Neoliberalism and the Political Economy of Tourism

Abstract

For almost thirty years neoliberalism has been the ascendant political ideology and policy agenda of the Global North, and has increasingly underpinned the economies and development work of the Global South. We will focus on the possibilities in more decommodified agendas of eco-tourism as redressing through national and local agendas the hegemony of neoliberalism in tourist markets that affect host and indigenous communities. A range of international case examples will be drawn upon. The Global North's power, wealth and need for social inequality means that local contexts will come under the reach and governance of neo-liberal ideas and practices. Nonetheless struggles over social identity and activism for social justice based in ecotour examples can help to challenge the dominance of neoliberalism and change the basis of exchange and interaction in communities beyond a post/neo-colonial subjectivity. We hope to encourage North sponsored volunteers and community based projects of eco-tourism with support from their national and local governments that can resist 'from below' and challenge the new fetishism of touristic commodities encouraged by 'free market neoliberalism' from above.

Tourism in the Sustained Hegemonic Neoliberal Order

“…Parece fundamental comprender este camino para enfrentar el verdadero constructo de IPE en el que vemos que el turismo crece año tras año en escala y alcance. El cambio hacia el neoliberalismo como narrativa principal se ha discutido ampliamente (Harvey, 2007;Brown, 2015;Mosedale, 2016), pero pasaremos a la Teoría del Imperio de Hardt y Negri (2000). En primer lugar, consideraremos la cuestión de cómo el desarrollo sostenible, dentro de su alcance global virtuoso, es de hecho, un discurso primordialmente parecido al Imperio, especialmente cuando es llevado por instituciones internacionales desterritorializadas.…”

“…Parece fundamental entender esse caminho para enfrentar a construção real da IPE, na qual vemos o turismo crescer ano após ano em escala e escopo. A mudança para o neoliberalismo como uma narrativa principal tem sido amplamente discutida (Harvey, 2007;Brown, 2015;Mosedale, 2016), mas vamos nos voltar para a Teoria do Império de Hardt e Negri (2000). Consideraremos primeiramente a questão de como o desenvolvimento sustentável, dentro de seu alcance global virtuoso, é, na verdade, um discurso primariamente de império, especialmente quando é levado por instituições internacionais desterritorializadas.…”

Traversing the margins of corruption amidst informal economies in Amazonia

“…Madre de Dios is a designated biodiversity 'hot spot' with several national reserves and parks that form a 'mega corridor' with other protected areas that lie across national borders (Bennett 2004), and it relies heavily on ecotourism revenue (Kirkby et al 2011). Neoliberal economic regimes often support high-income activities in protected areas with the aim of integrating them into the market so that they can bear the cost of conservation (Mosedale 2016). It is for this reason that Madre de Dios receives increased government attention.…”

Destination Development: Trends in Japan's Inbound Tourism

“…Popular destinations are found in countries ruled by regimes from the right and left of the political spectrum, and stability may be as relevant as ideology. However, it can be argued that the resurgence of neoliberalism with its tenets of competition, deregulation and privatization and the free movement of capital (Harvey, ) is conducive to certain aspects of tourism industry operation (Mosedale, ). On the other hand, critics contend that neoliberalism is fundamentally destructive and promotes inequalities (Monbiot, ); even an article in the International Monetary Fund's magazine speculates that it has been ‘oversold’ (Ostry et al , ).…”