Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Environmental impacts (e.g. dune destruction)
Loss of historical character of town and imposition of artificially created atmosphere
More crime/domestic violence
Source:
P.Hudson (1990b: 10)
However, it must be emphasised that resident attitudes to tourism development will be
influenced by where they fit into the existing social and economic order, their personal
gains from the development process, and/or their response to the changing environment
in light of their pre-existing values and attitudes (Hudson 1990b). In addition, it should be
noted that while individuals may perceive there to be negative tourism impacts, they may
still be favourable towards tourism's overall benefits to the community. Faulkner and
Tideswell (1996) referred to this phenomenon as the 'altruistic surplus' and suggested
that this could be the result of a mature stage of tourism development in a destination
region whereby residents have adapted to tourism through experience and migration.
In addition to attitudinal studies, a number of other approaches and issues are of
interest to the geographer. For example, historical studies of tourism may indicate the
role tourism has in affecting attitudes and values with a destination community (e.g. Wall
1983a; Butler and Wall 1985). Studies of tourism policy may assist in an understanding
of the way governments develop strategies to manage the negative impacts of tourism
and in the overall manner that tourism is used in regional development (e.g. Papson 1981;
Kosters 1984; Oglethorpe 1984; Hall and Jenkins 1995; Reid 2003). Another area of
tourism's social impact which has received more attention in recent years is that of health
(Clift and Page 1996). Researchers have examined the spatial misinformation provided
by travel agents when advising clients of the potential health risks they may face when
travelling to Pacific Island destinations (Lawton et al. 1996; Lawton and Page 1997a and
b). What such research shows is the vital role of understanding place, space and the
geography of risk in relation to the epidemiology of disease. While geographers have
studied disease for many years, making the link between travel and disease is a
comparatively new development (Clift and Page 1996). For example, tourism may assist
in the spread of disease, while tourists themselves are vulnerable to illness while
travelling. Indeed, one of the major focal points for geographers' research on tourist
health in recent years has been the spread of AIDS and its association with sex tourism.
There is growing evidence that the geographer will continue to develop expertise in this
area and a major contribution could be made at a public policy level in the rapid
dissemination of disease alerts to medical practitioners and health professionals through
the use of GIS technology. Important collaborations have been forged between
geographers, tourism and health researchers to ensure this area expands the frontiers of
knowledge (Clift and Page 1996; Wilks and Page 2003).
Prostitution has also been related to tourism in both historical and contemporary
settings, with research being focused on tourism in the less developed countries
(D.R.W.Jones 1986), issues of gender (Kinnaird and Hall 1994) and sex tourism in
particular (Ryan and Hall 2001). Yet prostitution and sex tourism's significant connection
to western tourism should also be noted. For example, tourist promotion may highlight
the more licentious attributes of a tourist destination. As Bailie (1980) commented:
