The touristic transformation of postcolonial states: human zoos, global tourism competition, and the emergence of zoo-managing states

Becklake, Sarah and Wynne-Hughes, Elisa ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2250-7710 2026. The touristic transformation of postcolonial states: human zoos, global tourism competition, and the emergence of zoo-managing states. Iaquinto, B., Gillen, J. and Mostafanezhad, M., eds. The Political Geography of Tourism, London: Routledge, pp. 56-73. (10.4324/9781003612919-4)

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Abstract

Tourism is transforming states. Nevertheless, how, in what ways, and with what consequences has yet to be adequately theorised and interrogated. This paper takes up this task by asking: How does tourism govern and transform states? And, what does this mean for places and people? Tourism is a global mobilities system with immense power. While this system is capable of governing and transforming all states, it has particular resonance in postcolonial states. Due to their historically constructed economic dependency on international tourism, postcolonial states are increasingly conceptualising, representing, and governing their territory/citizenry as desirable/safe ‘tourism destinations’ and ‘touristic figures’ for international—primarily white Western—tourists. This, we argue, is indicative of postcolonial states enacting a mode of governance that harks back to the colonial practice of human zoos and, thus, that they are acting as competitive ‘zoo-managers’. Through theorising and interrogating this touristic state transformation we reveal the continued coloniality of postcolonial states and how this is being experienced, negotiated, and resisted by citizens.

Item Type:	Book Section
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Cardiff Law & Politics
Publisher:	Routledge
ISBN:	9781003612919
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	14 July 2026
Last Modified:	14 Jul 2026 14:15
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/188213

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