in urban communities continues to expand, cities will benefit from that growth, while also becoming more vulnerable to the various consequences brought by the tourism industry. Some communities have a greater resilience to the changes brought by tourism, but others will need to seek innovative ways to accommodate those changes.

Tourism in urban and rural peripheries can be seen as a result of growing social and physical mobility, especially in developing economies. Cultural and economic globalization has brought about behavioural changes turning towns, cities, communities into centres of culture and places of activity, relaxation, and business. At the same time, they are being challenged by global climate change and international instabilities.

As a consequence of these processes, there is the need for deeper thought, the exchange of data and experiences, and the fostering of a network of scholars in an effort to further understand the dynamism of sustainable tourism in urban environments. Such a network of exchanges will show why towns, cities and communities need to combine a high-quality tourist experience with the sustainable development of the environment, while harnessing the advantages that these actions may provide for them.