The study of tourism as a complex social phenomenon, beyond simply business, is increasing in importance. Providing an examination of perceptions of culture and society in tourism destinations through the tourist's eyes, this book discusses how destinations were, and are, created and perceived through the 'lens' of the tourist's gaze.

Tourism is an essentially visual experience: we leave our homes so as to travel to see places, thus adding to our personal knowledge about, and experience of, the world. The study of tourism as a complex social phenomenon, beyond simply business, is increasing in importance, and by providing an examination of perceptions of culture and society in tourism destinations through the tourist's eyes, this book discusses how destinations were, and are, created and perceived through the "lens" of the tourist's gaze. It is essential reading for researchers and students in tourism and related subjects.

The study of tourism as a complex social phenomenon, beyond simply business, is increasing in importance. Providing an examination of perceptions of culture and society in tourism destinations through the tourist's eyes, this book discusses how destinations were, and are, created and perceived through the 'lens' of the tourist's gaze.

The 'visual' has long played a crucial role in forming experiences, associations, expectations and understandings of heritage. Images convey meaning within a range of practices, including tourism, identity construction, the popularization of the past through a variety of media, and the memorialization of events. However, despite the central role of 'the visual' in these contexts, it has been largely neglected in heritage literature. This edited collection is the first to explore the production, use and consumption of visual imagery as an integral part of heritage. Drawing on case studies from around the world, it provides a multidisciplinary analysis of heritage representations, combining complex understandings of the 'visual' from a wide range of disciplines, including heritage studies, sociology and cultural studies perspectives. In doing so, the book provides a comprehensive overview of the theoretical and methodological tools necessary for understanding visual imagery within its cultural context.