ABSTRACT
A five-year tourism research agreement was signed between Canada and the United States. This past year that agreement was renewed for another five years. A key clause of those agreements was a commitment of the tourism agencies of both nations to work together to understand international tourism within the two countries. A second key clause was a commitment to exchange information on the significance of natural and cultural resources relevant to international tourism in the two countries. This chapter provides new insights into the evolving trends in tourism relevant to North America and an understanding of the range of new studies and information on the subject of tourism and its relation to natural and cultural areas. It also presents an appreciation of the size, significance, and characteristics of natural and cultural market segments within international tourism markets in North America and an appreciation for the implications of this tourism marketing research for managing public resource attractions in North America.
