ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on two areas, firstly, the Asian tourist themselves, and, secondly, on economic development in the Asian region as it relates to tourism. It examines foreign tourist arrivals in India. The book looks at gap time and Chinese tourists, and also examines word of mouth and local tourism development in Iran. The book relates to governance and organisation of tourism in the region: a paper on ASEAN beyond talk shop, which analyses the economic impact of the lifting of sanctions on tourism in Iran. It examines the nature of growth and competitiveness in the region with three section. The first revisits the tourism-growth nexus, whilst the second examines the network dynamics of tourism development in South Korea. Thirdly, looks at maintaining the competitiveness of the Hong Kong aviation hub.
