Plants and tourism: Not seeing the forest [n]or the trees

Abstract

This article aims to explore an emergent sub-field in the study of tourism: the relationship between plants and tourism, which has been neglected in the literature. We discuss plants as a life form and confront the animal–plant divide, implicitly permeating tourism studies, with recent findings in biology and arguments in contemporary ontological anthropology, which seek to erase that divide and emphasize plant–animal continuity. We discuss the role of plants in the tourist experience and their place in differentially framed tourist settings, ranging from fully-natural to fully-contrived ones. We present the various ethical theories bearing on human conduct toward plants and indicate their applicability to tourism in the various settings. In conclusion we call for greater attention to the significant but overlooked role of plants in various touristic contexts.

Preservation and Restoration of Roadside Tree Alleys in Line with Sustainable Development Principles—Mission (Im)possible?

“…Trees also play an important role in the regional economy. Roadside tree alleys enhance local landscapes and increase their attractiveness for tourists [21][22][23][24]. Trees play vital roles in the web of life, and the preservation of roadside tree alleys should be an important goal on the path toward sustainable development.…”

Floración y turismo en Mallorca y el Baix Segre: Dos casos emblemáticos de imagen de marca turistico-paisajística

“…El estudio del turismo asociado al fenómeno de la floración estacional no es nuevo (Turpie y Joubert, 2004;Xie, Wang, Meng y Xiao, 2005;Ryan, 2011;Tao, 2011;Padilla y Such, 2001;Cohen y Fennell, 2019, entre otros), pero sí lo es en el caso del presente trabajo, cuyo objetivo es describir el desarrollo, en la subcomarca natural catalana del Baix Segre (comarca del Segrià) y en el interior de la isla de Mallorca (Islas Baleares), de un tipo de visita turística motivacionalmente centrada en la apreciación estética de los árboles en flor.…”