This edited volume is part of the "Aspects of Tourism" series, edited by Cooper, Hall and Timothy. It is a first attempt to put together a book on tourism which selects lakes as foci based on their given geographical settings and special characteristics. The rationale for editing a book on lake-tourism is very well portrayed in the introductory chapter. On the one hand, the editors stress the urgent need to study lakes in a tourism context, since the demand for lake-tourism is growing. This growth might put these often-fragile ecosystems at risk. On the other hand, they criticize the lack of ample research attention to these unique ecosystems as environments that host tourism activities. Apparently, lack and/or incompatibility of data on lakes and lake-tourism, make the challenge of monitoring and studying the affects of this activity extremely difficult. Thus, difficulties in conducting comparative studies make it even harder to reach both theoretical syntheses and practical sustainable planning and management practices on a general (lake-tourism) level. It is, therefore, the stated aim of the introductory chapter to advocate an integrated management approach to the use of lakes as recreational and tourism playgrounds.
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