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Economic Geography and Natural Resources

The Global Tourism Industry and Economic Geography

Tourism as a global economic force: the flows of travelers that concentrate on a handful of destinations, the coastal, urban, and adventure economies those flows sustain, and the environmental and cultural costs that mass travel imposes on the places it visits.

60-Second Review

Express review

A condensed, point-by-point summary of the module, for reviewing right before a test or exam.

  1. Global Tourism Flows and Top Destinations. International arrivals concentrate heavily in a small number of countries and regions.
  2. Coastal and Resort Tourism Economies. Sun-and-sand tourism built the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Southeast Asian resort economies.
  3. Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Geography. Ecotourism ties conservation funding to nature travel, though its environmental record is debated.
  4. Urban and Heritage Tourism. Cities and UNESCO heritage sites anchor a tourism economy built on culture and history.
  5. The Cruise Industry and Its Geography. A handful of corporations and Caribbean home ports dominate global cruise tourism.
  6. Tourism's Economic Impact on Developing Regions. Tourism brings foreign exchange and jobs to developing regions, but often with high import leakage.
  7. Overtourism and Its Local Consequences. Overtourism strains housing, infrastructure, and resident quality of life in top destinations.
  8. The Geography of the Travel and Hospitality Industry. Global hotel chains, aviation alliances, and OTAs organize the geography of the travel industry.

This module continues after "Water Resources and Freshwater Security" in the syllabus. If you haven't reviewed it yet, it may help set the context.

Key points

Visual module map

1Global Tourism Flows and Top Destinations
2Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Geography
3The Cruise Industry and Its Geography
4Tourism's Economic Impact on Developing Regions
5The Geography of the Travel and Hospitality Industry

Alternative visual view: a simplified sequence of some of the module's key points, in their order within the syllabus.

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Final test

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Optional mini-games

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Review Flashcards

Review each key point with cards that flip to reveal the summary.

Memory

Match each concept with its definition in as few attempts as possible.

Time Attack

Answer true or false statements before time runs out.

Chronological Order

Put the module's key points back in their original order.

Further reading

Bibliography and cited sources used to create this module.

  • UN Tourism (2024). World Tourism Barometer, Volume 22. Madrid: UN Tourism.
  • World Travel & Tourism Council (2023). Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2023: Global Trends. London: WTTC.
  • Butler, R.W. (1980). "The Concept of a Tourist Area Cycle of Evolution: Implications for Management of Resources." The Canadian Geographer, 24(1), 5-12.
  • Honey, M. (2008). Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who Owns Paradise? (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: Island Press.
  • UN Tourism (2018). "Overtourism"? Understanding and Managing Urban Tourism Growth beyond Perceptions. Madrid: UNWTO.
  • Cruise Lines International Association (2023). State of the Cruise Industry Report. Washington, DC: CLIA.