e-Review of Tourism Research (eRTR), Vol. 3, No. 1, 2005 http://ertr.tamu.edu 8 ______________________________________________________________________________ Rosa Anna La Rocca Dipartimento di Pianificazione e Scienza del Territorio Università degli Studi Federico II di Napoli Mass Tourism and Urban System: Some Suggestions to Manage the Impacts on the City Tourism is an ambiguous phenomenon: it is both an economic resource and a factor of congestion. The intrusion of mass tourism in the daily routine of urban life causes congestion (chaos, air pollution and noise) in some specific urban places (i.e. historic center) where most of the urban activities are often located. This study focuses on the present need of city planners to dispose adequate strategies, actions and town plans to manage tourist demand that concentrates in the cities. Keywords: mass tourism, urban system, urban transformations Dr.Rosa Anna La Rocca architect Università degli Studi Federico II di Napoli Dipartimento di Pianificazione e Scienza del Territorio 80135 NAPOLI Italy Tel: +39 0817682315 Fax +39 0817682315 - 0817682309 e-mail: larocca@unina.it Rosa Anna La Rocca, architect, PhD in Town and Country Planning, associated researcher at University of Naples “Federico II” - Department of Town and Country Planning. Her scientific interest is focused on the study of urban change. She is carrying out a study about the relationship between tourism and urban system.