• There are many topics of tourism studytourist 21 image by mdb from Fotolia.com
  
  In addition to being a leisure-time activity for many people, tourism is a recognized field of academic study, in which the habits of visitors are analyzed and used to draw conclusions with relevance to economics, politics and psychology. There are a number of academic journals, government organizations and college departments devoted to research into hospitality, leisure and tourism.
  
  

Authenticity and Gentrification

• Many tourists flock to certain U.S. neighborhoods because of their purported authenticity. Whether Chicago's South Side, San Francisco's Chinatown, or the Lower East Side of New York City, the ability to observe colorful residential locations with historical value is a big draw for many adventurous travelers. Yet many cities, seeking to ameliorate the crime and poverty endemic to certain "authentic" neighborhoods, have welcomed their gentrification and modernization, and in the process robbing them of some of their original character. A paper might examine how perceptions of authenticity versus perceptions of safety in these neighborhoods affect the tourist trade.
  
  

The Effects of Terrorism on the Tourist Industry

• Terrorism has had numerous effects on the world, not least on the tourism industry. Places formerly thought relatively safe for travelers, such as India and parts of the Middle East, have begun to appear more dangerous in light of recent terrorist bombings. A number of studies could focus on how recent terrorism has altered the destinations of vacationing tourists.
  
  

Factors in the Perception of Service Quality

• Many tourists judge the satisfaction of a visit to a restaurant or a hotel based on the quality of the service given to them. Yet the qualities that go into good service are difficult things to pin down. What is the exact definition of "attentive" waiter or concierge? A study of tourism involving the topic of service might attempt to more precisely pin down the factors that go into a tourist's perception of service quality and to empirically measure some of the traits of good service.
  
  

The Science of the Length of Stay

• It behooves many places that cater to travelers, such as tourist attractions and hotels, to know how long a traveler is willing to stay in a certain location. Generally, the longer a tourist stays, the more money they spend, and the more profit accrues to the place they are visiting. Yet, while many people would be happy to spend a month in Italy, few would be willing to spend that long sight-seeing in Detroit. This study could examine the factors that go into a tourist's decision to spend time in a certain location, information that would allow locations to best determine what kind of travel packages to offer them.
  
  

Oil Prices and Tourism

• This topic could examine how shifts in the price of oil affect travel planes. When the price oil goes up, both the price of gasoline and jet fuel, a major factor in ticket prices, goes up as well. How these fluctuations of oil prices affect the destinations of tourism would be valuable to many parties.