The attractors of a destination are key elements of its appeal and play a vital role in the destination's success. Attractors such as architecture or culture have been identified as essential features of the destination's competitiveness and as distinguishing features useful for differentiating the destination's image from that of competitors. However, the limit between these two attractor roles is not yet definite. This investigation analyzes the function of different attractors in communication practices within the niche of European urban destinations. The study uses content analysis to identify the similarities and differences among the official communication of the 12 most popular urban destinations in Europe. The results point to tourism products and packages, cultural attractions, and gastronomy as critical elements for competing in this specific market. It further highlights that attractors such as history, accommodation, and leisure attractions act as the main sources for differentiation among the European cities.

This research work has been partially funded by the project ‘The tourist on the Web: Informational habits and destination choice. ITOURIST’ (CSO2014-59896-P) of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Spanish Government.