Events in cities: between tourism attractiveness and negative externalities[L’événementiel en ville : entre attractivité touristique et externalités négatives]

Events in the city: between attractiveness and negative externalities. Through events, it is the staging, storytelling and production of a renewed tourist offer that is in question. The commercial, cultural and sports city questions in more ways than one. What are the lasting effects of the ephemeral in urban areas and for whom? Citizens, consumers, elected officials and national and international tourists show and think differently about the mega-event according to their interests and practices. The instrumentalization of events also involves pre and post-event assessments and support processes for infrastructures (convention and fair grounds or Olympic village) and public spaces bequeathed (seafront urban leisure facilities ) .The renewed attractiveness to attract more and more tourists comes up against the Sustainable Development Goals. The negative externalities mentioned in the various articles in this special issue of City & Tourism show that it is necessary to reflect upstream on the meaning that the actors wish to give to their event, its societal repercussions, and the limits, beliefs conveyed to this subject.