ABSTRACT
Chapter 10 introduced the concept of tourism management in relation to the way
private sector businesses interact, operate and perform in market economies. It
highlighted the importance of management to ensure that for private sector
companies profitability is achieved. However, tourism operates in a wider macro-
economic environment, beyond the level of the firm, and that environment can be
indirectly and directly managed, influenced and directed by government. According
to Elliot (1997), there are four main questions that need to be asked in relation to the
involvement of government in tourism:
1 Why are governments important to tourism, and why do governments get involved
in tourism management?
