This chapter covers recent trends in tourism and associated developments in government policy. It is based on responses to a policy and statistical survey of OECD member countries and partner economies. The chapter outlines the economic importance of tourism and sets out the role of government in promotion and product development, and in supporting a competitive and sustainable tourism industry. The effectiveness of governance structures and funding issues are considered. Tourism policy priorities, reforms and developments are analysed and examples of country practices highlighted.

This chapter examines the interdependent relationship between transport and tourism, the importance of seamless connections at transport hubs, and key factors to enhance the visitor experience, including: convenient multimodal transport options to access destinations; efficient connections between interregional and local modes; integrated ticketing; multilingual user information and way-finding; baggage transfer and storage options, and; ease of access for travellers with limited mobility. The chapter encourages tourism and transport policy-makers to work more closely together to design transport services and infrastructure that respond to the needs of all travellers. It concludes that if transport and tourism development strategies are not well synchronised, destinations may not be able to accommodate actual or potential visitor numbers and flows, and mobility around the destination will be restricted, potentially decreasing the quality of visitor experiences.

This chapter discusses what the growth of the sharing economy means for the tourism sector and assesses key policy implications. The rapid growth of peer-to-peer and shared usage platforms is creating new marketplaces in areas as diverse as transportation, accommodation, travel and dining experiences. These developments present opportunities for governments to re-think how tourists experience their country and how citizens can benefit from participating in the sharing economy, but also pose challenges for established operators and raise broader policy questions in areas such as consumer protection, taxation and regulation. In a complex, fast-moving environment, it is imperative that tourism policy makers quickly grasp the key issues surrounding the sharing economy and position their jurisdictions for success. This chapter is intended to provide a starting point in that regard and offer guidance to policy makers on how to move forward.