The Geography of Somewhere: Civic Tourism

"First, I will consider why so many American towns and cities feel like jumbles rather than communities, without pattern or purpose. Second, I will sketch some of the qualities that give certain places a distinctive, captivating character. Finally, I will propose that, having experienced the integrity, vitality, and beauty of another place, we should return home inspired to foster those qualities in our own communities.

...Here in the heart of Prescott, it’s easy to imagine that I exaggerate. But for every Prescott or Portland or pre-Katrina New Orleans, for every Santa Fe or Sitka, for every Beacon Hill or Greenwich Village or Chinatown there are hundreds of American places that have lost touch with their past, have cut themselves off from their surrounding landscape, have succumbed to the blight of sprawl; and even in Prescott, if you venture out from the town center, you will see the same corrosive influences at work.

Can tourism serve as an antidote to narcissism and homogenization? Can it draw us out of our self-preoccupation and revive our concern for the public realm? Can it help us recover or create a vital sense of place in our communities, whether or not they are tourist destinations? Can it help transform us from consumers into stewards?

...Tourism worthy of being called “civic” would show us the lives people lead together in a place, how they cooperate, make decisions, solve problems, enjoy one another’s company, and look after their home ground. It would renew our appreciation for the security that arises from neighborliness and mutual aid. It would encourage us to think about our cities, towns, and countryside as arenas for our common life, and not merely as patchworks of private property. It would remind us that we are responsible for the care of our communities, for the health of the land, and for one another. In short, civic tourism would educate us to become better citizens, first of our neighborhoods and

ultimately of our nation and planet."

Thanks to Christopher Koch