Tazim Jamal and Mike Robinson (eds.) (2009). SAGE Handbook of Tourism Studies. SAGE Publications 716 pp. ISBN 978-1-4129-2397-2: Reviewed by Miroslava Dimitrova Department of Tourism, International University College, 3 Bulgaria str., 9300 Dobrich, Bulgaria; tel: +359 58 655 630; e-mail: miroslava.dimitrova@vumk.eu

SAGE Handbook of Studies presents an ambitious endeavor to encompass the multifaceted nature of tourism studies in one single volume. It aims to reflect wide-ranging conceptual approaches to the subject of tourism giving a special attention to recently emerging themes and issues.The editors are both academic professionals and possess a strong background in tourism study which reflects the quality of the selected materials included in The Handbook.The volume is divided into three main sections which are: Approaches to Key Topics in Tourism and Critical Issues and Emerging Perspectives. There are thirty-nine chapters included in The Handbook. Each chapter is a complete unit and reflects a unique feature of tourism study.The chapters included in the first section cover wide range of disciplinary approaches such as sociology and anthropology of tourism, tourism history and geography, economics and politics of tourism.The second section pinpoints key topics in tourism. The discussed themes in different chapters cover multiple issues such as: spirituality, religion and their relation to tourism; theme parks; architecture and urban planning; heritage conservation; sustainable tourism and ecotourism; rural tourism; safety and security; transportation; destination marketing and management, etc.The third section outlines the recently emerging perspectives in tourism studies, among which are events management; tourism and postcolonialism; thanatourism; ethical perspectives; global tourism business operations; gender studies and languaging.Each chapter presents a deep analysis of the stated problem which is elaborated in details. Strong attention is paid to the relationship between tourism and culture which is evident in almost every discussed subject (from sociology and anthropology of tourism to such innovative approaches as gender studies). The qualitative methods of analysis are preferred over quantitative. The topics included are of a great interest to anybody who has aspiration to reach highest level of achievement in the field of tourism study, thus making The Handbook a must for every academic worker and tourism expert.Tourism and its global impact on the economy, policy, natural and social environment is beyond any doubt. According to the World Travel & Council statistics (WTTC, 2010), tourism sector contributes for 9,4% of the World GDP, employs near 7,6% of the total population and accounts for almost 11% of the world export. …