Aging, everyday active mobility and the challenge of the tourist city: an illustration from Barcelona

The transformative power of tourist mobilities on urban spaces and residents is well-researched, but mostly in isolation from the local geographies of urban mobility and demographic change. This paper looks into the nexus of mobility transitions and population aging, and concurs that tourist mobilities condition the use of new active mobility infrastructures and create novel hindrances for residents. We focus on the everyday active mobility of older residents, possibly the most exposed to such challenges, employing qualitative and mobile methods to gauge their bodily mobility experiences and perceptions in the tourist areas of Barcelona, Spain. First, we provide an account of the complexities of walking and cycling through the tourist city, and explore the relational nature of such experiences towards infrastructure, social environments, and lifecourses. Secondly, we show how active mobility and tourism mostly unfold in the same spaces and remain tangled at the margins of automobility. We conclude by reflecting on the ambiguous effects of active mobility transitions if they are situated in spaces negotiated with tourists. Accordingly, we propose alternative pathways that prioritize urban qualities for all city users, suggesting the pursuit of an age-friendly approach in academic debates and planning initiatives around (over)tourism and active mobility transitions.