ABSTRACT
Tourism is inherently a complex field and difficult to define, resisting comparability within itself and with other industries. As an example, consider meals served in a restaurant, which is integral to the travel experience. Depending on the restaurant’s location, tables could be filled by local residents or it could be filled with visitors. In reality, customers in most restaurants come from both groups at any given time. Local residents may even be entertaining out-of-town guests at the restaurant making it even more difficult to identify how much of the restaurant demand is tourism-related and how much is derived from community members. Depending on who pays the restaurant check, the revenue generated from the meals – and subsequent economic impact – may or may not be attributable to tourism.
