Abstract
This article presents three different ways in which the involvement of charities in tourism in the UK can be considered and what implications this may have for the industry. Those charities involved outside the industry seek to engage in tourism purely because of the fund-raising potential that it offers. These charities can achieve high profits from these activities yet are not directly concerned with the tourism industry. The second level of involvement with tourism concerns charities that can be seen to operate within the industry and offer travel to sites of concern for their members. Finally, charities that operate above the industry seek to influence the industry through tactics similar to those of pressure groups. The way that this final group raise funds to support their activities differs from the first two groups, however they are tied more closely to the tourism industry in that it represents their reason to exist. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. Ail rights reserved.