The Social Side of Tourism ― The Interface Between Tourism, Society, and the Environment

The 12 essays in this volume examine the social and natural environments of tourism in different countries around the world. Tourism specialists from Europe, Canada, South Africa, and New Zealand address social and cultural perspectives of host communities and tourists, including the role of tourism in mitigating prejudice and societal conflict, the impact of the artificial surf reef on the surf culture and surf-related tourism in New Zealand, creative tourism strategies by Canada's French Shore Historical Society, and the perceptions of the social importance of tourism in the Philippines; how nature is at the forefront of the visitor experience, including the Table Mountain National Park in South Africa, nature-based tourism activities in Norway, using participant observation to research guided tours, whale and dolphin watching websites in New Zealand, and the influence of sustainability on luxury travel; and conditions for the branding of tourism destinations and strategies for local economic development, including theme marketing in Germany, destination branding in Helsinki, and the economic impacts of tourism in Finland. Annotation c2015 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)

Michael Luck is Associate Professor of Tourism at Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.
Jan Velvin is Associate Professor at Buskerud and Vestfold University College, Norway.
Bernd Eisenstein is Professor of International Tourism Management at Westcoast University of Applied Sciences in Heide, Germany.