Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development

For many countries tourism is an industry of great economic significance; it is seen as a main instrument for regional development, as it stimulates new economic activities. Tourism may have a positive economic impact on the balance of payments, on employment, on gross income and production, but it may also have negative effects, particularly on the environment. Questions arise as to whether it is possible to keep on developing tourism in a certain area without negative or irreversible influences on the environment. Tourism and Sustainable Economic Development provides a theoretical framework for these problems, as well as practical illustrations on the following topics: the conditions under which specialization in tourism is not harmful for economic growth; the trade-offs, if any, between tourism development and economic growth; the need for government intervention and the various policy options and instruments available to policy makers. The book comprises two parts. The first part presents general views on tourism and sustainable economic development, and some opinions on the relationship between tourism and the environment. Some of the basic concepts implicit in sustainability are examined in relation to regional development, urban tourism, art cities, and rural tourism. The second part of the book concentrates on strategies and policy instruments. The purpose is to concisely define and bring together some policies which appear to be necessary, and whose implementation is required if we are to reconcile tourism development with the protection and conservation of the environment. Some analytical tools for policy making with regard to tourism and the environment are developed. As will become clear, there are many gaps in our knowledge that need to be filled if we are to be successful in controlling tourism in a way that puts this important industry onto a sustainable development path.