Islands have long captured the interest of tourism researchers; their very insularity makes them ideal ‘laboratories’ through which to study the impacts and implications of visitor industry development. Unfortunately, however, there is a tendency to view islands in isolation – removed from the broader archipelagic context that often characterises them. This edited volume provides a timely reminder of the fact that tourism in archipelagos exhibits its own set of dynamics, and that these need to be reflected in both policy and practice.
The opening two chapters of the book provide the context and setting for the case based discussions that follow. In presenting underlying themes and providing key definitions, these initial chapters lay the necessary ground work for the reader. The inclusion of an engaging series of anecdotes and personal experiences make for a lively and accessible start to the volume.