Conquer the World with Culture: How Much Tourism Do You REALLY Need to Win Civ 6?
To clinch a Culture Victory in Civilization 6, you need to attract more visiting tourists to your civilization than any other civilization has domestic tourists nestled comfortably at home. Simple in concept, devilishly tricky in execution! It’s not just about raw numbers, it’s about outshining your rivals on the global stage. This means that if the civ with the most domestic tourists has, say, 150 of them, you need to generate at least 151 visiting tourists to claim victory. Get ready to build wonders, cultivate culture, and become the ultimate vacation destination!
Understanding the Tourism Landscape
The Culture Victory hinges on two key concepts: Tourism and Culture. Think of Culture as what keeps your own citizens happy at home, while Tourism is what entices foreigners to visit. You need both!
- Culture: Generates domestic tourists. The more Culture a civilization produces, the more domestic tourists it will have. Culture also fuels your progress through the Civics tree, unlocking powerful policies that further boost your tourism game.
- Tourism: Attracts visiting tourists. Tourism is generated primarily through Great Works, Wonders, seaside resorts, ski resorts, national parks, rock bands, and religious relics. Various policies, civ abilities, and leader abilities can further amplify your Tourism output.
Your goal is to generate enough Tourism to overwhelm the Culture of your opponents. Every civilization has a certain number of domestic tourists depending on their culture output. The victory will depend on how much Culture your opponents have as well as your own. It’s a race, a competition, a cultural arms race, if you will!
Maximizing Your Tourism Output: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now that we understand the basics, let’s dive into strategies for maximizing your Tourism output:
1. Great Works, Wonders, and Artifacts: The Cornerstones of Culture
Great Works are your primary source of Tourism. Acquire them through Great People, conquering cities, or trading with other civilizations. Theming bonuses within Museums and Wonders can significantly boost their Tourism output. Focus on acquiring Wonders like the Eiffel Tower, Cristo Redentor, and Broadway, which provide substantial Tourism boosts and other benefits. Don’t forget Artifacts, generated by Archaeologists digging up Antiquity Sites.
2. National Parks and Seaside Resorts: Natural Wonders of Tourism
National Parks provide significant Tourism boosts, especially when located near breathtaking natural wonders. Prioritize acquiring land with high Appeal for optimal park placement. Seaside Resorts and Ski Resorts can also generate substantial Tourism, particularly when placed strategically along coastlines or in mountainous regions.
3. Rock Bands: Your Cultural Ambassadors
Late-game, Rock Bands can become a potent source of Tourism. Send them on tours to other civilizations to generate Tourism and spread your cultural influence. Be mindful of their promotion choices, as some promotions are more effective at generating Tourism than others.
4. Trade Routes, Open Borders, and Governments: Diplomatic Ties that Bind
Trade Routes and Open Borders provide significant Tourism bonuses with other civilizations. Choose trade partners strategically and maintain good diplomatic relations to maximize these benefits. Align your government with civilizations that share your ideology for additional Tourism bonuses.
5. Religion: Faith and Tourism United
If you’ve founded a religion, focus on acquiring Relics. Holy Cities with Relics housed in them draw tourists of your Religion.
6. Policy Cards: Amplify Your Cultural Power
Utilize Policy Cards that boost Tourism, such as “Tourism Infrastructure”, “Heritage Tourism,” and “Online Communities.” These cards can significantly increase your Tourism output, giving you a crucial edge in the cultural race.
7. Eleanor of Aquitaine: The Master of Loyalty
Playing as Eleanor of Aquitaine can make a Culture Victory easier, either as England or France. Her leader ability allows her cities to exert loyalty pressure on nearby cities, potentially flipping them to her control and adding their Tourism output to her empire.
Analyzing Your Competition: Know Thy Enemy
To win a Culture Victory, you need to monitor your opponents’ progress. Use the Tourism Lens to identify which civilizations are generating the most Culture and Tourism. Focus your efforts on civilizations with high Culture output, as they will have more domestic tourists to overcome. If you have excess military power, waging war on cultural civs can set them back substantially, especially by pillaging Great Works.
Fine-Tuning Your Strategy: Adapting to the Game
The best Tourism strategy will vary depending on the map, your civilization’s unique abilities, and your opponents’ playstyles. Be prepared to adapt your strategy as the game progresses. If you’re struggling to generate enough Tourism, consider focusing on acquiring more Great Works or building more Wonders. If your opponents are closing in, consider launching a diplomatic or even military offensive to disrupt their cultural progress.
FAQs: Your Burning Tourism Questions Answered
1. Is Tourism important in Civ 6?
Yes! Tourism is the primary driver of the Culture Victory. It’s also crucial for influencing Ideological pressure, potentially causing other civilizations to adopt your ideology.
2. How do I get tourists fast in Civ 6?
Focus on generating Great Works, building Wonders, establishing Trade Routes, and enacting Policies that boost Tourism. Seaside Resorts and Ski resorts also provide a quick surge of tourism once developed.
3. Does culture help Tourism in civ 6?
While Culture itself doesn’t directly generate visiting tourists, it helps generate domestic tourists, which makes your civilization more difficult for other civilizations to overcome culturally.
4. Does open borders increase Tourism civ 6?
Yes! Open Borders provide a +25% Tourism bonus with that civilization. Trade routes with open borders provide an even bigger boost.
5. What is the best civilization to win a cultural victory in Civ 6?
France (Eleanor of Aquitaine) is a strong choice, due to her unique ability to flip cities to her control and her bonus to Wonder production. Another great pick is Pericles of Greece.
6. Is religion useful for a Culture Victory in Civ 6?
Absolutely! Acquiring Relics and placing them in your Holy City is a great way to draw in tourists of your religion and provide a base tourism output.
7. How many cities should I aim for in a Culture Victory game?
Aim for at least 10 cities by turn 100. The more cities you have, the more opportunities you have to build Wonders, districts, and generate Tourism.
8. Is it bad to have too many cities in Civ 6 for a culture victory?
No, it is not. More cities equals more potential for cultural wonders, national parks, seaside resorts, and other tourism-boosting improvements.
9. What are the best wonders to build for a Culture Victory?
Key Wonders include the Eiffel Tower, Cristo Redentor, Broadway, Sydney Opera House, Hermitage, and Bolshoi Theatre. These Wonders provide significant Tourism boosts and house Great Works.
10. Should I accept embassies from other civilizations?
Generally, yes. Embassy agreements boost relations, which can lead to Trade Routes and Open Borders, both of which increase Tourism.
11. Should I focus on wonders or great works first?
This depends on the game. Wonders have static outputs, and cannot be destroyed by military force. Great Works have to be earned, moved and protected.
12. What era policy cards should I use?
Some great policy cards include: tourism infrastructure, heritage tourism, and online communities.
13. Should I destroy cities for culture victory in civ 6?
In general, no. Unless a city is truly useless (poor location, low population, etc.), it’s usually better to keep it and try to develop it for tourism. Conquered cities can become valuable Tourism hubs.
14. How do seaside resorts increase tourism in Civ 6?
They have base appeal, and also additional bonuses for the city.
15. What is the best terrain feature for National Parks?
Consider breathtaking features like mountains, forests, and cliffs for the greatest benefit.
The Final Verdict: Culture is King (or Queen!)
Achieving a Culture Victory in Civilization 6 requires a multifaceted approach, combining strategic city planning, shrewd diplomacy, and a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics. By focusing on generating Tourism through Great Works, Wonders, National Parks, Seaside Resorts, Trade Routes, and strategic alliances, you can overwhelm your opponents’ Culture and claim your rightful place as the world’s premier tourist destination. Good luck, and may your cultural influence spread far and wide!
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