Tourism and War

by Richard Butler (editor), Wantanee Suntikul (Editor)

This is the first volume to fully explore the complex relationship between war and tourism by considering its full range of dynamics; including political, psychological, economic and ideological factors at different levels, in different political and geographical locations. Issues of peace and tourism are dealt with insofar as they pertain to the effects of war on tourism that emerge after the cessation of hostilities. The book therefore reveals how not only location, but also political strategies, accidents of history, transportation linkages, and economic expediency all have played their role in the development and continuation of tourism before, during, and after wartime. It further show how the effects of war are seldom if ever simply a negation or reversal of the effects of peace on tourism.The volume draws on a range of examples, from medieval times to the present, to reveal the multi-faceted development of tourism amidst and because of conflict in a wide variety of locations, including the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, North America, Africa and South East Asia, showing the diverse ways in which tourism and war interacts. In doing so it explores how some locations have been developed as tourist attractions primarily because of war and conflict, e.g. as resting and training places for troops, and others flourished because of the threat of danger from conflicts to more traditional tourist locations.This thought provoking volume contributes to the understanding of the interrelationships between war, peace and tourism in many different parts of the world at different scales. It will be valuable reading for all those interested in this topic as well as dark tourism, battlefield tourism and heritage tourism.

302 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 20, 2012

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Born in Birmingham in 1943, educated at King Edward's School, then Nottingham University (1961-4) in Geography, and Glasgow University (1964-67) PhD in Geography, on the Tourism Industry in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Moved to Canada to take up a position as Assistant Professor in Geography at the University of Western Ontario, intending to stay a couple of years, but ended up there for 30 years, gaining promotion to Professor and Head of Department of Geography, a wife and three children. Came back to the UK to the University of Surrey as Deputy Head (Research) from 1997-2005, then took early retirement and moved to St Andrews, and a part time position in the Strathclyde Business School until 2012. Now retired in name but editing books, writing articles and book chapters, giving papers and reviewing articles and grant proposals and playing a little coarse golf. My main research interests have been the impacts of tourism, tourism in remote areas and islands, off shore oil developments, and sustainability. Some 20 books on tourism published on topics from religion to war, resilience to cricket and giants of tourism. Last research project was an Emeritus Fellowship from Leverhulme Foundation which allowed me to redo my BA thesis research topic, a study of Fair Isle, Shetland, using the same questionnaire survey fifty years after the original survey. A great opportunity to return to my favourite place, renew my birdwatching interest and write some more.