Tourism in the USA: A Spatial and Social Synthesis

The United States continues to provide opportunities for travel and tourism to domestic and international travellers. This is the first book to offer students a comprehensive overview of both tourism and travel in this region, paying specific attention to the disciplines of Geography, Tourism Studies and, more generally, Social Science.

Tourism in the USA explains the evolution of tourism paying attention to the forces that shaped the product that exists today. The focus of the book includes the manner in which tourism has played out in various contexts; the role of federal, state, and local policy is also examined in terms of the effects it has had on the US travel industry and on destinations. The various elements of tourism demand and supply are discussed and the influence that transportation (especially Americans’ high personal mobility rates and love affair with the auto) has had on the sector highlighted. The economics of tourism are fleshed out before focusing more narrowly on both the urban and rural settings where tourism occurs. A look into the manner in which the spatial structure of cities is transformed through tourism is also offered. Additionally, a brief examination of future issues in American tourism is presented along with explanations concerning the ascendancy of tourism as an economic development tool in various areas.

The book combines theory and practice as well as integrating a range of useful student orientated resources to aid understanding and spur further debate, which can be used for independent study or in class exercises. These include:



‘Closer Look’ case studies with reflective questions to help show theory in practice and encourage critical thinking about tourism developments in this region


‘Discussion Questions’ at the end of each chapter encourage stimulating debates


‘Further Reading’ sections direct the readers to related book and web resources so that they can learn more about the topics covered in each chapter.
Written in an engaging style and supported with visual aids, this book will provide students globally with an in-depth and essential understanding of the complexities of tourism and travel in the USA.

Dimitri Ioannides holds the Chair of Human Geography at Mittuniversitetet (Mid-Sweden University). He also is a professor of Tourism Planning and Development at Missouri State University. Dr. Ioannides has published extensively on various facets of tourism, especially the economic geography of tourism and sustainable tourism development.

Dallen J. Timothy is Director of Tourism Development and Management, School of Community Resources and Development at Arizona State University. He is also Visiting Professor of Heritage Tourism at the University of Sunderland, England, and Editor of the Journal of Heritage Tourism. His primary research interests include tourism planning, borderlands and peripheral regions, heritage tourism, religious tourism, and tourism in developing countries. He has published widely on these and several other aspects of tourism studies.

1. Introduction 2. American Tourism: A Study through Time 3. The Institutional Setting for Tourism in the United States 4. Demand for Tourism in the United States 5. Tourist Attractions, Tourism Types, Accommodations, and Intermediaries 6. The Transportation System 7. Tourism’s Economic Significance 8. Urban Tourism in the US 9. On the Road to Small Town USA: Rural Tourism and its Significance 10. Conclusions