The Discovery of Tourism

The study of tourism involves many disciplines but, arguably, none is more central than geography. Its defining interests in location, movement, and the relationships of people and places involve the essence of tourism. This book profiles some of the pioneers of tourism geography through their stories as told in their words. This collection began with an invitation from the editor to leading tourism geographers to reflect on their careers. This result is a view of the evolution of tourism as a subject of enquiry from the 1960's, how it varies across cultures, and how it has been shaped in different academic institutions. The voices in which these stories are told are as distinctive as the authors. In each case, the voice you "hear" is authentic, helping you discover, not just the details of the stories but something of the personalities behind them.

The study of tourism is but one small niche in social science, but the phenomenon of tourism is found in virtually every culture, every nation. The questions geographers ask are as diverse as the cultures of the earth itself. These stories reveal the rich textures of the lives of these scholars as well as the muses that inspire them. The book also provides insights into a distinctive phenomenon among tourism geographers –many do not work in traditional departments of geography. Regardless of in what type of institutional academic environment you will find these authors, every woman and man in this book has made significant contributions to understanding the people, places, and processes that are tourism. This book will be of interest, not only to students of tourism geography, but any thoughtful person intrigued by those who devote their lives to the pursuit of knowledge and contributing to the well-being of individuals, families, and communities.