Aerotainment: a new paradigm for sustainable development

Cities have been testbeds for urban sustainability transition initiatives for nearly 20 years. However, most initiatives related to the visitor economy have tended to overlook the fact that tourism is a system with a complex network of stakeholders reaching well beyond the geographical boundaries of a destination. This viewpoint article posits that the implementation of a newly developed concept named “aerotainment” - linking air transport with theme parks, tourism cities and nearby attractions - will help tourism cities to approach sustainability transitions more effectively. It is argued that this systems-based thinking is key to achieving CO2 emissions reduction targets for 2050 at both micro and macro levels. A novel typology of urban tourism destinations is offered linked to their strategic positioning in the context of sustainable development with aerotainment discussed as a catalyst in this context.