BOOK  REVIEW       Book:  Smith,  Melanie  K.  2009.  Issues  in  Cultural  Tourism  Studies:  Second  Edition.  Oxon:   Routledge       The   extensively   revised   second   edition   of   Issues   in   Cultural   Tourism   Studies   by   Melanie   K.   Smith   provides   an   interdisciplinary   overview   and   analysis   of   the   complexity   of   cultural   tourism  and  the  key  issues  pertaining  to  cultural  development  within  the  context  of  tourism   studies.   Melanie   K.   Smith   is   a   Lecturer   and   Researcher   in   Tourism   Management   in   the   Institute   for   Environmental   Studies   at   Corvinus   University,   Budapest.   Published   by   Routledge   in   2009,   the   book   follows   the   first   edition   which   Smith   claims   to   have   been   written  at  the  beginning  of  her  academic  career  at  a  time  when  cultural  tourism  was  quite  a   new   focus   for   academic   research.   In   the   preface   of   the   book,   Smith   states   that   she   was   forced  to  question  her  original  assumptions  about  cultural  tourism,  to  update  the  content  in   this  new  edition  and  also  recognise  that  what  were  once  innovative  concepts  are  now  well   established.   Hence,   one   can   be   lead   to   believe   that   the   concepts   and   case   studies   in   this   second   edition   are   more   up-­‐to-­‐date   and   relevant   (to   an   extent   –   the   book   was   first   published  five  years  ago)  to  the  world  of  tourism  as  we  know  it  today.   The  book  explores   many   of   the   most   pertinent   issues   in   cultural   tourism,   including   politics;   impact   management   and   sustainable   development;   interpretation   and   representation;   marketing   and  branding;  and  regeneration  and  planning.       The   book   contains   10   chapters,   and   each   chapter   includes   international   case   studies   after   each   sub-­‐heading   to   help   readers   see   the   concept   applied   in   a   real-­‐life   situation.   Some   of   the   chapters   contain   black   and   white   images   of   tourist   destinations,   taken   by   Smith’s   family   to  further  highlight  a  topic.  Smith  discusses  the  difficulty  of  defining  culture  in  the  lengthy   introduction  of  the  book.  A  shorter  introduction  would  have  been  more  appropriate  given   that   she   uses   Chapter   1   to   provide   a   framework   for   the   rest   of   the   book   in   terms   of   definitions,   contexts   and   perspectives.   In   chapter   1   she   also   includes   a   table   outlining   a   typology  of  tourism  attractions.  Although  useful,  it  isn’t  exactly  visually  pleasing  and  some  of   the   keywords   she   used   to   construct   the   typology   contradict   each   other.   For   example,   she   has  defined  ‘Arts  Tourism’  as  including  ‘visits  to  the  theatre’,  ‘concerts’  and  ‘galleries’.  But   ‘painting’,  ‘pottery’  and  ‘crafts’  are  listed  under  ‘Creative  Tourism’.  The  chapters  following   Chapter  1  discuss  the  geography  and  politics  of  cultural  tourism,  and  Chapters  4-­‐6  focus  on   a  further  explanation  of  key  types  of  cultural  tourism  including  heritage  tourism,  indigenous   cultural   tourism   and   arts   and   festival   tourism.   Chapters   7-­‐10   focus   more   on   the   development   of   global   cultural   tourism;   its   growth,   impacts   and   its   future.   For   a   more   in   depth  evaluation  of  the  way  in  which  Smith  approaches  the  topics  and  presents  her  ideas,   Chapter  3  (‘The  Politics  of  Global  Cultural  Tourism)  of  the  book  will  be  closely  reviewed.       In  Chapter  3  Smith  outlines  the  diverse,  broad  and  complex  nature  of  cultural  tourism.  She   also  discusses  the  globalisation  of  cultural  tourism  and  its  impacts,  recognizing  that  different   regions   and   countries   of   the   world   have   developed   in   different   ways   as   a   result   of   their   complex   histories   and   political   trajectories.   In   her   discussion,   Smith   chooses   to   analyse   countries   that   have   had   a   similar   past   namely,   post-­‐colonial   countries,   countries   with   indigenous   peoples,   former   socialist   countries   and   newly   emergent   nation   states.   This   comparison  between  like  countries  works  well,  when  discussing  a  topic  of  such  complexity  it   is  always  easier  to  understand  if  ‘apples’  are  compared  with  ‘apples’,  that  way  the  smallest   difference   is   noticed   and   the   origin   of   that   difference   can   be   easily   traced.   In   this   chapter   Smith  states     “In  the  context  of  global  tourism,  international  visitors  are  brought  into  contact  with  local      environments  and  their  communities,  thus  influencing  cross-­‐cultural  exchange.  Tourism  can  also      sometimes  help  to  strengthen  the  importance  of  retaining  place  identities  and  local  character”      (Smith.  2009,  63).     In   terms   of   cross-­‐cultural   exchange,   Smith   refers   to   political   regimes   in   the   context   of   tourism,  choosing  a  case  study  of  township  tourism  in  South  Africa.  Townships  were  initially   established   in   South   Africa   during   the   apartheid   regime   away   from   central   business   districts   to   segregate   black   labour.   They   were   no-­‐go   areas   due   to   crime   and   violence.   Increasingly,   visitors  are  fascinated  by  how  post-­‐apartheid  life  in  South  Africa  has  developed  and  driven   by  the  desire  to  experience  ‘real’  people  and  authentic  culture,  township  tourism  has  grown   rapidly.   Smith   highlights   that   this   growth   has   been   a   mixed   blessing   in   the   sense   that   it   creates   economic   benefits   and   cross-­‐cultural   exchange,   including   black   and   white   interaction,  but  it  can  also  cause  friction,  commercialisation  and  inflated  prices.  Smith  also   points   out   that   a   growth   in   cultural   tourism   can   create   what   is   called   the   ‘demonstration   effect’,   which   is   when   local   residents   copy   the   behaviour   of   tourists.   Sustained   over   time   this  can  eventually  lead  to  issues  with  cultural  identity  and  sense  of  place.  Smith  notes  that   this   can   be   avoided   if   managed   correctly:   “...if   township   tourism   is   managed   well   it   can   create  new  careers  in  tourism,  especially  for  young  people”  (Smith.  2009,  66).  This  just  goes   to  show  that  in  order  to  preserve  the  authenticity  of  cultures  around  the  world,  they  must   be   managed   to   limit   the   negative   impacts   of   outside   influences   caused   by   the   growth   of   global  cultural  tourism.     The   philosophy   underpinning   this   book   is   that   culture   is   a   contentious   concept,   but   one   which   can   be   simultaneously   inclusive   or   exclusive,   advantageous   or   detrimental   depending   on  the  way  in  which  it  is  managed.  Since  cultural  activities  are  becoming  an  integral  part  of   the   visitor   experience   and   the   growth   of   cultural   tourism   has   meant   that   its   impacts   have   increased   in   parallel,   it   is   important   to   manage   those   impacts   in   a   sustainable   manner.   In   fragile   or   remote   locations   where   communities   are   traditional   and   close-­‐knit,   tourism   can   become   intrusive   and   even   divisive.   Therefore   in   the   context   of   Sustainable   Tourism   Management,   this   book   presents   a   reminder   that   sustainable   tourism   is   not   just   about   preserving   the   environment   of   a   tourist   destination,   but   also   extends   to   the   preservation   of   local   cultures   and   cultural   traditions.   This   text   is   unique   in   that   it   provides   a   summary   and   a   synthesis  of  all  major  issues  in  global  cultural  tourism,  which  are  presented  in  an  accessible   way   using   a   diverse   range   of   international   case   studies.   Students   with   a   background   in   anthropology   may   find   the   concepts   in   this   text   easier   to   understand,   however   it   is   recommended  that  this  book  would  be  a  valuable  and  beneficial  resource  for  any  student   studying  Tourism.       WORD  COUNT:  1058              
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