This article examines the extent to which there is congruence between the theorized
world of tourism (the canon of tourism knowledge) and the phenomenal world of tourism.
Adopting a social constructionist approach it conceptualizes and analyses the knowledge forcefield
which is demonstrated to mediate between these two worlds. The five key factors that
operate in the knowledge force-field are found to be person, rules, position, ends and ideology.
The tourism literature is interrogated to demonstrate how these forces contribute to a doubleselectivity
in knowledge creation. Despite many truths being established, the whole truth about
tourism is left untold resulting in gaps, silences and mis-constructions
THE TRUTH ABOUT TOURISM