Why are states interested in Tourism?

Good question – glad you asked…… well, you were going to, weren’t you? Well, if politicians and industry leaders are being honest, it is not (as the World Tourism Organisation once put it) for ‘spiritual reasons’ i.e. the non-material benefits to the tourist….. rather Tourism is considered to be a means to an end rather than an end in itself: governments want to see things like: new jobs created and existing jobs sustained …. (reducing government unemployment expenditure) rural communities sustained by tourism activity and local expenditure tourism income to local, regional and national services like: heritage, sports, arts, culture and systems like transport (again reducing government expenditures) improved international image [do you get much of an image...