Identifying key factors of city resilience supporting competitiveness of destinations: a tourism perspective

Purpose This study aims to examine the recovery patterns and competitive performance of city tourism between 2019 and 2023, with a focus on the role of resilience factors in supporting competitiveness during the post-crisis recovery process. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a cross-sectional econometric approach covering 17 European cities to analyse the influence of factors such as economic diversity, social support and education levels on tourism recovery. Recovery is measured through changes in the market share of overnight stays by both domestic and foreign visitors, indicating the relative resilience of city destinations. Findings The findings demonstrate that the size of the tourism sector, the degree of market diversification, the availability of social support systems and education levels significantly impact market-share development and recovery patterns, particularly in relation to international tourism. Recovery trajectories varied considerably across the cities. Prices and cost factors were not found to be significant during the observation period. Originality/value This research makes a valuable contribution to the limited body of literature on crisis recovery in city tourism by identifying the necessary resilience factors that support competitiveness and by closing the gap in econometric analysis of this phenomenon. The findings offer policymakers insights into strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of city tourism through targeted investments in diversification, social support and education.