ABSTRACT
Proponents of peace through tourism have argued that tourism is more than just leisure and pleasure; that it is a social force that can heighten awareness of existing inequalities and injustices. They have also argued that tourism is a vital force for promoting peace because there is “no better bridge between people, ideas, ideologies and culture than travel” (Pizam 1996, p. 203). The engagement that takes place between the visitors and the locals is said to promote “mutual understanding, trust and goodwill” (UNWTO 1980), which can then create “a foundation on which to build improved relationships towards the goal of world peace and prosperity” (D'Amore 1988, p. 152). These proponents argue that tourism is “at the most basic level” a form of Track II diplomacy (D'Amore 1988, p. 153). This term refers to informal diplomacy conducted by non-officials (such as sports people, academic scholars, retired civil or military leaders, and tourists, amongst others) who engage in dialogue to foster conflict resolution or confidence-building (Chigas 2003).
