ABSTRACTThere has been a neglect of tourism issues in the literature on economic and social restructuring in Europe. To some extent this is being addressed by the RURETOUR project which is linked to the European Science Foundation's RURE project. This special theme issue presents several articles, drawn from different methodological backgrounds, which illuminate the themes of tourism and restructuring of the European space. This introduction sets these articles in the context of some of the wider issues relating to the role of tourism in the economy, space and culture of Western Europe.