The study of tourism in Britain — a geographical perspective

Conclusion This review must be seen alongside others which have attempted to explore the relationship between geography (and geographers) and the study of leisure and recreation (Coppock 1980, 1982a). It serves to confirm the wide-ranging and diverse contribution that geographers have made in this field and the ways in which the study of tourism has reflected developments in the wider discipline. It also confirms the very close and intimate connection between studies of tourism and social and economic policy in Britain and indicates the way in which geographers have attempted to shape policy and have in turn been influenced by the needs and demands of policymakers. The rewards of such interaction are clear and yet costs have also been incurred by the academic geographic community. Not the least of these costs is that tourism studies have been predominantly of an empirical nature and conceptual and theoretical advance has inevitably tended to lag behind these empirical investigations. It is to be hoped that the study of the geography of tourism, having now demonstrated its credentials to policymakers and decision-makers alike, can secure for itself a more central place within geographic teaching and research so that these lacunae can be remedied.