The imperatives of sustainable tourism
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"The concept of sustainable tourism is easy to embrace, but it is not easy to implement" says James Mak in his book Tourism and the Economy (University of Hawai'i Press, 2004).
It will never be stressed enough, sustainable tourism is all about thinking in the long run. It allows tourism to benefit from the natural ressources of a country without putting them at risk.
The notion of intergenerational equity is a key in this vision. What we want is to leave to the next generation an environment that is equal or better of than the one we received from the previous generation, and this because the quality of life of the generation to come should not be undermined by the way of living of the generation in place.
As Professor Vincent Ferraro teaching at Mount Holyoke College said, my generation has been chosen to solve the issue of saving the world from an environment destruction, what infers that we will have to save the world as a whole because no environment means no life and thus no world. It is a very difficult task (and this is a real understatement), but we will have to stick to it because it has been assigned to us, and on the other hand, we were not given the right to screw the world. As a matter of fact, if you had not realize that, your mission starts today, at the very second you are reading these lines.
The requirements for sustainable tourism, as defined by the UNWTO, are that :
Sustainable tourism has to be measured because it is difficult to assess quality if we do not measure it. Here are the indicators used by the UNWTO.
Indicator |
Specific Measures |
Site Protection |
Category of site protection according to the Interntional Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Ressources (IUCN) index |
Stress |
Tourist numbers visiting site (annum/peak month) |
Use Intensity |
Intensity of use - peak period (persons/hectare) |
Social Impact |
Ratio of tourists to locals (peak period and overtime) |
Developing control |
Existence of environmental review procedure or formal controls over development of site and use densities |
Waste Management |
Percentage of sewage from site receiving treatment |
Planning Process |
Existence of organised regional plan for tourist destination |
Critical Ecosystems |
Number of rare/endangered species |
Visitor Satisfaction |
Level of satisfaction by visitors (questionnaire based) |
Local Satisfaction |
Level of satisfaction by locals (questionnaire based) |
Tourism Contribution to Local Community |
Proportion of total economic activity generated by tourism only |
Ecotourism versus Sustainable tourism
Sometimes the two terms can be interchangeable, however some authors draw a line and insist on the differences. Basically, ecotourism is the form of tourism that offer « green » experiences when people feel closer to nature than usually. Many travel agencies offer this kind of programs : paradisiac islands or hiking in the desert. It is argued by some researchers that it is contrary to sustainable tourism because it spoils ressources. In fact, these sites are supposed to be deserted or populated only by locals who have lived in harmony with this nature for centuries or millenaries. The arrival of tourists, even if they came with noble purposes, can deregulate the fragile ecosystem. As we all know « the road to hell is paved with good intentions ».
See a recent article published by bbcnews.com on this subject here