Over the decades, the growth of the tourism industry has led to it becoming a majorcontributor to increased economic activity throughout the world (Crick, 1989).According to previous researchers, residents of destination areas often not only wanttourists but strongly want them to come. They seek tourism development and engagein marketing to attract the tourists in anticipation that their lives will change; they wantjobs, higher incomes, increased tax revenues and better opportunities for theirchildren. In spite of the benefits provided by tourism being largely economic, theremay also be adverse consequences. Firstly, despite tourism providing a considerablestimulus to the local and national economy, it also results in an increasingly unequaldistribution of wealth. Secondly, environmental and socio-cultural factors are oftenfound to associate negatively with acquiring the benefits (Greenwood, 1972, 1989).Therefore, it is suggested that to assess any impact of tourism, one should considernot only the tangible economic effects, but also the non-economic and intangibleeffects, such as socio-cultural and environmental impacts (Murphy, 1985; Pizam andMilman, 1984). This article aims to discuss past studies on socio-cultural impacts oftourism. The focus of the paper is on tourism and commoditisation.