DEFINING AND CONNECTING THE PIECES

Multidisciplinary nature of tourism studies

The study of tourism is largely informed by a number of disciplines (marketing, management, etc). It however, can be argued to be a discipline in its own right, as there has been a significant emergence of study and research on tourism and it is now informing other disciplines. Tourism is also an interdisciplinary field, as it brings the study of other disciplines together and is involved in a lot of other areas, such as geographic, managerial and marketing.

Defining tourism

Anything to do with the temporary (Leiper, 1979), chosen mobility of people outside their accustomed environment can be deemed as tourism and is distinct from others fields due to the inclusion of tourists. It is primarily for leisure/recreation, but can also be for business (Hall, 2007). It includes various stakeholders (government, community, environmentalists) and has social, economic and environmental impacts. However, tourism has a reciprocal relationship with these factors, as they influence it within the macro environment. Tourism also includes several geographic components that the tourist physically travels through; the generating, transit and destination regions.

Tourism from a range of perspectives

Tourism is seen differently by and has various meanings to all stakeholders, depending on their influence over it, its impact on them and their reliance in it. Thus there is a potential for conflict. It can be seen from a political environmental, social or economic standpoint, depending upon involvement and influence. Government and tourism developers must acknowledge and involve all of the different perspectives held by stakeholders to gain the most holistic and sustainable approach to tourism possible.