“Among critical scholars and urban activists, the care for heritage of an urban area is often associated with strategies to commercialize, to touristify the area and ultimately to pave the ground for gentrification. Neighbourhood development based on its heritage all too often is geared towards creating a unique selling point of the area to attract more visitors and to create commercial services to accommodate visitors: from tourist shops to pricey restaurants, hotels and furnished holiday apartments. Facades may be rehabilitated, streets renovated, but at the same time rent prices and other living expenses go up and the area may become increasingly inhabitable for long-term residents.”

Markus Kip