Critical Issues in Air Transport and Tourism

The paper is a review of current issues and literature on air transportation as it is related to tourism. It focuses on three salient issues facing international commercial air transport and their resulting implications for global tourist flows. First, the wider aeropolitical environment is reviewed. This is followed by a review of recent developments in airline operations. Finally, the issue of carbon pricing on aviation is addressed. On the basis that tourism and air transport are intricately linked, the paper advocates for forward planning by tourism destinations that include reviews of the external operating environments faced by airlines. This, as it is argued, will assist with securing accessibility and connectivity.