This text explores the role of tourism as a potential contibutor to socio-economic development in destination areas. Establishing a link between tourism studies and development studies, it considers what is meant by "development", the processes through which development may be achieved and, in particular, a number of fundamental issues related to the use of tourism as a development agent. In so doing, it challenges conventional thinking about the relationship between tourism and development.

Author Biography

Richard Sharpley is Reader in Travel and Tourism Management at the University of Northumbria, UK. His principal research interests include rural tourism development, the sociology of tourism, tourism in island micro-states with a particular emphasis on Cyprus, and tourism and international development. He has written a number of books and articles in all of these areas.David J. Telfer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at Brock University, Canada, and is the Co-ordinator of the Bachelor of Tourism Studies Degree. He teaches in the areas of tourism planning and heritage tourism. He has researched and published in the areas of the relationship between tourism and development theories, economic linkages of tourism with host communities,strategic alliances and rural tourism.