Pressure on national and local governments to rapidly develop their tourism potential to meet demand and produce benefits, makes it more essential than ever to plan carefully and consider the human and environmental impacts of tourism development. That is why, as Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization, I am pleased to see the serious analysis of the problems and prospects of the tourism sector as presented in this third edition. In this third edition, Global Tourism draws on the insight of thirty-nine contributors to chronicle and foresee the effects of tourism on contemporary society. Contributors provide interdisciplinary, international perspectives on the critical questions, problems, and opportunities facing the tourism industry. Invaluable to academics and professionals alike, Global Tourism offers a comprehensive exploration of the key issues in tourism. Authors draw on their individual insights to assess and critique contemporary tourism and take a view of the future.