Capturing the diversity and importance of tourism research! What do people seek when they travel? How do locals respond and who benefits? What impact do tourists have on the environments and people they visit? What do tourists gain from their travel and exposure to other cultures and what are their responsibilities? Stimulating and comprehensive, Tourists and Tourism is a valuable examination of a major social and economic phenomenon. This new collection provides an authoritative and lively introduction to global tourism. Twenty-seven essays, by a wide array of North American and international scholars, have been selected to achieve a balance between theory and recent case studies from different parts of the world. In addition, contributors represent a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, history, geography, folklore, and journalism, offering fresh, eclectic perspectives. The volume is enriched by photographs. Appendices provide a list of recommended films and examples of behavioral guidelines for tourists.