Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
development of tourism has long been seen as both a vehicle and a symbol
at least of westernisation, but also, more importantly, of progress and mod-
ernisation. This has particularly been the case in Third World countries'.
Not surprisingly, much of the tourism development literature has long had
a similar focus, with many texts and articles explicitly addressing tourism
development in less developed countries (for example, Britton & Clarke,
1987; Brohman, 1996b; Harrison, 1992b, 2001a; Huybers, 2007; Lea, 1988;
Mowforth & Munt, 1998, 2009; Singh, T.
et al.
, 1989; Weaver, 1998a).
However, the potential of tourism to contribute to development in modern,
industrialised countries is also widely recognised, with tourism playing an
increasingly important role in most, if not all, Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. In Europe, for example,
there has long been evidence of national government support of the tourism
sector, in some cases dating back to the 1920s and 1930s, and more recently
'tourism - along with some other select activities such as financial services
and telecommunications - has become a major component of economic strate-
gies' (Williams & Shaw, 1991: 1). In particular, tourism has become a favoured
means of addressing the socio-economic problems facing peripheral rural areas
(Cavaco, 1995a; Hoggart
et al.
, 1995; Phelan & Sharpley, 2011; Roberts & Hall,
2001) whilst many urban areas have also turned to tourism as a means of miti-
gating the problems of industrial decline. Indeed, government support for
tourism-related development is evident in financial support for tourism-related
development or regeneration projects. For example, one method of disbursing
European Union (EU) structural funds for rural regeneration in Europe has
been through the LEADER (Liaisons Entre Actions pour la Développement des
Économies Rurales) programme. Of 217 projects under the original LEADER
scheme, tourism was the dominant business plan in 71 (Calatrava Requena &
Avilés, 1993). Thus, just as tourism is a global phenomenon, so too is its devel-
opmental contribution applicable on a global basis. What varies is simply the
contextual meaning or definition of 'development', or the hoped-for outcomes
of tourism development.
Therefore, it is important to understand what is meant by the term
'development' and how its meaning may vary according to different con-
texts. First, however, it is necessary to review the reasons why tourism, as
opposed to other industries or economic sectors, is seen as an attractive vehi-
cle for development.
Why Tourism?
Throughout the world, the most compelling reason for pursuing tour-
ism as a development strategy is its alleged positive contribution to the local
or national economy; as Schubert
et al.
(2011: 377) summarise, 'international
tourism is recognised to have a positive effect on the increase of long-run
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