I was born in Wilrijk, one of the districts of Antwerp, and have been living in the centre of Antwerp for three years. Unlike Amsterdam and other cities that have been struggling to manage huge crowds of tourists like Barcelona and Venice, the city government of Antwerp has been investing ambitiously in the tourism industry. It wishes to achieve an average annual growth of 4% for tourist overnight stays. Furthermore, it wants the number of cruise tourists to grow by 8%, and day-trippers by 3,6%. When the alderman of tourism is confronted with the current developments and negative effects of mass tourism in cities like Amsterdam, Barcelona and Venice, he doesn't seem to worry too much and claims to be very cautious. He believes in geographically spreading the tourists in the city. Even though Antwerp and Amsterdam are very different and even incomparable when it comes to shape, size and urban structure, the seminar has made me more aware of the potential risks of mass tourism, especially since it can go extremely fast: the touristification-induced erosion of the liveability in Amsterdam has been as recent as the last five or six years.

Before the research seminar, my knowledge of the subject was rather limited, apart from being a enthusiastic tourist myself. In the last three years, I traveled to four different countries: Cuba, Malta, Brazil and Australia. My own experience as a traveler made me particularly interested in the concept of geographically "spreading out" tourists, a very popular idea amongst politicians when it comes to "combatting" mass tourism. When I'm traveling, I find myself avoiding the "touristy places", as I hate the large crowds and nuisance that often come with it. However, I will always (briefly) visit the "highlights" of a tourist destination. I can't imagine going to Paris without paying a visit to the Eiffel tower or going to Amsterdam without taking a walk in the Canal District. This relates back to tourist imaginaries: some landmarks/landscapes are too poignant and distinct to not be prioritized and repeatedly visited by tourists.

The topic of "Tourism kills neighbourhoods" was not my first choice for the research seminar. However, it was my second choice, because of its current relevance and topicality. Tackling the complex subject was a challenge, just like it was a challenge to work with seven very different people and successfully bring our research project to an end. For me, the research was a true learning experience: stressful, amazing, tiring and life-changing, all at the same time.