| This dissertation identifies four kinds of tourism in the Third World: international formal-sector tourism, domestic formal-sector tourism, international informal-sector tourism, and domestic informal-sector tourism. It demonstrates how and why the economic, social, cultural, and environmental effects of tourism in less developed countries vary both spatially and sectorally. It finds that there are significant differences not only among countries but also among different tourism sectors within countries.; Chapter One provides a broad overview of tourism at the dawn of the twenty-first century, focusing on tourist types, where tourism occurs, and what the growth of tourism means in the contemporary world. Chapter Two develops a theoretical framework within which to view the impact of tourism in less developed countries, incorporating both domestic and international tourism and the related categories of formal and informal economic sectors. The following four chapters illustrate the different kinds of Third World tourism identified in Chapter Two: Chapter Three focuses on Mexico's system of fully-integrated resorts; Chapter Four looks at backpacker tourism in India and Mexico; Chapter Five considers Himalayan resorts catering to India's new middle classes; and Chapter Six investigates the impact of mass tourism on the Indian pilgrimage center of Pushkar. Chapter Seven evaluates the drawbacks and merits of each of the four tourism sectors and concludes that in most cases, formal-sector tourism development and community and environmental sustainability are mutually exclusive goals. |
