Tourism unveiled through a dialogue with sustainable local development

Constanza Parra

Chapter 13 in The Value of Place, 2025, pp 189-208 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter explores the dynamic evolution of tourism as a global industry and its multifaceted impacts on regional and local development. Drawing on insights from a lecture series on ‘Tourism and sustainable local development’, it provides a historical overview, tracing the growth of international tourism from an elite leisure activity to a mass consumption phenomenon shaped by post-World War II investments in infrastructure and institutions. The analysis focuses on the Fordist tourism model, which dominated from the mid-twentieth century to the late 1980s, and its significant economic, social, cultural, and environmental consequences. Addressing critiques of this model, the chapter examines contemporary transformations driven by neoliberal urban redevelopment, cultural tourism, and advancements in digital technologies, including Global Distribution Systems. It highlights emerging alternatives to mass tourism that emphasize sustainability in practice and policy. The chapter discusses the rise of ethical and responsible tourism, including ecotourism, community-based tourism, and slow tourism, as well as the evolving policies and institutions supporting these changes. It concludes by reflecting on the challenges and opportunities of fostering sustainable tourism models, emphasizing the importance of inclusive governance and territorialized approaches.

Keywords: Tourism; Local and regional development; Sustainable development; Communities; Governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035347919
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