ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the topic of destination by verbalizing the term destination and subordinating it to place, providing an integrative perspective capable of doing justice to the empirical integratedness of for example the discrete and strategic aspects of tourism development. It also aims at clarifying power aspects of destination involvement. The approach to the topic of destination through place presented here elaborates on how we can broaden our conceptualization of the geographies of tourism through the use of place as an analytical concept and method. Destination development initiatives are among such strategies in the way they are put at work to not only emphasize the place as a tourist destination, but also as a certain kind of tourist destination. Therefore, tourism is often heavily involved in the identity politics that such development strategies imply. Strategic work to develop tourist destinations involve in the production of ludic spaces, where places are reduced and homogenized.
