Scotland's capital is a tourist hotspot but needs some redevelopment. Which way will the balance tip? CGTN's Michael Voss reports from Edinburgh.
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00:00More foreign tourists visit Edinburgh each year than anywhere else in Britain apart from London.
00:06It's a UNESCO World Heritage City.
00:08The star attraction is the medieval Old Town, dominated by the castle atop a hill and its main street, the Royal Mile.
00:17Around 5 million visitors a year stay here, spending an estimated $3 billion.
00:23The buildings are amazing and fantastic.
00:26Yes.
00:27Yeah, really like this place.
00:28And I am planning to take my daughter to be here next year.
00:33Absolutely beautiful.
00:35Very taken with the castle, with the Royal Mile.
00:37So everybody's been wonderfully friendly.
00:40And what about the crowds?
00:42I wish there weren't quite so many crowds, but it's all right.
00:46But the pressure of mass tourism is starting to tell, pushing up rents while putting a strain on facilities for both locals and visitors.
00:54Edinburgh has decided it needs a tourist tax.
00:59So starting next year, it's going to raise a 5% levy on all hotel rooms and self-catering accommodation.
01:06The hope is to raise around $60 million to help pay for improvements.
01:11Also part of the World Heritage Site is the so-called New Town, built around 200 years ago.
01:19According to UNESCO, the layout of these neoclassical buildings had a major influence on urban architecture and town planning throughout Europe.
01:28The new town's Prince's Street was long considered the main shopping street in Edinburgh, along with its iconic views of the old town.
01:38But it's well past its prime and starting to look run down.
01:42The city council is considering its options, and one controversial plan, which has caught the public's imagination, involves a radical rethink.
01:51It's the brainchild of local architect Richard Murphy, who wants to turn it into a tree-lined boulevard with outdoor cafes and restaurants.
02:00I think if you're working in UNESCO state and city, obviously you have to be careful what you do.
02:06But that doesn't mean to say that you have to preserve everything in aspect.
02:09And you also have to recognise that life moves on.
02:11But some are worried it could be a step too far.
02:15Liverpool was stripped of its UNESCO World Heritage status for development of its historic Docklands, including construction of the new Everton Football Stadium.
02:25I think most cities do have a vision of where they're going to be in 20 or 50 years' time.
02:29I have my doubts about Edinburgh in that respect, actually, because the vision is to keep everything the same to a lot of people.
02:35But I think we need to understand that if we do that, we will die as a city.
02:41Edinburgh faces a delicate balancing act, maintaining a world-class city for tourists and residents alike, without destroying its historic heritage.
02:53Michael Voss, CGTN, Edinburgh.