Tourism and integrated development: a geographic perspective

Abstract

This article discusses the influence of tourism on integrated development from spatial and temporal points of view. The growth of tourism as an activity has been acknowledged from all parts of the world and it appears the tourism sector is making a lot of contribution to economic development of countries that have developed their tourism potentials. Many empirical studies have come up with evidence that suggests that there exists a relationship between tourism demand and other variables such as transportation and spatial behaviour of tourists. Due to the infancy of tourism as a development strategy in the developing countries only little work has been done to address theoretical underpinnings of tourism and integrated development within the geographic framework. The importance of spatial integration makes geography an integral aspect of development that may be of invaluable relevance to the understanding of tourism growth. Arguments in this paper are marshalled on three levels: the geographers’ view of integrated development; tourism and economic development; and geographic question in tourism and integrated development. It is believed that with the integrated development of tourism at all geographic scales, spatial inequity would be drastically reduced.