Abstract

This book combines academic analysis and critical exploration to examine national narratives in the context of tourism and events around the world. It explores how particular narratives are woven to tell (and sell) a national story. By deconstructing images of the nation, it closely examines how national texts create key archival imagery that can promote tourism and events while also shaping national identity. It investigates the complex relationship between state appropriation of marketing strategies and the commercial use of nationalist discourses. The book aims to demystify the ways in which the nation is imagined by key organisers and organisations and then communicated to millions.

Leanne White is Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the College of Business, Victoria University, Australia. Her main research interests are national identity, commercial nationalism, popular culture, advertising, destination marketing and cultural tourism.

Editor White has produced an extremely useful theoretical context for examining commercial nationalism within the context of tourism, with an array of contributions from noted scholars around the world. The chapters illustrate both the relevance and importance of the nexus between commercial nationalism and tourism with all the complexity and fascination resulting from the interplay of history, politics, culture, colonialism, economics and aboriginal issues, among many others, in this field. This is an important and valuable book.

The book was an interesting read, which provided a smorgasbord of insights into how both nations and commercial enterprises develop, use, misuse and manipulate national images for their own ends.

Leanne White has curated a scholarly collection of essays contributing to the dialogue regarding nationalism and tourism. Framed by insights into the theories of nationalism, this diverse set of international case studies opens a conversation about commercial nationalism in relation to tourism while complementing the editor’s previous work in this field.

This timely and comprehensive book explores the intersections of commerce and nation through the tourism and events industries. The scope is global and highlights the increasing importance of understanding the complexities involved. Commercial Nationalism and Tourism achieves the rare feat of being both a critical analysis and a valuable guide for policy makers and industry.

In this valuable volume, the authors present many good cases, thought-provoking practices, novel ideas, and challenging questions. The book is easy to read because each chapter stands by itself. Together, though, they provide a wide-ranging look
at diverse aspects of commercial nationalism as it relates to tourism.