Travel Reference
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grow faster in emerging destinations than in advanced ones. Vibrant eco-
nomic growth in emerging source markets coupled with appropriate proac-
tive tourism policies to develop tourism in the receiving countries will be the
primary drivers of this performance (Kester & Croce, 2011). Even oil-rich
countries such as the United Arab Emirates have been expanding their tour-
ism sectors and trying to attract more visitors. At the same time, highly
developed countries, such as Japan, are also increasing their hitherto not yet
fully developed tourism destination role (Soshiroda, 2005).
Indeed, it is the bright future prospects of tourism regarding its expected
growth and potential contribution to development in terms of socio-
economic and environmental progress that makes every country want a
piece of the global tourism cake. Tourism financial flows generated by
inbound tourism currently generate US$3 billion a day, with the number of
international travellers expected to reach 1.6 billion by 2020 (UNWTO,
2011e). In 2012, international tourist arrivals exceeded the 1 billion mark for
the first time (UNWTO, 2013b).
As observed in Chapter 1, tourism development is frequently justified by
its potential contribution to economic development. More specifically, it is
widely assumed that tourism can help eliminate the growing economic gap
between the developed and the so-called Majority World, where the majority
of the world's population live in poverty (Burns & Novelli, 2008a; Harrison,
2001b; Mowforth & Munt, 2009; Telfer & Sharpley, 2008). It is also assumed
that tourism can help achieve the Millennium Development Goals, alleviate
poverty, create jobs and empower women (Hawkins & Mann, 2007;
UNWTO, 2011d). In addition, tourism is increasingly expected to become an
agent for sustainable development and green economies (Lipman & Vorster,
2011). Certainly, tourism has the potential to fulfil all of these roles, contrib-
uting to the (economic) development of destination areas, although in prac-
tice many factors may serve to reduce these potential benefits for the host
country. In other words, despite the support for tourism as an economic
development agent, its potential may not always be fully realised and serious
doubts remain that, without international political intervention and a fun-
damental transformation of global political structures, tourism can help
establish a more even and equitable economic world order.
Tourism economists agree that tourism provides positive economic devel-
opmental benefits, as discussed at length in the literature (Balaguer &
Cantavella-Jorda, 2002; Bull, 1995; Gartner, 1996; Mathieson & Wall, 1982;
Mihalič, 2002a; Telfer & Sharpley, 2008; Tisdell, 2005; Tribe, 2005).
Undoubtedly, tourism influences the economic development of the host
region or country. It is a valuable source of foreign currency earnings; as a
service sector it might reduce inflationary tendencies; it generates employ-
ment opportunities, new investment, new sources of income and govern-
mental revenues; and, last but not least, it creates earnings through exploitation
of the host country's natural and cultural attractions and promotes
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