Álvaro Matias – författare

''Advances in Tourism Economics'' follows his predecessor ''Advances in Modern Tourism Research'' (2007) in providing a thorough assessment of state-of-the-art economic research in this rapidly developing field. The authors start by analyzing the recent upsurge of model-based economic research in the field, which builds on powerful tools in quantitative economics, such as discrete choice models, social accounting matrices, data envelopment analyses, impact assessment models or partial computable equilibrium models including environmental externalities. The volume originates from this novel research spirit in the area and aims to offer an attractive collection of operational research tools and approaches. It forms an appealing record of modern tourism economics and positions the field within the strong tradition of quantitative economic research, with due attention for both the demand and supply side of the tourism sector, including technological and logistic advances.

The assessment of local, regional or national impacts of an influx of tourists – of different kind and origin – has in recent years become a new challenge for economics research in the tourism sector. There is a clear need to develop solid methodologies through which the socio-economic impacts of tourism can be assessed. Tourism impact assessment – as a systematic approach to the estimation of socio-economic effects of tourism on relevant parts of the economy – has become a timely response to the need for appropriate information for stakeholders, both public and private. The present volume brings together a set of recent impact studies – of both a theoretical-methodological and an applied policy-oriented nature – , which have been selected on the basis of their originality or novel contribution to the research in this field.