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Focus Tourism

Tourismus-Headersmall

“Perhaps even more than the ubiquitous McDonald’s, international tourism symbolizes globalization not only in its massive movement of people virtually in every corner of the world but also in its linkage of economic, political and sociocultural elements” (Wood 1997, 2)

The countries of South-East Asia have undergone significant growth in both, international and domestic tourism. Despite a series of shocks that disrupted the South-East Asian Tourism Industry, the area counts 60 Million international tourist arrivals and 60 billion U.S. dollars of foreign exchange revenue per year (WTO 2009). Health epidemics (SARS, bird flu), natural (and human) disasters (Tsunami 2004), terrorist attacks (Bali bombings 2002), political instability (Bangkok airport occupation 2008) or the current financial crisis seem to disrupt the tourism development only temporarily.

Throughout the last decades a rather complex tourism industry developed that offers various forms of tourism ranging from SSS (“sun, sea, sex”) tourism, cultural-, ethnic- and nature tourism up to urban- health-, retiree-  and MICE-tourism. Due to manifold documented negative impacts of tourism, alternative and more sustainable types under the label of eco-, community-based or pro-poor tourism have been introduced into the area.

Studies on tourism in South-East Asia have to draw attention to local perspectives, to the interrelationships between hosts and guests and to other actors of the broad tourism industry such as travel agencies, tourist organizations and tour guides. In this context, also the state can play a crucial role in its function as tourism planner and developer. Moreover, there is a need for more comparative studies on the topics of domestic tourism, tourism development, policy making, power relations, marketing and promotion, identity and representation as well as on authenticity and commodification.

Tourism in South-East Asia continues to have major impacts and implications on political, economic and socio-cultural level. Further empirical research as well as theoretical and methodological development is necessary.

Seas-Tourism aims to bring together students and scholars from different disciplinary perspectives who study tourism and related phenomena in South-East Asia in order to share and exchange ideas, knowledge and opportunities.

  • LINK Thesis Databank (lists completed BA, MA and PhD theses from Austrian universities that focus on South-East Asia and Tourism). If you completed a thesis at an Austrian university focusing on South-East Asia and Tourism that is not included in this list, please contact us by email and we will be grateful to add your work.
  • LINK Tourism researcher directory (in progress)