Tourism: Transnational corporations and cultural identities Françlois ascher UNESCO, agency section, HMSO publications centre, London, 1986 103 pp.
| Published date | 01 October 1987 |
| Author | D. E. Wiseman |
| Date | 01 October 1987 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/pad.4230070413 |
Book
Reviews
409
many forms
of
regionalism. Also there is a somewhat bland assumption that the govern-
ments of small states can simply be expected to adopt measures to promote inner cohesion,
without fully facing the political factors involved. Nevertheless, there is much in the report
which is sensible and well worth saying. Those concerned with small states as a whole, or
with individual ones, should find this report most valuable, especially as a review of
experience. MALCOLM WALLIS
University
of
Birmingham
TOURISM: TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS AND CULTURAL IDENTITIES
Franqois Ascher
UNESCO, Agency Section, HMSO Publications Centre, London, 1986 103 pp.
For those not familiar with UNESCO’s philosophy and literary style the study
of
this book
can provide a salutary experience. We are told
in
the preface that international tourism is
dominated by transnational corporations which,
in
the context
of
the world economic
crisis and
of
negotiations
on
a new international economic order, have embarked
on
a
redeployment of forces about which there should be
no
misunderstanding, and whose scope
and impact the book attempts to assess.
There are frequent references to the new international economic order, and international
tourism is seen as being of doubtful economic benefit to developing countries. The language
tends to be extreme, with references
to
power struggles and exploitation; the immediate
comment on computerized networks is that they ‘can be a new and formidable weapon
of
domination’.
The social and cultural effects of international tourism are seen as equally
questionable-‘the manner expected
of
most tourism workers
in
contact with customersX
is conducive to the attitudes and sentiments
of
subservience’. The footnote
8,
referred to
above, states ‘This is borne out by the professional qualities which
. .
.
employees in
tourism should possess
in
addition to technical skills: namely, helpfulness, intuition, tact,
discrimination, ability to communicate and observe’. The equating
of
tact and helpfulness
with subservience is typical
of
the author’s determination to see only the negative side
of
all aspects of tourism. The result is a very unbalanced review, in which any advantages
receive scant recognition.
When a possible advantage is reluctantly acknowledged it is at once cancelled by an
attendance disadvantage. For example: ‘Some writers however observe that the demon-
stration effects are not entirely “negative”; for instance
in
some countries contact with
Western women, aside from any judgements
on
their morals, ethics
or
behaviour, may
have an enlightening effect and stimulate campaigns for the emancipation
of
women’-a
nice illustration of having
it
both ways.
The book cannot be recommended to those seeking an impartial assessment
of
inter-
national tourism. D. E. WISEMAN
RIPA
THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA:
THE
FIRST
INDEPENDENCE DECADE, 1975-1985
Edited
by
0.
P. Dwivedi and Nelson
E.
Paulius
Administrative College of Papua New Guinea, 1986 372 pp.
Government of Papua New Guinea involves confronting some unique and fascinating
problems. The capital city is unconnected by road to any provincial centre, several hundred
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