A new report published by the Association for Tourism and Leisure Education and Research (ATLAS) analyses the two ECOC held in 2012 in Guimarães (Portugal) and Maribor (Slovenia). The report, edited by Greg Richards (IGCAT’s president), reveals the impact of the two events on the image of the two cities, as well as their influence on resident and visitor opinions. The report is available via the ATLAS Bookshop. In particular the data from Maribor are revealing, because they show some very negative attitudes by residents towards their own city during the ECOC year. This was a result of policy measures introduced by the city’s Mayor, who had to regin as a result. This underlines the fact that the ECOC is not a miracle cure for all urban problems, but has to been as part of a long term strategic plan. This is one of the issues that will be discussed with ECOC Candidate Cities at the forthcoming ECOC Seminar organised by IGCAT in Barcelona on December 12th.
