Revisiting the tourism area life cycle model - is there an off-ramp?

This chapter considers two extensions of the Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) model, namely, exit and reinvention. It argues that it may well be more appropriate to exit tourism than to attempt to stay in an unsatisfactory situation. It points out that the origins and nature of tourism at many destinations means that almost inevitably such destinations fail to see beyond tourism and to recognize other opportunities and the possible ending of tourism as a viable industry for that location. The chapter also argues that reinvention of the location is often necessary, and discusses the critical importance of the identification and application of a strategy for exiting tourism where this is the most appropriate step to be taken. The example of Lloret de Mar (a coastal resort in Catalonia, Spain) is used to illustrate how a specific destination has moved towards such a strategy and the process undertaken.