ABSTRACT
Like many countries in both the developing and developed world, Indonesia has recognised the potential role of tourism as a catalyst for economic development and, ultimately, improved living standards for communities in many regions. This is reflected in the country’s five-year development plans, where tourism is designated a priority area for economic planning and development purposes. The enthusiasm for tourism may be counter-productive, however, if inappropriate tourism development options are chosen in order to pursue targets which are unrealistic and/or unsustainable in the longer term. The aim of this chapter is to explore some of the issues involved in planning tourism development in this country and to elaborate on these by discussing the specific case of the Sodong agro-tourism project in Central Java.
