由於休閒事業在整體社會環境中所扮演的促進社會發展的成長資源角色，有愈來愈受到重視的趨向，故本文擬就休閒事業對地方發展之經濟面的影響加以分析。一般而言，現代人將時間與金錢花費在休閒活動上的量，是與日俱增的。因此，由於工作時間約縮短、教育程度的提高、個人收入的增加、退休年齡的降低以及人類壽命的延長等等因素，使得人們有愈來愈多的機會，去從事休閒活動。依據本文的分析，共發現有兩項重要因素促使休閒活動對地方經濟發展產生影審：其一是休閒活動直接帶給地方的現金收入;其二是由於地方財富的增加，使得地方週邊的其他大小城鄉與地方之間，產生循環性的經濟刺激。在這兩個因素交相作用的有利情況下，地方政策制定者確實可以考慮以增加休閒性公共投資的方式，來促使地方更趨繁榮。

　　　　　This paper has focused itself on the economic impacts of leisure in　local development since a considerable interest has been carried out by the idea of the entertainments as resources and the role that they play in social growth. Most people are now spending more money and time at leisure than before. They spendless time at work. They receive better education. They make more money. They retire earlier. And they live longer. As a result, in between leaving school and retirement, people can then have more opportunities to recreate themselves than ever. There are two important potential local economic effects of leisure identified in this study: one is that the local recreations sector in terms of its relative potential tobring income into the region; and another is that the local recreations sector interms of its potential to redistribute fiscal and economic activity back into theme tropolis and its neighborhoods. As a consequence, local policy makers may then consider investing in leisure in order to induce investment and location decisions on the part of households and firms that favor the metropolis.