Tourism in US global cities: A comparison of New York and Los Angeles

Tourism has become a key component of both the Los Angeles and New York City economies and an integral part of each city's urban redevelopment efforts. Its growth has influenced each city's social structure and built environment in remarkably similar ways. We describe the economic and spatial characteristics of tourism in the two cities, focusing on its labor marker effects. We find strong similarities in economic importance and some aspects of labor relations. We find differences in spatial and design consequences as well as certain labor market effects. Utilizing the general framework of regulation theory, we analyze the ways in which economic culture, local autonomy, and urban regimes contribute to the regulation of the tourism industry in the two cities. We also discuss how labor and community, and advocacy groups respond to, and in turn influence, the politics and economic culture of the cities in which they operate.