Tourism Development Revisited

The global tourism industry is a growing, dynamic mega industry, despite the temporary setbacks it has faced from time to time due to political and natural elements. This book approaches tourism development through a critical prism. The collection of articles by leading experts in international tourism relooks at the complex phenomenon of tourism development within a multi-disciplinary framework. Replete with interesting case studies and tourism statistics, it re-examines and re-interprets prevailing dominant paradigms in the subject, leading to new insights and perspectives. Tourism Development Revisited: Concepts, Issues and Paradigms, in addition to discussing the concepts, scope and nature of the tourism business, also includes a diverse commentary on: - The development of tourism in the 21st century; - Emerging models in international tourism; - Challenges faced in emerging markets of East Europe, India and China; - Impact of the Internet and online markets on the travel industry; - Changing human resource practices and contributions by the informal sector; - The importance of tourism as a source of economic development; - The dynamics of the global tourist and corporate traveler; - Ecotourism, exotic destinations and experiential tourism; and - Fundamental issues in leisure, recreation and tourism. The contributors of all the 22 chapters have explored their respective topics beyond the expected realms. They deal with the conceptual and paradigmatic evolution of tourism as a socio-economic phenomenon and an industry, contradictions in its development process, tourism in the developing world including the fast growing Chinese and Indian economies, new tourism products, and their development and management. The book will hold tremendous appeal for students, researchers, academicians, policy makers and professionals in this field.