Sociology and tourism

Abstract

The sociology of tourism is as yet an ongoing enterprise. Since there is no universally accepted sociological perspective, it follows that there can be no single “sociology of tourism”. In order to substantiate this claim, the authors trace the development of sociological theory and the emergence of a variety of approaches. Differences in perspective in turn lead to alternative ways of conceptualizing tourism. They are also conducive to the stressing of a number of themes and to the omission of others. In various ways, they collectively contribute to a furtherance of a sociological understanding of the multifaceted phenomenon of tourism.