Distinguishing between sustainable development and sustainable tourism, the authors examine whether and in what, form, tourism can contribute to sustainable development and growth. Focusing on differenct types of tourism appropriate to particular situations, the team of leading contributors draw on examples from around the world - Canada, USA, Spain, Belgium, UK, Australia - to explore tourism's contribution to the economic, social , political and environmental advancement of developing countries, and the challenges to and importance of tourism in industrialised nations.