Rural Europe is a highly developed tourism region, representing advanced tourism experience and supposed modern approaches to this industry. That said, it remains highly sensitive and fragile in terms of environmental, social, economic and cultural impacts. This volume focuses on rural Europe as a fascinating example of how tourism development impacts on the communities and the environment of rural regions and offers insights into how long term sustainability could be achieved in this specific region and correspondingly in other rural parts of the world.

Sustainable Tourism in Rural Europe contains contributions from leading international scholars that review and analyse the concept and practice of sustainable tourism in this region through a multidisciplinary approach that embodies the view that sustainable tourism warrants a holistic approach in terms of its impacts and development potential. Divided into three sections: Key Themes and Issues; The State and Development; The Local Community and Development, this book addresses contentious and vital issues through theory, detailed research and case studies, offering real world approaches to sustainable development, showing problems including local politics which challenge abstract models. It introduces cutting edge research dealing with contemporary developments throughout Europe and consequential lessons/implications for other rural parts of the world.

This volume will be of interest to students, researchers and academics in the areas of Tourism, Geography and Environmental Studies.

Dr Donald V.L. Macleod, Senior Lecturer, University of Glasgow, has researched in the Caribbean, the Canary Islands and Scotland. His research interests include globalisation and cultural change, power, cultural heritage, identity, and sustainable tourism, all with a focus on international comparison and development. Dr Steven A. Gillespie is a University Teacher at the University of Glasgow, lecturing in the fields of Carbon Management and Environmental Stewardship. His research interests include population ecology, non-native species and more recently ecological attitudes, agritourism, tourism sustainability and climate change.