Conclusion: Tourism and Development - Tourism and Development: Concepts and Issues - page 468

level of economic development conducive to increased social well-being and
stability (Weaver & Opperman, 2000). At the same time, tourism also has
the ability to contribute to the protection and enhancement of traditions,
customs, heritage and environment in a destination, although the demon-
stration effect can have negative implications on society. However, if the
protection of these resources is undertaken to such a degree that a society
cannot move forward, or the culture is turned into a commodity, then the
process of development may be halted. The concept of sustainable develop-
ment is replete with contradictions (Redclift, 1987) and environmentally
friendly practices by the industry or the destination can soon be turned into
a marketing ploy. Tourism development should not be viewed as a plan for a
set of isolated host communities, coordination and collaboration is required
at the local, regional, national and international levels. New regionalism is
driving more collaborative planning with local participation. Destinations
are focusing on being creative destinations that are branded and ranked on
competitive indices. As competition between destinations becomes more
intense, consideration also needs to be given to those destinations which go
into decline, such as the seaside resorts in the United Kingdom. Is there
much of a chance at rejuvenation or has tourism run its course and should
the destination look to get out of the industry ?
Over a decade has passed since the publication of the first edition of this
book. The aim of this second edition has been to continue to raise questions
surrounding the nature of tourism in the development process. The concept
of what is development, how it is measured and how it should or can be
achieved through tourism continues to increase in complexity. The new chap-
ters in this edition and the revisions to existing chapters serve to illustrate the
expanding notions of the role of tourism in the development process. It is
hoped that this second edition will continue to contribute to a greater under-
standing and knowledge of the processes, debates, challenges and benefits of
using tourism as a development tool. At the same time, however, develop-
ment thinking has expanded tremendously since the publication of the first
edition of this topic, leaving one to wonder what direction it will take in the
future and how this will continue to be reflected in tourism.