Understanding the Tourist Phenomenon, an Analysis of 'West' - 'South' Tourism; Towards Sustainable Tourism Development Strategies for Third World Tourism Destination

This study analyses 'Western' tourists who travel in developing countries for holiday purposes. The focus is on tourists who originate from the historically Protestant countries of Europe and who are the biggest spenders per capita in international tourism, including Third World tourism. Evaluation of existing theoretical perspectives, combined with empirical data derived from both primary and secondary sources, result in the formulation of new perspectives on the tourist phenomenon, including tourists' value orientations, lifestyles, motivations, interests, preferences and consumption and travel patterns. Ways through which destination areas in developing countries can use these perspectives to maximize the desired economic benefits of tourism and eliminate or reduce the undesired impacts, are discussed.