Consumer services have been viewed as parasitic activities, dependent on other sectors of the economy for their viability and vitality. Yet local economic policy is now looking towards consumer services to solve severe economic problems. The rapid expansion of the service sector is now a principal feature of contemporary global economic restructuring. This volume evaluates the contributions that consumer services can make to local economic development and revitalization. A broad range of consumer service industries are examined in turn: tourism, sports, universities, retailing and cultural industries. Detailed case studies illustrate the role, impact and effectiveness of consumer services in economic regeneration in a number of different contexts: the global city, contrasting urban areas and rural localities. With many localities in the advanced economies suffering from severe deindustrialization and weak producer service growth, this book highlights the need for a fundamental rethink of both the function of services and of economic development theory and practice in general.