The role of tourism in the new growth perspectives in SEE

Abstract

Tourism is an increasingly important source of income and development driver in South-Eastern European (SEE) countries. Besides positive effects on economic growth, tourism greatly affects the environment. Therefore, new growth perspectives include tourism as important industry with its economic, social, and environmental impacts. Consequently, economic growth is nowadays discussed more in the context of environmental concerns than decades before. The focus of this review paper is put on the new economic growth theories and the role of tourism in it, together with challenges the new theories face. The starting point of the research is the abandonment of existing, neoliberal assumption and paradigm of neoliberal capitalism which includes constant growth and thereby worsens the impact on the environment. Disadvantages, as well as negative impact on the environment leads to the emergence of new perspective on growth – from growth-optimist and green-growth through a-growth to the theory of de-growth. The main premise is that unlimited growth is not possible on a planet with limited resources. Hence, new growth theories emphasise the importance of redefine tourism with focus on the rights of local communities and rebuild the social capacities of tourism. This paper questions advantages and disadvantages, as well as the potential consequences of the establishment of new growth policies. Considering that the Mediterranean countries of Southeastern Europe largely base their economic growth on the tourism sector, the analysis of the position of tourism in new growth perspective as well as adaptation to new policies is an important topic for research.