TOURISM of the world is always influenced by Asian tourism. The thing has become constant for ages because of its multicultural fervor and colorful biodiversity. Besides for long time the region of Asia Pacific is considered these days as a prime business hub of the world.

of the world is always influenced by Asian tourism. The thing has become constant for ages because of its multicultural fervor and colorful biodiversity. Besides for long time the region of Asia Pacific is considered these days as a prime business hub of the world.

For last one decade Asian tourism has reached a considerable height of riches. It changes its tourism form from informal to formal. The western are now more enthusiastic than before for traveling Asia. ICT develops and tourism has been immensely promoted. The exchange of information has played a great role developing tourism in Asia. Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Dubai and Malaysia are now hot destinations of the world for business travelers that really change the total scenario of Asian tourism.

Asian Tourism: Growth and Change is one of the upshots of the Leeds Met 2006 European Conference on tourism in Asia. A remarkable list of contributors brings much experience and many innovative approaches to its 31 chapters (14 written or co-authored by Asian researchers) based on conference papers, case studies and additional research. All have been endowed with a thoughtful observation of the changes, influences and impacts taking place in Asian tourism. It will be received warmly by a wide audience in industry and academic world.

In the preface, Janet Cochrane writes that the book 'sets out to illustrate the manifestations of tourism in Asia'. It does, and with the examples provided forms an invaluable and stimulating source of information for those studying tourism in Asia. It encourages the reader to look at tourism from the perspective of visitor and visited.

The book is presented in three sections:

First section depicts the politics (vulnerable issue for Asian Tourism) and policies of Asian Tourism. Fast transformation, competition and diversification in the Asian tourism sector are displayed, including chapters on tourism development and propaganda in contemporary Lhasa, Tibet and the growth of aviation industry

in Asia and frays to sustainability.

Second section puts light on market demand and supplier response. The section broadly includes papers which give detailed insights into consumer behavior of an increasingly diverse market such as backpackers, and those with strong interests in various forms of ecotourism such as wetland tourism in Hong Kong: from birdwatcher to mass eco-tourist.

The final section highlights destinations, industry and the forces of change. Here the notion and publicity of responsible tourism get priority. 'Responsible destination management' has been the key pointer. Besides, topics such as sex workers and tourism: a case study of Kovalam Beach, India and health and wellness tourism in Asia reproduce the blows of two contrasting and often hot dimensions of the industry.

This is sad to see in this book with no significance to tourism in Bangladesh. Since the subject is overlooked here; so to world compilers. Bhutan, Nepal, Cambodia and Srilanka are as usual growing and the concerned tourism researches comprehend to evaluate their tourism mobility. We need to produce frequent talks of this subject internationally.

Asian Tourism: Growth and Change is the first book to examine tourism in Asia - the fastest growing tourism region in the world. What about Bangladesh?

Mohammad Shahidul Islam is a National Tourism Worker

Email: mohd-s-islam@myway.com