Conclusion: Tourism and Development in the Face of Uncertainty and Chaos

Abstract

This concluding chapter suggests that the coronavirus crisis and its consequences can be considered from the perspective of chaos theory. This proposes that chaotic systems - including tourism - although subject to periods of disorder or chaos, inevitably self-organize into a new form of order and structure. The chapter then proceeds to expand on remarks by Richard Butler in Chapter 4, to reflect on the potential nature of this 'new normal' in the context of tourism and development, highlighting a variety of potentially influential actors.