Tourism is continuing to grow and develop both domestically and internationally. According to the World Tourism Organization, there will be 1.6 billion tourist trips made per year by 2020. So what does this mean to the many tourist destinations around the world? Tourism can be managed effectively to ensure that long-term sustainability is achieved and that the benefits are gained by all concerned. The main benefit of tourism development is economic, such as increased income and the creation of jobs. Governments see tourism development as a way of contributing to economic prosperity while at the same time offering social, cultural and environmental benefits. If tourism is managed effectively, the
potentially negative effective of tourism development may be reduced. 

This unit builds on introductory work carried out in unit 1 ('introducing travel
and tourism') and also unit 3 (Travel destinations). You should aloso familiarise yourself with unit 12, as ecotourism is closely linked to tourism development. Further reading of that unit will give you a better understanding of the social and ethical issues surrouding tourism development, and a broader knowlege of the various stakeholders involved,