Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and the Millennium Development Goals. As in broader development theoris-
ing and practice, tourism has seen contributions from far more varied organ-
isations at a wider variety of scales yet, as Butler (1999a) indicates, there can
be a wide gap between tourism development principles and tourism develop-
ment practices. The complexity of the relationship between tourism and
development is highlighted in Harrison's (1992c) work in Swaziland, where
he found tradition simultaneously legitimising the existing political struc-
ture and giving a crucial theme in selling the country while at the same time
contributing to the process of modernity.
As highlighted in this chapter and, indeed, throughout this topic, the
nature of development is a highly contested concept influenced by a wide
range of social, political, economic and environmental perspectives each
with their own set of values. Key questions such as those raised by Lord
(1998) when examining the power relations in partnerships also need to be
addressed: Who will benefit ? Who will be harmed ? Is there a common pur-
pose and value ? What beliefs about people and change are inherent in the
project ? How will those differences be addressed ? Who will control the
process ? How will partners work together so that each partner's experience
is honoured ? How will participation be maximised ? How will valued resou-
rces be shared ? It is important to understand development in terms of devel-
opment by whom and for whom. Drawing on the work of Nederveen
Pieterse (2001) on understanding development, Knutsson (2009: 41) states
that the 'process of collective learning, inquiry and debate is likely to be
more fruitful on the basis of knowledge of precedent logics (and their short-
comings) and an explicit recognition of increasing complexity'. This can be
applied to tourism as an instrument in development as we need to under-
stand the basis of various types of tourism developments in the past (and
their shortcomings) with an understanding of the increasing complexity of
tourism as an agent of development into the future. The concepts of devel-
opment and tourism raised in this chapter will be revisited throughout this
book. The second section of the topic explores tourism-specific development
issues, including economic development, poverty reduction, regional devel-
opment, community development, social-cultural development, heritage
and socio-economic development and the environment. The final section of
the topic examines barriers and challenges to tourism development by
addressing the political economy of tourism, tourism and climate change,
the consumption of tourism, tourism and human rights, tourism and inter-
national studies and questions the validity of the term sustainability as it
applies to tourism development.
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