Pro-poor tourism?

Abstract

This chapter evaluates the nature and role of pro-poor tourism in enhancing the welfare of residents and tourism workers in destination areas. The recent emergence of poverty-reduction development strategies are examined together with the growing role of tourism within them. It is concluded that although pro-poor tourism is flawed, it has the potential to be an important tool in assisting poverty reduction and the generation of more than just tourism development processes in poor destination areas.

Advancing the Sustainable Tourism Agenda Through Strategic CSR Perspectives

“…The jobs are considered relatively unstable and low status. Moreover, at times, the tourism industry may be blamed for its negative influences on environmental degradation, displacement of local people, inflation, crime and the dilution of culture (Cooper, Fletcher, Gilbert, & Wanhill, 2008;Hall, 2007). Undoubtedly, there are challenging opportunities to harness the positive benefits from tourism (McCabe, Joldersma, & Li, 2010).…”

Informal Sector Business Tourism and Pro-poor Tourism: Africa’s Migrant Entrepreneurs

“…The application of tourism as a catalyst for economic development in the global South is not a new phenomenon as it has been represented in tourism studies at least since the 1970s (Hall, 2007;Truong, 2014). Notwithstanding the potential of tourism as development tool it could be asserted during the late 2000s that 'the relationship between tourism and poverty alleviation remains terra incognita among tourism academics' (Zhao & Ritchie, 2007, p. 120).…”

“…Considerable momentum to these debates has been given by the appearance of the concept of 'pro-poor tourism' during the late 1990s. Pro-poor tourism directs academic and policy attention to the nexus of tourism development and poverty reduction strategies (Hall, 2007;. Although the concept of pro-poor tourism is 'contested' (Chok, Macbeth & Warren, 2007, p. 145), most research takes its cue from the definitions put forth by its founders, the UK Department for International Development and by authors such as Ashley, Roe and Goodwin (2001).…”

“…Hall, 2007;Scheyvens, 2007a;Meyer, 2009;Scheyvens, 2009Scheyvens, , 2011Trau, 2012;Truong, 2014). The conceptual evolution and praxis of pro-poor tourism has galvanised much controversy and precipitated a rich body of literature which, in many respects, has refreshed fundamentally the research agenda for tourism scholars concerned about the relationship between tourism and poverty (Rogerson, 2006;Hall, 2007;Mitchell & Ashley, 2010;Scheyvens, 2011;Saarinen, Rogerson & Manwa, 2013;Truong, 2014).…”

Assessing Pro-Poor Tourism principles in practice: Ethnic tourism in northern Thailand and Lao PDR.

“…Critics question the extent to which a global industry that is driven by a neoliberal economic growth-biased paradigm, dominated by private sector interests, and structured in such a way that it benefits wealthy nations and people over poor ones can be transformed to redress structural inequalities, power imbalances, uneven development, ownership and consumption, and severe poverty in any real way (Chok et al 2007;Hall 2007;Hall and Brown 2006;Johnston 2006;Mowforth and Munt 2003;Pleumarom 2007;Scheyvens 2007;Schilcher 2007;Solomon 2005).…”