Island studies and tourism : diversifying perspectives

Islands have long been part of the tourist imaginary (DeLoughrey, 2013), particularly those with tropical or quasi-tropical characteristics (Hall, 2012). Their frequently singular landscape, their clearly defined boundaries, their isolation from other land masses and the cultures that develop within those limits have lured tourists and scientists for centuries. And yet, there is still a lot to be learnt about these insular spaces. Some argue that by comprehending island environments one can understand larger and more complex systems (Bergstrom et al., 2009) and that changes experienced on islands can anticipate phenomena that will eventually occur elsewhere (Cave and Brown, 2012; Essex et al., 2004). Baldacchino (2007) suggests that oceanic islands in particular ‘are useful systems for understanding human-land interactions... for reasons that parallel their utility in understanding biological evolution’ but argues also that we will never truly reach an understanding of island communities if we treat them as microcosms of larger continents (Baldacchino, 2004, 2007; Gillis, 2014). Such a position provides a more fruitful platform for engaging with insular territories as it acknowledges the singularities and idiosyncrasies of their environmental and social landscapes while at the same time recognising the natural and social forces that are common to these territories and which help shape their common image as attractive places to visit, live or work.