Tourism has huge significance as a global economic and social phenomenon, and given the growing reliance on the industry by service dependent economies around the world, the lack of focus on tourism planning and development in the South Asian area is surprising. Current issues including social, environmental and cultural aspects underpinned by security challenges have defined the tourism development narratives in many South Asian countries over the last decades leading to fluid demand and supply patterns. Appetite and reliance for tourism growth is seen regardless of trepidation and numerous challenges. Despite a rich and steady history of tourism demand driven by pull destinations, most South Asian countries have not invested or benefited from global tourism growth trends.

This book discusses tourism planning and development in the various South Asian countries and identifies the key impacts and current challenges. The country-focused chapters demonstrate a wide-range of experiences and challenges, while revealing successful and unsuccessful stories. Written by scholars with extensive research experience on tourism in these countries, the book provides thorough analyses of the nature and focus on tourism development in South Asia. It is a source of much needed documentation and provides details of great value to researchers, policy makers and other tourism stakeholders.