Table Of ContentThe Economics
of Recreation,
Leisure
and Tourism
The Economics
of Recreation,
Leisure
and Tourism
F O U R T H E D I T I O N
John Tribe
AMSTERDAM BOSTON HEIDELBERG LONDON NEW YORK
OXFORD PARIS SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO SINGAPORE
SYDNEY TOKYO
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Preface to the fourth edition
Recreation, leisure and tourism continue to provide a fascinating
field of study for economists. The first edition of this book was writ-
ten just after a period of intense recession in the UK economy. The
second edition was prepared during a period of growth in the econ-
omies of the UK, the USA and Europe. But elsewhere, the econo-
mies of Japan – the second largest in the world – Brazil, Russia, and
what were once referred to as the Asian tiger economies had suffered
decline. The third edition was written in a period where the eco-
nomic significance of China had continued to grow whilst the rest
of the world economy showed a mixture of growth and economic
stagnation. Additionally, tourism suffered a severe shock in the wake
of 9/11 and the war in Iraq. This new fourth edition is particularly
overshadowed by the (near) global recession and its effects on recre-
ation, leisure and tourism. It is, of course, impossible to predict the
economic conditions that will prevail in the year when, or the region
where, this book will be read. But it is important to understand what
has happened over the course of economic business cycles to prepare
for what may happen in the future.
The changes in fortunes of various economies are mapped out
through the updated statistics which are a central feature of this
fourth edition. The effects of these changes on the leisure sector are
also evident in these statistics and more so in the many new and
updated exhibits that illustrate the text. In some cases, original exhib-
its have been retained and updated so as to provide the reader with
contrasting evidence and a sense of the dynamics of the economy. In
terms of geographical coverage, this book attempts to use examples
from around the world to illustrate its points.
The aim of this book remains that of offering those involved in the
business of recreation, leisure and tourism an understanding of the
practicalities of economics. To support this aim, real-world examples
continue to be emphasized in this book rather than economic theory
for theory’s sake. Thus, in contrast to general economics introduc-
tory texts, the marginal productivity theory of labour is excluded,
but pricing of externalities is included on the grounds that the latter
is more useful to students of leisure and tourism than the former.
The key themes of the book focus on a series of questions:
l How is the provision of leisure and tourism determined?
l Could it be provided in a different way?
l How are organizations affected by the competitive and
macroeconomic environments?
l What are the economic impacts of leisure and tourism?
l What are the environmental impacts of leisure and tourism?
viii Preface to the fourth edition
l How can economics be used to manage leisure and tourism?
l How has economics failed recreation, leisure and tourism?
The other key features of this book are:
l Visual mapping of the content of each chapter.
l Liberal use of press cuttings to illustrate points.
l Chapter objectives.
l Learning outcomes.
l Key points summarized.
l Data response questions.
l Short answer questions.
l Integrated case studies.
l Useful websites.
The fourth edition also includes illustrations in each chapter,
multiple choice questions at the end of each chapter and a set of
PowerPoint slides available on the companion website.
It is hoped that this book will create a lasting interest in the eco-
nomics of recreation, leisure and tourism and generate a spirit of
critical enquiry into leisure and tourism issues affecting consumers,
producers and hosts.
John Tribe, 2011
1
C H A P T E R
Introduction
Leisure Work
Recreation
Recreation
Home-based Travel and
away from
recreation tourism
home
Unlimited wants
Economics of leisure and tourism
Scarce resources
© 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
