This article introduces the theme issue devoted to tourism in Latin America and the authors explain the approach of the international and interdisciplinary research. Interest in tourism is twofold: 1 / tourism allows the study of specific places, types of development and consumption, 2 / analysis of the tourism phenomenon helps to understand the world, highlighting the socio -Latin American economic. The phenomenon of tourism must be understood in all its complexity and must introduce the political dimension. The Tourism Studies on Latin America cannot ignore the political strategies associated with the dominant economic model or the restructuring of power relations behind it. Tourism development is not apolitical. The development of tourism is not apolitical