ABSTRACT
Scholarly research and the literature in leisure has been led and dominated by scholars and researchers from the West. The body of leisure literature has indeed bloomed, and this has provided a solid base upon which to develop our knowledge of one of the world’s leading industries. In the tourism sector for example, the World Tourism Organization’s Tourism 2020 Vision report forecasts that growth in tourism arrivals over the next twenty years will be concentrated in Asia for both inbound and outbound travel. Moreover, as the affluence of Asian countries increases and greater awareness of the need for quality of life emerges among Asians, greater attention and focus on Asia and its markets is expected. It will be important for leisure researchers, marketers, and providers to be aware of the issues to consider when providing leisure services in an Asian context. Although leisure and recreation has reached a relatively mature stage in Western society, leisure as an integral part of one’s life is not as widely embraced in Asia. Thus, the region represents a challenge and also a major potential area of growth for the leisure industry.
