Tourism in European Microstates and Dependencies : Geopolitics, Scale and Resource Limitations

Tourism in European Microstates and Dependencies carefully examines the nuances and realities associated with tourism, social and economic development, geography, and geopolitics of Europe's smallest microstates and dependencies. Through case study-based material, the book covers the smallest states of Europe, the European dependencies inside Europe, and other unique territorial anomalies and unrecognized de facto states. It looks at how, besides small size and economy of scale, one of the characteristics that connects these unique states and territories is their dependence on tourism, or their desire to develop it, for their socio-economic well-being. This book provides a thorough overview of tourism-related challenges and opportunities associated with smallness/scale, limited population size, economic development, cross-border cooperation (dependency) with larger neighbor states, relationships with the European Union, geopolitical challenges, questions of sovereignty, vulnerability, and touristic importance on the world stage. It provides a comprehensive examination of the smallest states and state-like entities in Europe. It examines the social, economic, and political importance of tourism in some of the smallest countries and territories in the world. It is the first book of its kind to look systematically at small, yet extremely important, areas of Europe from tourism, socio-economic, and geopolitical perspectives. Coverage includes Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican City, Åland, Akrotiri and Dhekelia, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Svalbard, Llívia, Campione d'Italia, Transnistria, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia, as well as several other enclaves, autonomous areas, and unrecognized "micro-nations." This book will be an invaluable resource for post-graduate students and research scholars in the areas of tourism, geography, political science, and European studies. Tourism in European Microstates and Dependencies carefully examines the nuances and realities associated with tourism, social and economic development, geography, and geopolitics of Europe's smallest microstates and dependencies. Through case study-based material, the book covers the smallest states of Europe, the European dependencies inside Europe, and other unique territorial anomalies and unrecognized de facto states. It looks at how, besides small size and economy of scale, one of the characteristics that connects these unique states and territories is their dependence on tourism, or their desire to develop it, for their socio-economic well-being. This book provides a thorough overview of tourism-related challenges and opportunities associated with smallness/scale, limited population size, economic development, cross-border cooperation (dependency) with larger neighbour states, relationships with the European Union, geopolitical challenges, questions of sovereignty, vulnerability, and touristic importance on the world stage. It provides a comprehensive examination of the smallest states and state-like entities in Europe. It examines the social, economic, and political importance of tourism in some of the smallest countries and territories in the world. It is the first book of its kind to look systematically at small, yet extremely important, areas of Europe from tourism, socio-economic, and geopolitical perspectives. Coverage includes Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, the Vatican City, Åland, Akrotiri and Dhekelia, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Svalbard, Llívia, Campione d'Italia, Transnistria, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia, as well as several other enclaves, autonomous areas, and unrecognized'micro-nations'. This book will be an invaluable resource for post-graduate students and research scholars in the areas of tourism, geography, political science, and European studies. This book is about tourism and its multidimensional relationships with some aspects of state geopolitics as manifested on the ground in mini microstates and other anomalous territories in Europe. Chapters 1 and 2 provide conceptual grounding for studying irregular territories and microstates and supranationalism in Europe. Chapters 3-7 look specifically at the five mini states (mini microstates) in Europe from a historical, geographical and socio-economic perspective. In particular, these chapters examine the role of tourism in each of these small countries and the opportunities and challenges they face from a largely geopolitical perspective. Chapters 8 through 10 examine some of the manifestations of the political geographical characteristic of other, non-standard state outliers and unrecognized states in Europe and the role that tourism plays in each one, as well as how their geopolitics influences tourism. Chapter 11 consolidates what was learned from the empirical chapters (3-10), emphasizing the problems and prospects of tourism and ordinary life in these unique European polities. Finally, the concluding chapter highlights some of the main concepts elucidated throughout the pages of the book and suggests future research needs in the area of tourism and political geography Cover Tourism in European Microstates and Dependencies Geopolitics, Scale and Resource Limitations Copyright Table of Contents List of Figures List of Tables Acknowledgements 1 Europe’s Smallest States and Anomalous Geographical Areas 2 Transfrontier Relationships in Europe 3 The Pyrenean Co-Principality of Andorra 4 Europe’s Alpine Mini State: The Principality of Liechtenstein 5 Large Luxury and Tiny Grandeur: The Principality of Monaco 6 More Than Just a Mountain: The Republic of San Marino 7 Vatican City: The Smallest Country on Earth but Probably the Most Visited 8 Europe’s Autonomous Regions, Dependencies and Overseas Territories 9 International Exclaves and Extraterritorial Places 10 Unrecognized Polities: The De Facto States and Micronations of Europe 11 Vulnerability, Dependency and Touristic Appeal: The Costs and Benefits of Smallness and Marginality 12 Perspectives on Tourism and Small Polities in Europe References Index Cover_Back