In Memoriam

David Harrison (1941-2021)

Fellows of the Academy will be saddened to learn of the death of David Harrison. He died on 6th April 2021 (in a hospice) with his wife by his side. Although he had suffered an extended period of illness with associated treatments, these had not until the very end significantly reduced his activities, including the production of a new book just published by CABI “Tourism, Tradition and Culture: A Reflection on their Role in Development”.

In some ways David’s involvement in tourism came very early, being born during the second world war at the famous British seaside resort, Blackpool. But it was only after an early career in banking and then in the British government service with Customs and Excise (including a spell at Heathrow airport) that he began to exercise and develop his intellectual interests. He took a bachelor degree at Goldsmiths in London in 1970 followed by a PhD at University College London in 1975. His PhD dissertation titled “Social Relations in a Trinidadian village” gave a clear direction for his subsequent academic career.

In his own words he described himself as “a sociologist/anthropologist of development, specialising in the socio-economic, cultural and environmental impacts of international tourism”. He started researching such impacts in the Caribbean in 1974 and since 1987 focused almost entirely on tourism as a development tool, both in teaching and research, and intermittently in consultancy. Regions in which he carried out research include the Eastern Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Southern Africa, South-East Asia and the South Pacific, and he worked as a consultant for the Asian Development Bank and the Mekong River Commission in Viet Nam, Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand.

His career in the UK was mainly spent at the University of Sussex and at what is now London Metropolitan University. Before retiring he then spent a number of years at the University of the South Pacific (USP) where he served as head of the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management. On his return to the UK, his retirement found him in part-time and visiting academic positions at Middlesex University, the University Surrey, Kings College London and St Mary’s University College. In other words, his retirement was as full as his full-time career with his time devoted to his students, his research and his writing, leaving a legacy of students, publications and initiatives devoted to a better understanding of tourism development.

The profile of David prepared by Steve Pratt (currently Head of the School at USP) and published in Anatolia in 2016 has the title “David Harrison: anthropologist, sociologist and raconteur” This wonderfully captures David as a member of the Academy. We remember him for his presentations as a sociologist/anthropologist of development, but we also remember him for his stories and experiences told after the formal sessions with such wit and insight.  He will be long- remembered and much missed.

David Airey
John Tribe