Tourism is the world's largest industry, and as a globally
pervasive, rapidly growing phenomenon–consumption trends
in this sector exert a notable pressure on almost all areas of
the planet (Gössling, 2002). Hunter (2002) notes: “global
capitalism and its disposition tend to expand, rather than
moderate tourist consumption.” Luxurious holiday images
often suggest that abundance, material fulfillment of desires,
even excess are primary motivators for tourists. Tourists are
often thought to consume more on vacation than they would
at home and more than the (per capita) host community (Cole
and Sinclair, 2002; Akama, 1999). However, little quantitative
attention has been given to tourist destinations thought to be
of a quiescent, less-consumptive nature.