The Global Tourism System: Governance, Development And Lessons from South Africa

Noting the sparse scholarly attention paid to the relationship between tourism and development, Cornelissen (U. of Stellenbosch, South Africa) presents her country--with its political economic elements of both the developed and developing world--as a case example of the dynamics, opportunities, costs, and other challenges of this growth sector. Viewing global tourism in terms of systems of production, consumption, and regulation, she addresses such factors as demand-stimulation through new product offerings as a key policy path for many governments, sustainable tourism, and the role of multinational firms. She concludes that the threshold for entering the global tourism market is relatively low if the requisite infrastructure and attractive destinations exist. Annotation c2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Scarlett Cornelissen is Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Her research projects include the political economy of tourism and urban competitiveness and governance in Southern Africa. She has published on various topics, such as Japana€?s involvement in Africa, the impact of international economic changes on South African cities, and the tourism dimensions of sport mega-events. Articles have appeared, amongst others, in the Journal of Modern African Studies, Pacific Review, Third World Quarterly and Review of International Political Economy.