Policies and Practices of Tourism Industry – A Comparative and Interdisciplinary Study on Central America

The project analyzes policies and practices of the tourism industry in Central America, Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua, from an interdisciplinary perspective. Tourism is an increasingly important global industry and it is the principal export in a third of all developing countries. The international bodies and national governments are recognizing the potential of tourism in the economic growth, while there is very little evidence of the connection between conventional mass tourism and poverty reduction. Simultaneously, the growth of mass tourism has many times led to a wide range of environmental and social problems, cultural degradation and unequal distribution of financial benefits. The project explores the complex interdependencies between public national and international planning, global tourism, local needs, sustainable development and business interests.