Tourism after the Fall of the American Empire: Globalization, Protectionism, and Resource Depletion

In this paper, the authors write about what the future of tourism after the fall of the American Empire. The authors describe the forces at work undermining the American empire and explain its likely trajectory. Then, the authors turn to the implications of this political event for tourism globally. The implications for tourism suggest the evolution of a new regime for international tourism, with China and other states playing a more central role in setting up the rules for international travel and tourism. In addition, the paper looks at the issue of resource depletion and allocation, since the USA will no longer have the ability to maintain low-cost petroleum nor protect the worlds’ sea-gate chokepoints, the world arteries for the shipping petroleum.