Global Theme Park Industry - Softcover

Since the 1980s, the theme park industry has developed into a global phenomenon, with everything from large, worldwide theme parks to countless smaller ventures. From the first pleasure gardens to the global theme park companies, this book provides an understanding of the nature and function of theme parks as spaces of entertainment. Illustrated throughout by worldwide case studies, empirical data and practical examples, the book portrays the impacts of theme parks as global competitive actors, agents of global development and cultural symbols, particularly in the context of their role in the developing experience economy. In conclusion, this book is a practical guide to the planning and development of theme parks.

Salvador Anton Clave is a Full Professor of Regional Geographical Analysis at the Rovira i Virgili University, Catalonia (ES) where he serves currently as Director of the Doctoral Program in Tourism and Leisure. He is also the Principal Researcher of the Research Group of Territorial Analysis and Tourism Studies and the Director of Research at the Science & Technology Park for Tourism and Leisure of Catalonia. He has served as director/dean of the Tourism and Leisure School/Faculty of Tourism and Geography at the Rovira i Virgili University between 2002 and 2012. He is visiting Research Scholar at the International Institute of Tourism Studies at the George Washington University. His research concentrates on analysis of the evolution of tourist destinations, urban and regional tourism planning, theme parks design, management, development and globalization, tourism and ICT and issues concerning tourism policies and local development from an evolutionary approach. He has published a wider range of articles in journals such as (in English) Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, European Urban and Regional Studies, Tourism Geographies or Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events among others. His books (in English) have been published by CABI, Routledge and Emerald and (in Spanish) by Ariel, Planeta, Piramide, UOC and Tirant lo Blanch.