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employing a framework based on supply,
demand and linkages between them.)
Mitchell, L.S. and Murphy, P.E. �1991) `Geography
and tourism', Annals of Tourism Research 18�1): 57±
70. �An overview of the links between tourism
and geography and the accomplishments of
geographers with respect to tourism.)
Murphy, P. �1980) `Tourism management in host
communities', Canadian Geographer 24�1�: 1±80.
�This special issue is devoted to papers on
tourism written by geographers.)
Pearce, D.G. �1987) Tourism Today:A Geographical
Analysis, New York: Wiley. �Describes tourism at
various scales from international to local and the
measurement of spatial variations in tourism.)
Shaw, G. and Williams, A.M. �1994) Critical Issues in
Tourism:A Geographical Perspective, Oxford: Blackwell.
�Gives considerable insight into tourism as
an industry, tourism employment and the role of
tourism in economic restructuring.)
geography, recreational
GEOFFREY WALL, CANADA
Recreational geography is a major research
speciality of geography. Its roots can be found
in geographic publications of the 1920s; however,
its flowering occurred during the Great Depression
with the publication of an article on the topic of
land use. During its early years, tourism as well as
recreation was investigated, and sports geography
was incorporated into the subject in the 1960s
�see also sports, recreational).
Recreational geography is defined as the
methodological study of the passive and dynamic
configurations and procedures of leisure activities
that are non-basic in nature and found in
proximity to users. This definition distinguishes
the study of recreation from tourism. The latter
differs from recreation with regard to economic
base theory, distance, and/or travel time to
destinations and the need for tourists to secure
accommodation and food.
Quantitatively, recreational geography has followed
a normal S-shaped growth curve. Increases
in published research and papers presented at
professional meetings was incremental from 1930
to 1959. During the 1960s there was a quantum
leap in formal research, and rapid acceleration
persisted through the 1970s. Increases continued in
the 1980s and 1990s, but at a slower pace. This
evolutionary process reflects the maturation of
recreational geography as a research speciality. The
application of research findings to practical problems
such as statewide recreation plans is
evidence that non-geographers value the contributions
of recreational geographers. Acceptance of
manuscripts by multidisciplinary journals and
recognition of recreational geography by the
International Geographical Union, the Association
of American Geographers and the Canadian
Association of Geographers is evidence of the
quality of the subdiscipline.
Recreational geography is a pluralistic subdiscipline
which examines a multitude of topics,
systematic and regional as well as pragmatic and
theoretical. Research efforts have concentrated on
user oriented �that is, urban) recreation with
emphases on perception, participation, planning,
market areas �such as hinterlands), market
access, market segments, resort morphology,
individual activity space, recreation business
districts and travel gradients. Additional
areas of interest are site analysis, carrying
capacity, open space, second homes and a
sense of place.
The nature of recreation geography is characterised
by five factors. First, research is not
concentrated on a few topics but is diverse. Second,
there is no research paradigm to influence the
direction of investigations. Third, examination of
research stresses the unique case rather than the
general situation. Fourth, studies that replicate
and/or verify original findings are not common.
Fifth, the complexity of recreation experiences and
the lack of data bases explain ideographic tendencies
in the literature.
See also: recreation experience
Germany
Germany 251
LISLE S. MITCHELL, USA
The reunification of Germany in 1990 gave a new
base for tourism information and policy. Although