Tourism, the End of an Illusion: a Social Practice that still has its Spatial Importance but does not deceive People anymore

This text discusses the end of the illusion of tourism as a socio-spatial practice for achieving sustainable development. Based on specific cases of urban touristification processes which have occurred in some of the territories situated in Pernambuco State (Brazil), this text states that, although tourism has not promoted, per se, sustainable development, it is an important socio-spatial practice for the places where it occurs. This central argument has been based on a review of the literature on the subject, as well as some results of field surveys conducted at different times and in different places of tourism mainly in Recife, the capital of the State of Pernambuco