The rights to tourism: reflections on social tourism and human rights

There is an increasing emphasis in tourism research on the role that tourism plays in enriching the lives of tourists, including impacts on health, well-being, happiness and quality of life. Tourism is increasingly being conceived as a necessity, rather than a luxury. This is especially so in the advanced economies of the world, but also increasingly in the emerging economies which have driven growth in international tourism demand throughout the recent global financial crisis. This leads to two interconnected issues: how to ensure that opportunities to participate in tourism exist for everyone in society, and whether access to opportunities can or should be considered a right. This paper discusses these issues by considering the position of tourism as a right and in the context of research on social tourism. It argues that tourism can be considered a form of social right, rather than a fundamental human right.