Night taxi drivers as 'culture brokers': Implications for the nocturnal tourism

Abstract

This study deepens into the pivotal role of night taxi drivers in shaping Lisbon's nocturnal economy and night experience. Serving as the primary point of contact for tourists and visitors, these drivers emerge as influential “culture brokers” as they facilitate, mediate, and physically transport people through the nocturnal urban tissue. Our research, grounded in an ethnographic approach conducted since 2022, employs in-depth interviews, participant observations with drivers, and a detailed mapping of nighttime activities to unravel this dynamic. We explore the reasons behind the night taxi drivers' mediation on the tourists' nocturnal experiences, selectively granting access to various locales for dining, entertainment, and nightlife and influencing and shaping their image of the city. Our findings highlight the drivers' intricate relationship with the nocturnal city, often prioritizing personal gains through pre-established connections with nightlife establishments. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the night taxi drivers' dual role: as facilitators of urban night experiences and as agents influencing the economic and cultural fabric of nighttime Lisbon. We argue that these drivers play a crucial yet understudied role in shaping urban nightscapes, impacting tourist consumption patterns and the broader nocturnal economy and cultural ecosystem.