Fourth International Conference on Tourism and Leisure Studies

Abstract

This discussion seeks to examine the relationship between how marijuana legalization can be a disruptive innovation in the area of tourism and agriculture and contribute to economic development. The study seeks to address the challenge of accelerating economic growth and diversification in the economies of small island developing states (SIDS), dependent of tourism for their main livelihood by studying how the legalization of medicinal and recreational cannabis could rejuvenate tourism sectors. This discussion/ study differentiates tourism product offerings, creating new business opportunities, attracting new types of tourists, inducing a higher level of tourism expenditures, generating more jobs, and raising more tax revenue for public treasuries. The problem quite seemly stated is that traditional tourism products are lagging and becoming un-competitive. Practitioners and policymakers are seeking ideas and ways as to how to revitalize and expand their tourism offerings. The main research question for this study is; can marijuana legalization constitute a disruptive innovation that creates new marijuana-related tourism products, encourages economic linkages between agriculture and tourism (agritourism), and, extends the tourism life-cycle on small island developing states (SIDS)?