TOURISM URBANIZATION

This paper attempts to define tourism urbanization, then to develop a conceptual framework and apply it to an empirical study of the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, Australia's largest centres devoted exclusively to tourism. Tourism urbanization is defined as the most dramatic expression of the postmodern city, a new urban form emerging as part of postmodernity. the contemporary western obsession with pleasure. Tourism urbanization is the most dramatic expression of the postmodern city because it represents entire towns and cities built for pleasure, a situation contrasting with the usual manifestation of this city, as particular precincts of existing cities. The empirical study shows that the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, as tourist cities, are quite unlike other major Australian cities. They are the fastest growing by far: their distinct built environment is a symbol of pleasure. They have different class structures. the state acts somewhat differently. residents are different and tourists have a marked impact.