Social tourism policies: critical reflections.

Abstract This chapter examines recent developments in social tourism initiatives by analysing the factors underpinning them from a historical perspective and by contrasting the expansion in social tourism policies alongside general tourism policies. It goes on to provide a critical analysis of the various types of policies, from the system of delivery of subsidies and support for the intermediaries providing social tourism programmes to the system, which favours aid given directly to the person, and how they are implemented throughout Europe.