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Some economic and social problems
BOOK REVIEW
There is some duplciation of basic material in the articles. This is hard to avoid, since each piece can be read out of sequence. Some of the papers are better than others, but this could be expected in a collection of this length. Probably no two readers would agree entirely on which paper should be left out or condensed. The editor warns the reader in the book's preface that one must be careful about what is accepted as " t r u e , " since the studies included were not professionally reviewed or refereed. There maybe instances where arguments are based on relatively weak statistical claims. The reader is forewarned but also challenged, a state which should prompt further investigation in this field. Researchers who are familiar with recent national studies such as Twentieth Century F u n d ' s Report of the Task Force on Legalized Gambling: Easy Money or the
U.S. Congressional Commission on the Review of the National Policy Toward Gambling: Gambling in America (2), will appreciate the compilation of papers put together by Eadington in this book. Investigators who are approaching the subject seriously for the first time would do well to read the Eadington collection first. Eadington's contribution proves him an able economist in the field; This is evident in his treatment of this collection. [] [] References
1. Easy Money. Report of the Task Force on Legalized Gambling. New York, New York: Twentieth Century Fund, Inc., 1974. page 44. 2.
Gambling in America, Commission on the Review of the National Policy Toward Gambling, Charles H. Morin, Chairman, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 1976.
TOURISM IN FIJI Some E c o n o m i c and Social P r o b l e m s By R. C. G. Varley, University of Wales Press (6 Gwennyth Street, Cathays, Cardif, CF2 44D, United Kingdom), ISBN 0-7083-0678-0 June 1978, xiv-F 114 pp. (Appendixes and Bibliography), 3.50 British Pounds (paper). Emee! J. Aoquam Harris, Kerr, Fonster & Co. New York City, USA
As the role of tourism becomes increasingly important as a source of income for developing countries, quite often the impacts of the new source of income are examined solely in the purview of the return of the investment for the investor on the basis of increasing profits and more advantageous new investment opportunities on the same basis for future projects. This book points out the very significant role that tourism plays in the economic development of developing countries in two ways. It deals with the philosophy of tourism and its role in the development of a country (Fiji) as well as the technical aspects of interlocking relationships between suppliers, producers, consumers and the infrastructure (government and social) of Fiji. ANNALS OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Oct/Dec 1978
453
TOURISM IN REVIEW
While the specific application relates to Fiji, a much broader use may be made of the sequential processes which the author utilizes in developing this book. In the First chapter there is a broad examination of the philosophical role of tourism in economic development with excellent references made regarding essential integral components. Chapters Two through Four deal with tourism in the historical economic context of Fiji, impacts on the economy, interrelationships with other sectors and the structure of the tourist industry of Fiji. Chapter Five examines the background and history of Civil Aviation in Fiji qualitatively and quantitatively, relative to air routes, air fares and demand forecasting based on the interrelationship of potential sources of tourists to Fiji and the impact that the increase or decrease in visitation has on the economy. Chapter Six examines other factors of importance in assessing the role of tourism in Fiji's development. Importantly, Dr. Varley studies social interaction relative to the difference between the impact of tourism on the urban dweller and the small impact on them (urban dwellers) compared to the larger impact on rural residents. The chapter also considers the local attitudes towards the tourists. These attitudes can prove to be either an incentive to future return visits or an effective deterrent to visitation by other potential tourists. The government wishes to avoid the "canned culture" so prevalent in other remote tourist destination areas and currently deplores the activities of some natives preying on the tourists by forcing flowers or other souvenir memorabilia on them (tourists) and subsequently demanding an exorbitant payment for unwanted items. Regarding government policy, a problem exists relative to which sector--government or tourism related industries---should support tourism promotion and even more significantly, whether it should be promoted at all. Despite the attendant strain on natural resources and the infrastructure caused by tourism--evident to the government-its (government's) policies have not reflected preplanning but rather than more of an ad hoc approach to the problems. Dr. Varley wisely suggests this must change so that the government provides strategic planning for the future in purview of the national objectives for Fiji and the needs of the tourism industry. Chapter seven contains concluding remarks and very importantly reemphasizes the divergence of opinion between the government and potential tourism investors relative to an ability to mesh the goals of each. That is, the government should assess the result of tourism's deliverance of some significant and undesirable cultural and social effects along with the additional income. Also a careful evaluation by the government, relative to the long term opportunity costs of the consumption of resources by the tourist industry, is necessary. Concurrently, the tourist industry must evaluate the potential for tourist traffic to Fiji, which has recently suffered a decline, to determine the commercial viability of future projects as well as to be able to convince the government that they (tourism investors) will not severely conflict with the national objectives of Fiji. As Dr. Varley states in his concluding sentence: "Tourism is not unique in presenting conflicts between national objectives and the profit seeking motives of private investors." In addition to the economic modeling used in the text. the book also makes a
454
ANNALS OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Oct/Dec 1978
BOOK REVIEW
specific effort to reveal sociological impacts on the population of Fiji resulting from Tourism. While one prime thrust of the book is to demonstrate the economic impacts of tourism on Fiji through the use of tourist arrivals and receipts statistics; multiplier analyses regarding mipacts on the gross national product; balance of payment effects; hotel investment and others--it also examines competition between and among other sectors in the economy of Fiji for the use of the labor force, available land and the consumption of natural resources. Since the book examines the impact of tourism on a developing country (Fiji) from multi-variant approaches, it should be excellent as a reference for readers interested in such developments. Inasmuch as the approach of the models provides input often overlooked or cursorily examined, it would behoove planners, developers, consultants and investors to read it as a guide for additional items of import for future consideration of new tourism projects. [] D
SUBMISSION OF BOOK & AUDIO-VISUAL REVIEWS Annals' Book and Audio-Visual Reviews editors invite individuals interested in serving as reviewers to send them a statement of interest and research experience in tourism and related fields of inquiry. Please contact either of the Co-Editors:
Dr. Charles Stansfield Department of Geography Glassboro State College Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, USA Dr. Abraham Pizam Dept. of Hotel, Restaurant & Travel Administration University of Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts 01002, USA Dr. Paul Aspelin Museu de Antropologia Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina Trindade, C.P. 476 Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, CEP 888.000, Brazil
ANNALS OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Oct/Dec 1978
4S5
There is some duplciation of basic material in the articles. This is hard to avoid, since each piece can be read out of sequence. Some of the papers are better than others, but this could be expected in a collection of this length. Probably no two readers would agree entirely on which paper should be left out or condensed. The editor warns the reader in the book's preface that one must be careful about what is accepted as " t r u e , " since the studies included were not professionally reviewed or refereed. There maybe instances where arguments are based on relatively weak statistical claims. The reader is forewarned but also challenged, a state which should prompt further investigation in this field. Researchers who are familiar with recent national studies such as Twentieth Century F u n d ' s Report of the Task Force on Legalized Gambling: Easy Money or the
U.S. Congressional Commission on the Review of the National Policy Toward Gambling: Gambling in America (2), will appreciate the compilation of papers put together by Eadington in this book. Investigators who are approaching the subject seriously for the first time would do well to read the Eadington collection first. Eadington's contribution proves him an able economist in the field; This is evident in his treatment of this collection. [] [] References
1. Easy Money. Report of the Task Force on Legalized Gambling. New York, New York: Twentieth Century Fund, Inc., 1974. page 44. 2.
Gambling in America, Commission on the Review of the National Policy Toward Gambling, Charles H. Morin, Chairman, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 1976.
TOURISM IN FIJI Some E c o n o m i c and Social P r o b l e m s By R. C. G. Varley, University of Wales Press (6 Gwennyth Street, Cathays, Cardif, CF2 44D, United Kingdom), ISBN 0-7083-0678-0 June 1978, xiv-F 114 pp. (Appendixes and Bibliography), 3.50 British Pounds (paper). Emee! J. Aoquam Harris, Kerr, Fonster & Co. New York City, USA
As the role of tourism becomes increasingly important as a source of income for developing countries, quite often the impacts of the new source of income are examined solely in the purview of the return of the investment for the investor on the basis of increasing profits and more advantageous new investment opportunities on the same basis for future projects. This book points out the very significant role that tourism plays in the economic development of developing countries in two ways. It deals with the philosophy of tourism and its role in the development of a country (Fiji) as well as the technical aspects of interlocking relationships between suppliers, producers, consumers and the infrastructure (government and social) of Fiji. ANNALS OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Oct/Dec 1978
453
TOURISM IN REVIEW
While the specific application relates to Fiji, a much broader use may be made of the sequential processes which the author utilizes in developing this book. In the First chapter there is a broad examination of the philosophical role of tourism in economic development with excellent references made regarding essential integral components. Chapters Two through Four deal with tourism in the historical economic context of Fiji, impacts on the economy, interrelationships with other sectors and the structure of the tourist industry of Fiji. Chapter Five examines the background and history of Civil Aviation in Fiji qualitatively and quantitatively, relative to air routes, air fares and demand forecasting based on the interrelationship of potential sources of tourists to Fiji and the impact that the increase or decrease in visitation has on the economy. Chapter Six examines other factors of importance in assessing the role of tourism in Fiji's development. Importantly, Dr. Varley studies social interaction relative to the difference between the impact of tourism on the urban dweller and the small impact on them (urban dwellers) compared to the larger impact on rural residents. The chapter also considers the local attitudes towards the tourists. These attitudes can prove to be either an incentive to future return visits or an effective deterrent to visitation by other potential tourists. The government wishes to avoid the "canned culture" so prevalent in other remote tourist destination areas and currently deplores the activities of some natives preying on the tourists by forcing flowers or other souvenir memorabilia on them (tourists) and subsequently demanding an exorbitant payment for unwanted items. Regarding government policy, a problem exists relative to which sector--government or tourism related industries---should support tourism promotion and even more significantly, whether it should be promoted at all. Despite the attendant strain on natural resources and the infrastructure caused by tourism--evident to the government-its (government's) policies have not reflected preplanning but rather than more of an ad hoc approach to the problems. Dr. Varley wisely suggests this must change so that the government provides strategic planning for the future in purview of the national objectives for Fiji and the needs of the tourism industry. Chapter seven contains concluding remarks and very importantly reemphasizes the divergence of opinion between the government and potential tourism investors relative to an ability to mesh the goals of each. That is, the government should assess the result of tourism's deliverance of some significant and undesirable cultural and social effects along with the additional income. Also a careful evaluation by the government, relative to the long term opportunity costs of the consumption of resources by the tourist industry, is necessary. Concurrently, the tourist industry must evaluate the potential for tourist traffic to Fiji, which has recently suffered a decline, to determine the commercial viability of future projects as well as to be able to convince the government that they (tourism investors) will not severely conflict with the national objectives of Fiji. As Dr. Varley states in his concluding sentence: "Tourism is not unique in presenting conflicts between national objectives and the profit seeking motives of private investors." In addition to the economic modeling used in the text. the book also makes a
454
ANNALS OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Oct/Dec 1978
BOOK REVIEW
specific effort to reveal sociological impacts on the population of Fiji resulting from Tourism. While one prime thrust of the book is to demonstrate the economic impacts of tourism on Fiji through the use of tourist arrivals and receipts statistics; multiplier analyses regarding mipacts on the gross national product; balance of payment effects; hotel investment and others--it also examines competition between and among other sectors in the economy of Fiji for the use of the labor force, available land and the consumption of natural resources. Since the book examines the impact of tourism on a developing country (Fiji) from multi-variant approaches, it should be excellent as a reference for readers interested in such developments. Inasmuch as the approach of the models provides input often overlooked or cursorily examined, it would behoove planners, developers, consultants and investors to read it as a guide for additional items of import for future consideration of new tourism projects. [] D
SUBMISSION OF BOOK & AUDIO-VISUAL REVIEWS Annals' Book and Audio-Visual Reviews editors invite individuals interested in serving as reviewers to send them a statement of interest and research experience in tourism and related fields of inquiry. Please contact either of the Co-Editors:
Dr. Charles Stansfield Department of Geography Glassboro State College Glassboro, New Jersey 08028, USA Dr. Abraham Pizam Dept. of Hotel, Restaurant & Travel Administration University of Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts 01002, USA Dr. Paul Aspelin Museu de Antropologia Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina Trindade, C.P. 476 Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, CEP 888.000, Brazil
ANNALS OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Oct/Dec 1978
4S5