The Tourist Gaze: Leisure and Travel in Contemporary Societies (Published in association with Theory, Culture & Society)

Tourism is both an important component of modern life and a highly lucrative industry for many countries, yet its importance has been generally unrecognized in the academic arena. In The Tourist Gaze John Urry examines the concept of tourism from a sociological perspective, demonstrating that tourism is a unique and central element in contemporary society. With his primary focus on the changing nature of tourism, Urry reveals its connection to the broader cultural changes of postmodernism. The Tourist Gaze is essential reading not only for scholars and researchers in sociology, but to all those interested in the social, cultural, and geographical analysis of contemporary society. Drawing an analogy with Foucaults concept of the gaze, this book focuses on the `tourist gaze: that there are systematic ways of `seeing what we as tourists look at, and that these ways of seeing can be described and explained. Urry develops this analysis through various levels - historical, economic, social, cultural and visual. Mass tourism is charted from its origins in the English seaside resorts to its development as a global industry. The economic impact and complex social relations involved in international tourism are explored. Changing patterns of tourism are shown to be connected to the broader cultural changes of postmodernism and related to the role of the service and middle classes. The author argues that we The tourist gaze -- Mass tourism and the rise and fall of the seaside resort -- The changing economics of the tourist industry -- Working under the tourist gaze -- Cultural changes and the restructuring of tourism -- Gazing on history -- Tourism, culture and social inequality. Tourism is a key aspect of modern life and a substantial industry. In this book, the author sets out to construct a distinctive sociology of tourism. He demonstrates that tourism deserves attention as a central element of broad cultural changes in contemporary society.