This panel assesses the contribution of anthropology to the understanding of tourism. The panel believes that the key areas of social life such as culture, identity, development and social relations within the context of relationships' host-guest "and the interface between industry and tourism practices.
Anthropology has been at the forefront of research in tourism since the subject first entered the academic world. The classic texts as hosts and guests of Smith helped shape the research agenda. What works in that particular book did was to expand the scope of existing anthropological research, considering in the context of idle pleasure travel /, the complexities of human culture. As tourism developed and developing what made and makes the scope of anthropological work in this area. Tourism is an objective social world and as such, the focus of research is necessarily broad incorporating: issues of cultural practices, representations, both in tangible and intangible ways, power relations, constructions of identity, economic development and so on. At the same time, tourism is also a collection of industries. As such, this panel invites papers from any area of the anthropology of tourism that deals with practical issues of tourism, tourism development, the relations of 'host-guest "and the meetings, the representations of peoples and places, local voices, the practices of the tourism industry and relationships. The panel also welcomes papers that focus on the practice of ethnographic research in tourism studies.... http://www.nomadit.co.uk/rai/events/rai2012/panels.php5?PanelID=1428