ABSTRACT
There has been considerable discussion of the role of tourism as a force for economic change (Sinclair and Stabler 1992). Indeed it could be argued that part of the ‘rediscovery’ of tourism studies by economic geographers has been through its relatively high profile in contributing to employment. This is certainly the case in many mature economies where the success of the tourism industry, particularly in the face of economic restructuring, has enhanced its importance to state policies at both national and local levels (Agarwal 1997). Similarly, tourism has provided the basis for an attractive, alternative growth form for many developing economies in a wide range of geographical settings (Harrison 1994; D.Hall 1991).
