- Email: [email protected]
Cultural tourism: a strategic focus
ARTICLE IN PRESS 144
Book reviews / Tourism Management 25 (2004) 139–147
influx of external interests and investment. She concludes that small-scale local tourism needs shielding by stringent monitoring and sometimes aid from regulatory bodies. Section 4 deals with sustainable tourism, and includes two assessments of initiatives intended to apply this concept. The use of the Appropriate Tourism Impact Assessment (ATIA) technique is evaluated by William Trousdale in the context of a proposed ecotourism and scuba-diving project in the Philippines (Chapter 19). For long-term sustainability there is a need to assess impacts at an early stage of tourism development, but highly complex impact assessment techniques may not assist decision-making and do not always consider the values of affected parties. The ATIA is a rapid, simple and lowcost methodology that considers both the technical issues and the views of affected actors in order to identify critical issues. In Chapter 20, Trevor Sofield examines attempts to organise local parties into cooperatives so that they could take over responsibility for the management of two sacred World Heritage Sites in Nepal. Both sites were suffering damage due to tourist pressure. The resulting local empowerment produced useful practical results but the work faltered at one site as insufficient attention had been paid to understanding the existing local political structures. Section 5 deals with culture brokers as mediators between hosts and guests, responsible for selecting the aspects of culture to be shared with outsiders. These brokers include guides, travel agents, governments and international agencies. The final Section 6 (Issues of the 21st Century) is perhaps the most interesting. Chapters 26 and 28 by Valene Smith are well-informed and
perceptive accounts of potential future trends in tourism. They discuss the economic and demographic factors that favour increased tourism; the global distribution of this projected tourism growth; the limited resources to sustain this growth; and the stewardship of fragile environments. The warning that ‘The traveller’s world is becoming progressively more dangerous’ (p. 349) and the detailed consideration of the implications of changes in war and terrorism were written before the events of September 11, 2001. The last chapter by Dean MacCannell also notes the external threats to tourism from downturns in the global economy and from civil unrest. This book can be recommended for researchers, teachers and students interested in tourism’s sociocultural and environmental impacts and in tourist motivations and experiences. It is particularly helpful in relation to the cross-cultural nature of tourism, its social importance to members of society, changes in tourism research since the 1970s, and tourism issues in the future. This focus works well, with some fascinating essays from leading researchers, but makes it less effective as a general tourism textbook. The standard of production of the material is high, and this includes many photographs and maps. Researchers will also welcome the extensive 41-page bibliography of related research studies.
Bill Bramwell Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Tourism Howard Street, Sheffield S1 1WB, UK E-mail address: [email protected]
doi:10.1016/S0261-5177(03)00052-9
Cultural tourism: a strategic focus Alf H. Walle; Westview Press, Colorado, 1998, 256pp., price d60.99, ISBN 0-8133-3513-2 Few would argue that ‘cultural tourism’ is now a significant market segment which is attracting attention from both tourism practitioners and academics. However, rather like the notion of ‘sustainable tourism’, there remains on-going debate as to what the term actually means, or should mean. There are two broad schools of thought, albeit with much blurring at the edges, both relating to the amorphous ways ‘culture’ is used (Richards, 1996). One follows the anthropological/ sociological traditions of culture as process and way of life, and manifests itself in the growth of ethnic tourism and ecotourism. The other sees culture more in the artefactual and expressive sense and links directly to the apparently all encompassing heritage and events tourism.
Behind both of these wide interpretations lies a myriad of important issues which require attention in policy and operational terms and in a rigorous academic sense. The initial claim of this book—that it will ‘‘serve as both a handbook and a textbook’’ (p. xv)—offers some promise to practitioners involved in ‘cultural tourism’ and to scholars seeking further analysis of the issues it raises. However, both audiences will be disappointed. Indeed, both audiences are likely to emerge from reading this more confused than ever. The book contains 12 chapters, a short conclusion and is divided into two parts: part one, A Philosophical Orientation for Cultural Tourism Professionals and; part two, The Tactics of Negotiation. In short, the book is an attempt to argue that the practice of cultural tourism needs to increasingly adjust to the workings of the marketplace, understand business principles, management and marketing skills, and be able to function within a private sector context.
ARTICLE IN PRESS Book reviews / Tourism Management 25 (2004) 139–147
Part one sets out in abstract terms to locate the discipline of cultural tourism more in the realms of business strategy and business practice, whilst recognising its distinctive humanistic/anthropologic traditions, the importance of host communities as leading stakeholders and the gulf it straddles between the public and private sector. Unfortunately, the arguments put forward are weak, poorly articulated and suffer from a lack of basic definitions. Apart from the bland opening statement that ‘‘cultural tourism refers to tourism activities that hinged around culture’’ (p. 9), an attempt to define cultural tourism is not made until Chapter 5. Here under the promising and unambiguous heading of ‘‘What is Cultural Tourism?’’ (p. 77), the reader may legitimately look for some insight as to how the author is positioning himself regarding how the term is being used. Does cultural tourism refer to heritage (interestingly a word seldom used in the text)—built or otherwise? Does it refer to gazing upon ethnic/indigenous practices—authentic or staged? Does it refer to arts and crafts? Or is it something totally different? Unfortunately, the reader is far from enlightened. We are told very little of substance save that cultural tourism (whatever it is) ‘‘is in a state of transformation’’ (p. 80), and that ‘‘cultural tourism is a distinct policy science’’ (p. 81). In a volume of some 238 pages it would be helpful, to say the least, that we are told just what exactly the author means. A similar problem lies in the author’s widely used term ‘‘cultural tourism professionals’’ who, he argues are a distinct grouping working within their own tradition and toward widely accepted goals. The most important of these goals is that of protecting host cultures and communities from the excesses of the marketplace. Though the author is convinced otherwise and takes it upon himself to speak for them, it is highly dubious that such a grouping of professionals exist. In reality, those involved with cultural tourism as practitioners are drawn from a myriad of backgrounds and are frequently representative of kaleidoscope of (often) conflicting interests. But we are left wondering just exactly who these people are. Is the author speaking of festival organisers, museum curators, the managers and owners of cultural attractions, tourism development officers, or all of these? Again, we are short of basic definitions which would at least allow the reader to understand the parameters of the arguments being put forward. Part two promises a more direct approach in handbook style to equip cultural tourism professionals with specific business functions and management tools. As the author puts it ‘‘by being aware of methods, orientations, and techniques that derive from the business world, cultural tourism professionals can appropriately utilise relevant techniques. They can also effectively counter inappropriate use of business practices.’’ (p. 5) The handbook approach is made manifest in the author’s use of chapter summaries,
145
glossaries of key terms at the end of each chapter, and an appendix of rather esoteric study questions at the very end of the book. In addition boxed sections of text are used throughout, though there appears little reason for them being presented as such. What we are presented with is a rather pedestrian and at times confused parade of some basic concepts in strategic management ranging from the four ‘Ps’ of marketing, and human relations theory, to an overdone look at the product life cycle. It is a review of management tools which is selective, missing out the influential work of Michael Porter for instance. Moreover, what in terms of cultural tourism would appear to highly relevant work in the fields of stakeholder theory and corporate responsibility is also missing. A further point is that many of the references are dated. While it is accepted that some older references relate to the key thinkers of for instance Herzberg, McClelland and Kotler, the lack of references to contemporary debate would seem to indicate an all too shallow knowledge. The major flaw in this section of the book, however, is the failure of the author to make clear links between how these management theories resonate or not with the world of cultural tourism. This is not helped by a general lack of specific examples and illustrative cases which would have served to make the links transparent. Those examples which are provided are ad hoc and rather anecdotal, though interestingly they do provide us with an insight into where the author is coming from vis-a" -vis cultural tourism; most of the examples refer to arts/folklore festivals in the United States. In the absence of clear linkages and coherent examples of good or bad practice, it is difficult to see what a cultural tourism professional (whoever he or she may be) will gain from this ‘handbook’. Indeed, it may be easier and more fulfilling to go straight to some of the standard strategic management texts. A further general criticism of the book which distinguishes it is its narrowness in both geographical and intellectual terms. Indeed, it is difficult to locate it in any space or time framework. The book does little to reach out from the world of certain arts-related cultural festivals of the USA in a rather self-centred, non-rigorous, polemical way where what is needed is undoubtedly a book which addresses many of the generic issues within the cultural tourism field. Scholars and practitioners who have been involved with cultural tourism for many years will recognise that many fundamental issues such as cultural rights, commodification, authenticity, heritage ownership and interpretation, and power relations are not in this book and yet there is no shortage of contemporary cases and references to draw upon. Despite the author’s insistence in the conclusion that he has offered ‘‘large doses of practical advice’’ (p. 220) to cultural tourism professionals it is hard to see what this is. In summary this book tells us little about culture, very little about tourism, not much about cultural tourism, is not very revealing on strategic management,
ARTICLE IN PRESS 146
Book reviews / Tourism Management 25 (2004) 139–147
and as such makes little contribution to scholarship in the cultural tourism field.
Mike Robinson Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Tourism and Cultural Change, City Campus, Howard Street Sheffield S1 1WB, UK
References Richards, G. (Ed.) (1996). Cultural tourism in Europe, CAB International, Wallingford.
doi:10.1016/S0261-5177(03)00051-7
Ecotourism Stephen J. Page and Ross K. Dowling, Prentice-Hall– Pearson Education Ltd, London, 2002, xv+338pp, price US$22.99, ISBN 0-582-35658-X This is the third book published by Prentice-Hall in their Themes in Tourism Series. Previous titles are Transport and Tourism (S.J. Page) and Tourism Planning (C.M. Hall). It is not surprising that this book on ecotourism appears so early in the series given the growing interest in the subject and, in particular, the growing number of courses at tertiary institutions that include ecotourism. This book is primarily ‘‘pitched’’ at the tertiary education market—although it probably has wider appeal. It is designed as a comprehensive introduction to ecotourism and it features 10 chapters which lead the reader through a logical sequence of a general introduction to concepts (and the context) to ecotourists themselves, the industry, impacts, planning and management, marketing and a look at future issues. As is typical in books of this type, review questions and suggested further reading feature at the end of each chapter. The authors write in a relatively formal, but accessible style and the book features case studies of variable detail and an extensive bibliography. Twentynine black and white photographic plates assist in the work’s presentation and 33 figures and 50 tables are also used. The cover of the edition I was supplied featured an eye catching, but curious, blue water theme with a small inset of a puffin with a substantial lunch of sandeels! Ecotourism has many positive features which will result, I am sure, in it becoming a popular text. In particular, the writers do an exemplary job of reviewing and synthesising the variety of publications that now exist on this topic. I have found this aspect of Stephen Page’s writing to be exceptionally good in previous works and this new collaboration with Ross Dowling is no exception. The authors also make a solid effort at dealing with the subject on an international level and, despite the field being North American and, to a lesser degree, Australian dominated in terms of the literature, they manage to avoid parochialism. The book’s structure is logical and, especially, the early chapters are as good a synopsis of the subject as I have read. I particularly
found the use of Budowski’s concepts as a theme uniting chapter 2 (Tourism and the Environment) helpful. The list of relevant ecotourism internet sites is also a nice touch as was the list of ecotourism associations (pp. 53–54)—although this was by no means comprehensive. Fig. 3.8 shown in page 83 shows that the authors have a solid grasp of wildlife-based tourism and where it fits within the wider nature-based tourism framework. This creative diagram represents a contribution which is conceptually helpful and provides an illustration of the strongest aspect of this work—its synthesis of current thinking/literature in the field. Conversely, the authors do not provide a lot which is new—the book really is one long review/analysis of literature and it would have been interesting to have the authors offer more in terms of their own opinions/ideas on the subject. There are a number of other areas that could be improved—some important subjects are dealt with in a brief, rather cursory manner. An example is the (only) two pages (pp. 49–50) dedicated to the monitoring of tourism impacts. This subject is at the heart of managing successful ecotourism and while I understand that an ‘‘overview’’ book such as this has length restrictions imposed by the publisher, this issue is one that deserved more attention. Similarly, the issue of managing environmental impacts is dealt with very briefly, if anything some subjects (such as an entire chapter on marketing) are overemphasised at the expense of subjects surrounding management which, in my view, need more emphasis. An example of this is the discussion of zoning as a management technique (pp. 230–233). This examination is entirely appropriate because zoning is a widely used and often effective management approach. However, the issue warrants more detailed attention—for example there is no mention of the fact that zoning can (and is) often used temporally as well as spatially. In addition, related management concepts such as seasonal closures, use rotation and ‘‘sacrifice’’ areas are relevant but not covered. A case study of the effective application of zoning as a technique effective in managing ecotourism would have been helpful here—the best application I know of is the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s extensive use of the technique.
Book reviews / Tourism Management 25 (2004) 139–147
influx of external interests and investment. She concludes that small-scale local tourism needs shielding by stringent monitoring and sometimes aid from regulatory bodies. Section 4 deals with sustainable tourism, and includes two assessments of initiatives intended to apply this concept. The use of the Appropriate Tourism Impact Assessment (ATIA) technique is evaluated by William Trousdale in the context of a proposed ecotourism and scuba-diving project in the Philippines (Chapter 19). For long-term sustainability there is a need to assess impacts at an early stage of tourism development, but highly complex impact assessment techniques may not assist decision-making and do not always consider the values of affected parties. The ATIA is a rapid, simple and lowcost methodology that considers both the technical issues and the views of affected actors in order to identify critical issues. In Chapter 20, Trevor Sofield examines attempts to organise local parties into cooperatives so that they could take over responsibility for the management of two sacred World Heritage Sites in Nepal. Both sites were suffering damage due to tourist pressure. The resulting local empowerment produced useful practical results but the work faltered at one site as insufficient attention had been paid to understanding the existing local political structures. Section 5 deals with culture brokers as mediators between hosts and guests, responsible for selecting the aspects of culture to be shared with outsiders. These brokers include guides, travel agents, governments and international agencies. The final Section 6 (Issues of the 21st Century) is perhaps the most interesting. Chapters 26 and 28 by Valene Smith are well-informed and
perceptive accounts of potential future trends in tourism. They discuss the economic and demographic factors that favour increased tourism; the global distribution of this projected tourism growth; the limited resources to sustain this growth; and the stewardship of fragile environments. The warning that ‘The traveller’s world is becoming progressively more dangerous’ (p. 349) and the detailed consideration of the implications of changes in war and terrorism were written before the events of September 11, 2001. The last chapter by Dean MacCannell also notes the external threats to tourism from downturns in the global economy and from civil unrest. This book can be recommended for researchers, teachers and students interested in tourism’s sociocultural and environmental impacts and in tourist motivations and experiences. It is particularly helpful in relation to the cross-cultural nature of tourism, its social importance to members of society, changes in tourism research since the 1970s, and tourism issues in the future. This focus works well, with some fascinating essays from leading researchers, but makes it less effective as a general tourism textbook. The standard of production of the material is high, and this includes many photographs and maps. Researchers will also welcome the extensive 41-page bibliography of related research studies.
Bill Bramwell Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Tourism Howard Street, Sheffield S1 1WB, UK E-mail address: [email protected]
doi:10.1016/S0261-5177(03)00052-9
Cultural tourism: a strategic focus Alf H. Walle; Westview Press, Colorado, 1998, 256pp., price d60.99, ISBN 0-8133-3513-2 Few would argue that ‘cultural tourism’ is now a significant market segment which is attracting attention from both tourism practitioners and academics. However, rather like the notion of ‘sustainable tourism’, there remains on-going debate as to what the term actually means, or should mean. There are two broad schools of thought, albeit with much blurring at the edges, both relating to the amorphous ways ‘culture’ is used (Richards, 1996). One follows the anthropological/ sociological traditions of culture as process and way of life, and manifests itself in the growth of ethnic tourism and ecotourism. The other sees culture more in the artefactual and expressive sense and links directly to the apparently all encompassing heritage and events tourism.
Behind both of these wide interpretations lies a myriad of important issues which require attention in policy and operational terms and in a rigorous academic sense. The initial claim of this book—that it will ‘‘serve as both a handbook and a textbook’’ (p. xv)—offers some promise to practitioners involved in ‘cultural tourism’ and to scholars seeking further analysis of the issues it raises. However, both audiences will be disappointed. Indeed, both audiences are likely to emerge from reading this more confused than ever. The book contains 12 chapters, a short conclusion and is divided into two parts: part one, A Philosophical Orientation for Cultural Tourism Professionals and; part two, The Tactics of Negotiation. In short, the book is an attempt to argue that the practice of cultural tourism needs to increasingly adjust to the workings of the marketplace, understand business principles, management and marketing skills, and be able to function within a private sector context.
ARTICLE IN PRESS Book reviews / Tourism Management 25 (2004) 139–147
Part one sets out in abstract terms to locate the discipline of cultural tourism more in the realms of business strategy and business practice, whilst recognising its distinctive humanistic/anthropologic traditions, the importance of host communities as leading stakeholders and the gulf it straddles between the public and private sector. Unfortunately, the arguments put forward are weak, poorly articulated and suffer from a lack of basic definitions. Apart from the bland opening statement that ‘‘cultural tourism refers to tourism activities that hinged around culture’’ (p. 9), an attempt to define cultural tourism is not made until Chapter 5. Here under the promising and unambiguous heading of ‘‘What is Cultural Tourism?’’ (p. 77), the reader may legitimately look for some insight as to how the author is positioning himself regarding how the term is being used. Does cultural tourism refer to heritage (interestingly a word seldom used in the text)—built or otherwise? Does it refer to gazing upon ethnic/indigenous practices—authentic or staged? Does it refer to arts and crafts? Or is it something totally different? Unfortunately, the reader is far from enlightened. We are told very little of substance save that cultural tourism (whatever it is) ‘‘is in a state of transformation’’ (p. 80), and that ‘‘cultural tourism is a distinct policy science’’ (p. 81). In a volume of some 238 pages it would be helpful, to say the least, that we are told just what exactly the author means. A similar problem lies in the author’s widely used term ‘‘cultural tourism professionals’’ who, he argues are a distinct grouping working within their own tradition and toward widely accepted goals. The most important of these goals is that of protecting host cultures and communities from the excesses of the marketplace. Though the author is convinced otherwise and takes it upon himself to speak for them, it is highly dubious that such a grouping of professionals exist. In reality, those involved with cultural tourism as practitioners are drawn from a myriad of backgrounds and are frequently representative of kaleidoscope of (often) conflicting interests. But we are left wondering just exactly who these people are. Is the author speaking of festival organisers, museum curators, the managers and owners of cultural attractions, tourism development officers, or all of these? Again, we are short of basic definitions which would at least allow the reader to understand the parameters of the arguments being put forward. Part two promises a more direct approach in handbook style to equip cultural tourism professionals with specific business functions and management tools. As the author puts it ‘‘by being aware of methods, orientations, and techniques that derive from the business world, cultural tourism professionals can appropriately utilise relevant techniques. They can also effectively counter inappropriate use of business practices.’’ (p. 5) The handbook approach is made manifest in the author’s use of chapter summaries,
145
glossaries of key terms at the end of each chapter, and an appendix of rather esoteric study questions at the very end of the book. In addition boxed sections of text are used throughout, though there appears little reason for them being presented as such. What we are presented with is a rather pedestrian and at times confused parade of some basic concepts in strategic management ranging from the four ‘Ps’ of marketing, and human relations theory, to an overdone look at the product life cycle. It is a review of management tools which is selective, missing out the influential work of Michael Porter for instance. Moreover, what in terms of cultural tourism would appear to highly relevant work in the fields of stakeholder theory and corporate responsibility is also missing. A further point is that many of the references are dated. While it is accepted that some older references relate to the key thinkers of for instance Herzberg, McClelland and Kotler, the lack of references to contemporary debate would seem to indicate an all too shallow knowledge. The major flaw in this section of the book, however, is the failure of the author to make clear links between how these management theories resonate or not with the world of cultural tourism. This is not helped by a general lack of specific examples and illustrative cases which would have served to make the links transparent. Those examples which are provided are ad hoc and rather anecdotal, though interestingly they do provide us with an insight into where the author is coming from vis-a" -vis cultural tourism; most of the examples refer to arts/folklore festivals in the United States. In the absence of clear linkages and coherent examples of good or bad practice, it is difficult to see what a cultural tourism professional (whoever he or she may be) will gain from this ‘handbook’. Indeed, it may be easier and more fulfilling to go straight to some of the standard strategic management texts. A further general criticism of the book which distinguishes it is its narrowness in both geographical and intellectual terms. Indeed, it is difficult to locate it in any space or time framework. The book does little to reach out from the world of certain arts-related cultural festivals of the USA in a rather self-centred, non-rigorous, polemical way where what is needed is undoubtedly a book which addresses many of the generic issues within the cultural tourism field. Scholars and practitioners who have been involved with cultural tourism for many years will recognise that many fundamental issues such as cultural rights, commodification, authenticity, heritage ownership and interpretation, and power relations are not in this book and yet there is no shortage of contemporary cases and references to draw upon. Despite the author’s insistence in the conclusion that he has offered ‘‘large doses of practical advice’’ (p. 220) to cultural tourism professionals it is hard to see what this is. In summary this book tells us little about culture, very little about tourism, not much about cultural tourism, is not very revealing on strategic management,
ARTICLE IN PRESS 146
Book reviews / Tourism Management 25 (2004) 139–147
and as such makes little contribution to scholarship in the cultural tourism field.
Mike Robinson Sheffield Hallam University, Centre for Tourism and Cultural Change, City Campus, Howard Street Sheffield S1 1WB, UK
References Richards, G. (Ed.) (1996). Cultural tourism in Europe, CAB International, Wallingford.
doi:10.1016/S0261-5177(03)00051-7
Ecotourism Stephen J. Page and Ross K. Dowling, Prentice-Hall– Pearson Education Ltd, London, 2002, xv+338pp, price US$22.99, ISBN 0-582-35658-X This is the third book published by Prentice-Hall in their Themes in Tourism Series. Previous titles are Transport and Tourism (S.J. Page) and Tourism Planning (C.M. Hall). It is not surprising that this book on ecotourism appears so early in the series given the growing interest in the subject and, in particular, the growing number of courses at tertiary institutions that include ecotourism. This book is primarily ‘‘pitched’’ at the tertiary education market—although it probably has wider appeal. It is designed as a comprehensive introduction to ecotourism and it features 10 chapters which lead the reader through a logical sequence of a general introduction to concepts (and the context) to ecotourists themselves, the industry, impacts, planning and management, marketing and a look at future issues. As is typical in books of this type, review questions and suggested further reading feature at the end of each chapter. The authors write in a relatively formal, but accessible style and the book features case studies of variable detail and an extensive bibliography. Twentynine black and white photographic plates assist in the work’s presentation and 33 figures and 50 tables are also used. The cover of the edition I was supplied featured an eye catching, but curious, blue water theme with a small inset of a puffin with a substantial lunch of sandeels! Ecotourism has many positive features which will result, I am sure, in it becoming a popular text. In particular, the writers do an exemplary job of reviewing and synthesising the variety of publications that now exist on this topic. I have found this aspect of Stephen Page’s writing to be exceptionally good in previous works and this new collaboration with Ross Dowling is no exception. The authors also make a solid effort at dealing with the subject on an international level and, despite the field being North American and, to a lesser degree, Australian dominated in terms of the literature, they manage to avoid parochialism. The book’s structure is logical and, especially, the early chapters are as good a synopsis of the subject as I have read. I particularly
found the use of Budowski’s concepts as a theme uniting chapter 2 (Tourism and the Environment) helpful. The list of relevant ecotourism internet sites is also a nice touch as was the list of ecotourism associations (pp. 53–54)—although this was by no means comprehensive. Fig. 3.8 shown in page 83 shows that the authors have a solid grasp of wildlife-based tourism and where it fits within the wider nature-based tourism framework. This creative diagram represents a contribution which is conceptually helpful and provides an illustration of the strongest aspect of this work—its synthesis of current thinking/literature in the field. Conversely, the authors do not provide a lot which is new—the book really is one long review/analysis of literature and it would have been interesting to have the authors offer more in terms of their own opinions/ideas on the subject. There are a number of other areas that could be improved—some important subjects are dealt with in a brief, rather cursory manner. An example is the (only) two pages (pp. 49–50) dedicated to the monitoring of tourism impacts. This subject is at the heart of managing successful ecotourism and while I understand that an ‘‘overview’’ book such as this has length restrictions imposed by the publisher, this issue is one that deserved more attention. Similarly, the issue of managing environmental impacts is dealt with very briefly, if anything some subjects (such as an entire chapter on marketing) are overemphasised at the expense of subjects surrounding management which, in my view, need more emphasis. An example of this is the discussion of zoning as a management technique (pp. 230–233). This examination is entirely appropriate because zoning is a widely used and often effective management approach. However, the issue warrants more detailed attention—for example there is no mention of the fact that zoning can (and is) often used temporally as well as spatially. In addition, related management concepts such as seasonal closures, use rotation and ‘‘sacrifice’’ areas are relevant but not covered. A case study of the effective application of zoning as a technique effective in managing ecotourism would have been helpful here—the best application I know of is the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s extensive use of the technique.