VISUAL POLLUTION AND ITS IMPACT ON THE URBAN LANDSCAPE: A CASE STUDY OF BUCHAREST'S CITY CENTER

Abstract

The downtown areas of major cities, through their rich cultural offerings represented by imposing buildings and long-lasting activities, are tourist attractions. However, the presence of billboards displaying content less suitable for all age groups or colorful graffiti with messages bordering on obscenity can compromise tourists' perception of the area. This study investigates the phenomenon of visual pollution and its implications on the urban landscape, focusing on the central area of Bucharest, Romania. Visual pollution encompasses various forms of unaesthetic elements in the urban landscape, not limited to litter, graffiti, large and aggressive billboards, and architectural degradation. The analysis method is empirical through interviews, with 98 Romanian and foreign tourists participating. The study's results highlight the influence of aesthetics/visual pollution on urban and cultural tourism in the Municipality of Bucharest. The measures proposed by the study are mostly suggestions from the interviewed tourists. They include sanitation and limiting advertising content, both in terms of billboard size and careful analysis of the exposed content.