ABSTRACT
The primary objective of this chapter is to consider space and place in light of the formations and varieties of retail experience that could attract and/or result from tourist activity. The place and space content comes from the consideration of retail formation studies within three key areas: (1) macro-environmental, socio-geographical theories of retail spatial organisation, (2) meta-level studies into various retail environment characteristics and effects upon consumers’ experience, including shopping street and mall studies, and (3) micro-environmental concepts concerning the consumer effects of intra-store atmospherics and design. As the orientation of Part I of this book concerns retail formations, this chapter will predominantly focus upon the first two of these areas, examining macro and meta aspects of tourist retail, although it touches from time to time on some relevant micro-environmental issues. The overall positive outlook on the individually beneficial, or ‘healthy’, aspects of tourist retail will hopefully add perspective to elements in other chapters, including helping to frame some of the questions and issues to arise in Part II, on ‘formats’.
