Joining Historic Cities to the Global World: Feasibility or Fantasy?

Given the globalization and free movement of capital and people, global cities compete with others not only as tourist destinations but also for the attraction of investors, skilled labor and human capital. In this study, the image of the historic city of Florence is investigated from the perspective of tourists and residents to assess the feasibility of joining historic cities to the global world. The sample size includes 384 people who are randomly selected in the historic centre of Florence and answered to the research questionnaire. The data is then analyzed by descriptive statistics and logistic regression test. The findings show that although appropriate environmental qualities have made Florence highly successful in attracting tourists, what can promote the sustainability level of this historic city in the globalization era is the organization of urban planning in order to gain a part of global economic and human capital by creating the precise and unique image of the city.