The Relevance to Environment Philosophy and Ethics to the Reformulation of Tourism Activities in the 20th and 21st Centuries

Abstract

Tourism is not only an economic activity, however we must never underestimate its primordial dimension, and perhaps the economical growing of tourism is inseparable from some of the deepest political and sociological changes that marked the 20th century: the growth of the educated middle class and its mobility, facilitated by the formidable technical-scientific revolution; institutionalization and expansion of citizens’ democratic rights; the containment of war; but also a more radical change, the repositioning of the Human Being face to the Nature, on the light of Environment Philosophy and Ethics. Relevance will be given to the study of the positive impacts of the economy of heritage to tourism activity, and the significance of its “externalities”, which, even in times of crisis, represent a safe and highly reproductive investment.