Abstract
In this paper, we offer a concise appraisal of the
sustainable tourism discourse and pave the way for
resilience thinking in tourism. The study of tourism is
inherently multi-disciplinary, covering traditional disciplines
such as geography (physical and human), economics,
anthropology, politics, environmental science and a wider
range of sub-disciplines including cultural studies, regional
and international development, mobilities, hospitality
management, community development and poverty
alleviation, among others. The area known in academic
circles as Tourism Geography is especially pertinent
to the study of tourism given the focus on people and
place, and time and space and the many variables that
inhabit the so-called “tourism system”. For students of
Geography at secondary school level, the study of tourism
enables the integration of a wide range of geographical
knowledge and concepts, and the various geographies
encompassed in both human and physical geography. For
many students, international exchanges and fieldtrips, as
well as personal travel, allow the opportunity to practise
Tourism Geography through real world experiences.
Consequently, students will relate very closely to the
study of tourism in Geography. Importantly, one of the key
aims in examining tourism within the study of Geography
is to develop critical perspectives that look beyond the
superficial demonstration of tourism as embodied in luxury hotels, airlines and tourist enclaves, and to more nuanced
and sophisticated demonstrations of Geography at work
through tourism
sustainable tourism discourse and pave the way for
resilience thinking in tourism. The study of tourism is
inherently multi-disciplinary, covering traditional disciplines
such as geography (physical and human), economics,
anthropology, politics, environmental science and a wider
range of sub-disciplines including cultural studies, regional
and international development, mobilities, hospitality
management, community development and poverty
alleviation, among others. The area known in academic
circles as Tourism Geography is especially pertinent
to the study of tourism given the focus on people and
place, and time and space and the many variables that
inhabit the so-called “tourism system”. For students of
Geography at secondary school level, the study of tourism
enables the integration of a wide range of geographical
knowledge and concepts, and the various geographies
encompassed in both human and physical geography. For
many students, international exchanges and fieldtrips, as
well as personal travel, allow the opportunity to practise
Tourism Geography through real world experiences.
Consequently, students will relate very closely to the
study of tourism in Geography. Importantly, one of the key
aims in examining tourism within the study of Geography
is to develop critical perspectives that look beyond the
superficial demonstration of tourism as embodied in luxury hotels, airlines and tourist enclaves, and to more nuanced
and sophisticated demonstrations of Geography at work
through tourism
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 10-15 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Interaction |
| Volume | 45 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2014 |
