The politics of tourism

Delegates from 24 countries met at the Eastbourne campus on 9-10 September to explore the political realities of tourism at a symposium organised by the School of Service Management's Centre for Tourism Policy Studies.

'Tourism, Politics and Democracy', the school's third international tourism symposium, tackled topical concerns such as how the industry can deal with mobility, borders and the politics of migrants versus tourists, and the impact of increased travel security measures. Professor Peter Burns, head of the centre and the conference convener told Channel this was the first conference to deal specifically with these issues. It was judged both a social and an academic success.

Speakers included Professor C Michael Hall, University of Otago, New Zealand, Professor Linda Richter, Kansas State University, USA and Professor Tom Selwyn, International Institute for Culture, Tourism and Development, London Metropolitan University.