Tourism is one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the world.

It is an increasingly
important source of income, employment and wealth in many countries. International tourism now accounts
for a larger share of foreign exchange receipts and export earnings than any other industry in the world.
But, while tourism provides considerable economic benefits for many countries, regions and communities, its
rapid expansion has also had detrimental environmental and socio-cultural impacts. Natural resource
depletion and environmental degradation associated with tourism, for example, are often serious problems
in tourism-rich regions. The paper argues that the promotion of sustainable tourism development is essential
for maximizing its socio-economic benefits and minimizing its environmental impact.( Sustainable
Tourism, Environmental Protection and Natural Resource Management:
Paradise on Earth?*
Frederico Neto**
(United Nations)
February 2002)

Tourism can be considered one of the most remarkable socio-economic phenomena of the
twentieth century. From an activity “enjoyed by only a small group of relatively well-off people”
during the first half of the last century, it gradually became a mass phenomenon during the post-
World War II period, particularly from the 1970s onwards.1 It now reaches larger and larger
numbers of people throughout the world, and is a source of employment for a significant segment of
the labour force.

The sociological basis of tourism development can be subdivided into the social phenomenon of
tourism and the socio-economic basis underlying tourism development.(Tourism principles and
practice)