Tourism

Can somebody explain exactly how tourism works? I understand the basics, but I'm having a tough time creating tourism and maximizing it.

I know that you need a great work placed in something like a museum to generate tourism. But how do you generate the great people to get the great work in the first place? I've just been clicking on "focus on great people" within the city menu. Is there a better way to generate great people?

Also, in my last game I had museums in all my cities with lots of great works and artifacts. But my tourism was still way lower than some AI players. What am I doing wrong, and how do I effectively maximize tourism?

In order to generate great people, you need GPP (Great People Points) which is another resource just like Gold/Production/Culture etc is. Certain structures you can build adds GPP for example, the Writer's Guild provides 1 Great Writer Point, hence speeds up your progress until your next Great Writer spawn. Therefore, to generate great people at a faster rate, build more structures which gives GPP.

Another way to generate GPP at a faster rate would be to put citizens into structures with specialist slots (for example, a University has 2 scientist slots)

Museums do not add to Tourism. It gives you 1 culture point and 2 EMPTY slots (Great artist or Artifact). In order to get that Tourism, you would have to spawn a Great artist THEN consume it by adding it into your museum.

Bear in mind that museums only accept Great Artists so if you were to have a Great Writer you would not be able to consume him in a Museum. Great Writers would require a Great Writer slot from Amphitheaters/National epics.

For a full list of what great artist/writer/musician goes into where just search "Great XXX" in the in-game cilvopedia.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, and elaborate if possible

Is there any reason to gain tourism or great works if you are not going for a cultural victory?

Bitwise said:

Is there any reason to gain tourism or great works if you are not going for a cultural victory?

Click to expand...

I don't think so but I'm not sure

Bitwise said:

Is there any reason to gain tourism or great works if you are not going for a cultural victory?

Click to expand...

To avoid having massive happiness penalties late game. To get a decent culture output (because there's very little culture available without getting sources of tourism).

Yup, to piggy back on the above posters, an empty Opera House / Museum provides so little culture as to not really be worth the maintenance cost.
You need to fill them.

Now if your not planning on winning via culture, you can skip the world wonders providing yet more slots.

Also, unless you're playing Venice (or a OCC), those guilds need spread out instead of lumped together.