An Introduction to the Geography of Tourism

by Velvet Nelson Sam Houston State University

Overview

Tourism is an astonishingly complex phenomenon that is becoming an ever-greater part of life in today’s global world. This clear and engaging text introduces students to this vast and diverse subject through the lens of geography, the only field with the breadth to consider all of the aspects, activities, and perspectives that constitute tourism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538135174
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	03/12/2021
Series:	Exploring Geography
Edition description:	Third Edition
Pages:	422
Product dimensions:	7.07(w) x 10.04(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Velvet Nelson is professor of geography at Sam Houston State University.

Table of Contents

PART I: THE GEOGRAPHY OF TOURISM

1 Geography and Tourism

2 Basic Concepts in Tourism

3 Overview of Tourism Products

PART II: THE GEOGRAPHIC FOUNDATION OF TOURISM

4 The Historical Geography of Tourism

5 The Transport Geography of Tourism

6 The Physical Geography of Tourism

7 The Human Geography of Tourism

PART III: THE GEOGRAPHY OF TOURISM EFFECTS

8 The Economic Geography of Tourism

9 The Social Geography of Tourism

10 The Environmental Geography of Tourism

11 Sustainable Tourism Development

PART IV: TOURISM AND PLACE

12 Tourism and Representations of Place

13 Tourism, Representations of Place, and Social Media

14 Experiences of Place in Tourism

Editorial Reviews

Tourism is a pure expression of geography, and geography is the heart of tourism. This book clarifies these relationships extremely well and provides one of the most comprehensive and best-written analyses of the subject I have ever read. I applaud Professor Nelson for making such a complex relationship enjoyable to read and accessible to everyone. This gem belongs on the desk of every serious student and scholar of tourism!

Dallen J. Timothy

An authoritative introduction to the multifaceted field of tourism. Velvet Nelson’s systematic overview of concepts and theories used within tourism, bolstered by absorbing case studies, supports student learning about an exciting and timely phenomenon that influences communities and individuals all over the world. By approaching tourism from a geographical perspective, Velvet Nelson bridges the divide between tourism and geography, illuminating tourism as an inherently spatial process.

Dieter K. Müller

This volume constitutes an excellent resource for any student wishing to study and understand tourism from a geographer’s perspective. In a comprehensive compilation covering four main themes and offering plenty of illustrative examples, Velvet Nelson competently weaves a rich array of geographic perspectives and concepts into an explanation of the workings of global tourism. With plenty of case study descriptions, clearly highlighted in boxes, this textbook is a great resource for introductory courses in the field. The fact that after a decade there is now an even better third edition of this book speaks volumes about its long success as an effective teaching tool.

Dimitri Ioannides

An authoritative introduction to the multifaceted field of tourism. Velvet Nelson’s systematic overview of concepts and theories used within tourism, bolstered by absorbing case studies, supports student learning about an exciting and timely phenomenon that influences communities and individuals all over the world. By approaching tourism from a geographical perspective, Velvet Nelson bridges the divide between tourism and geography, illuminating tourism as an inherently spatial process.

Dieter K. Müller

My students really love the book. They appreciate the clarity of writing and, for a group of non-geographers, they come away with a better understanding of what geography is/can study/can be, and how tourism fits into the picture.

Matthew R. Cook

"Velvet Nelson’s compelling text effectively presents geography as an essential approach to understanding tourism and introduces students to a broad range of topics in this interdisciplinary field. Most importantly, this book helps students think critically about key issues in tourism including place and identity, sustainability, and economic development."

Steve Hanna

"In this second edition, prominent tourism geographer Velvet Nelson provides an excellent foundational text for the field. With the standard sixteen-week semester in mind, Professor Nelson meticulously leads students through the vast scope of tourism geography, listing key terms and inviting students to further explore this exciting field through her bibliographies. The book also contains excellent, highly relevant examples throughout. This is THE textbook for undergraduate-level tourism geography courses.​"

Daniel Knudsen

[T]his book is not an attempt to be an exhaustive guide to tourism geographies, but rather a guide on using geographic concepts and methods to interrogate a fascinating subject.. . .Those of us who prefer to think of tourism geographies as a way to teach geography by using tourism as a subject matter will most likely find Velvet Nelson’s text a natural fit. (Previous Edition Praise)

Geographical Bulletin

We've been overdue for a fresh new geographer’s perspective on the rapidly changing tourism industry. Velvet Nelson provides an excellent introduction for geographers interested in applying the breadth of their discipline to the exciting study of tourism. Her book will also help other tourism researchers understand the contributions of geography to this cross-disciplinary study. Nelson strikes a balance between lively and academically sound, with a scope of case-study examples that range across the United States and around the world. Drawing from geography’s rich and varied traditions, her book explores economic, social, environmental, and other factors that are affected by, and in turn shape, tourism developments. (Previous Edition Praise)

Mark M. Miller

Velvet Nelson’s text fills a critical need for those of us who teach tourism and want to impart the nature and power of a geographic perspective to undergraduate students. It will have a valued place in my library and classroom. For an introduction, it covers an amazingly broad tourist landscape geographically and topically—including important discussions of climate change mitigation, female travelers, pro-poor tourism, place representation, landscape aesthetics, and food and wine as cultural resources. Nelson writes with great clarity and organization, effectively balancing the treatment of concepts and terminology with a discussion of empirical case studies and tourist experiences. Her book will play an important role in educating the next generation of tourists and tourism geographers. (Previous Edition Praise)

Derek H. Alderman