Welcome to the fourth SPPOT Virtual Conference!

This is a final-year student conference for the unit Social and political perspectives on tourism in the Tourism degree at the University of Lincoln, England. It is live from 1 to 10 May 2008, during which time participants upload their papers, comment on other papers – and await comments on their own.

The conference theme this year is Who controls the tourism experience? Access and behaviour in the 21st century. Participants are setting out to explore the complex social and political relationships that characterise contemporary tourism. There is a rich selection of topics, ranging from territoriality on beaches to the ways in which racism acts as a powerful agent in shaping leisure experiences. We hope you enjoy visiting the site, whether you are a participant or an onlooker!