An essay on tourism and natural resources: a cause of political conflicts.

Abstract

This essay, using economic theory on monopoly exploitation of natural resources, discusses international tourism as a cause of global conflicts. The prevailing tourism pattern is the use of the (sub-) tropical seaside climate as a natural resource. This use involves multi-billion euro investments in resort development on small areas. Political conflicts emerge because recovery of the investment costs during decreasing real prices in tourism invokes monopolies in exploitation of this climate resource. Struggles for a sahre in the monopoly profits expand. Break-through innovations in tourism development can prevent severe tensions. These can be diversification of services, virtualization ofamenities, and high-value services.