Tourism impacts

Tourism impacts

The next generation

The technology fix - Ski Dubai , United Arab Emirates

Or is the answer in Sustainable Destination Management?

Sustainable Tourism and the role of Tourism in Sustainable Development

• International declarations: Brundtland 1987; Agenda 21 - for tourism 1995.

• Sustainable development:• ‘’Development that meets the needs of the

present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ (WCED, 1987)

Sustainable Tourism

• ‘Sustainable development is simply one step beyond what was traditionally termed conservation - wise use of resources. ..... development based on ‘acceptable’ levels of social and environmental change.

Gunn, 1994.

WTO definition of Sustainable Tourism

‘Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future. It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social, and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life support systems’

(World Tourism Organisation, 1997)

Break sustainable tourism down into three core elements

1. The holistic approach – environment, economy and society/culture

2. The time dimension – long term3. Include all stakeholders

CORE 1 – THE HOLISTIC APPROACH

Sustainable tourism development sustainable in terms of –

1. Economy2. Environment3. Society and culture

Sustainable tourism

The holy grail of tourism?

Tourism that is: •Environmentally•Economically•Socio-culturally

Sustainable

Environment

Economy

Society & culture

Integration, communication, collaboration

Well-being of society

Economic health

Guest satisfaction

Healthy culture

protection of natural resources

Balanced priorities in sustainable tourism

Balancing Objectives in Tourism Development

• For example, is it possible to balance and trade-off between the following objectives?

• Economic Growth

• Preservation of Ecology / Biodiversity

• Preservation of Cultural Heritage

• Social Welfare

• Regional Development Imbalance

Balancing Objectives in Tourism Development

• The above objectives are often included in the ‘holistic’ approach to sustainable tourism development.

(Muller, 1994.)

BEST – Business Enterprises for Sustainable Tourism

Ethics and tourismWhat is the role of the individual?

• How do I behave when on holiday? • Do I interact with the local people and local

environment from a basis of respect, or use them simply for my convenience?

• Can I make a more positive contribution to the local economy?

• How ethical are my tour company’s policies?

http://www.tourismconcern.org.uk

Would you be more likely to book a holiday with a company if they had a

written code of ethics?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Don’t know

Would you be more likely to book a holiday with a company if they had a

written code of ethics

Tearfund (2002)

Who is driving the ethics debate?

• Global organisations (e.g. UNESCO, WTO, UNEP)

• International NGOs (e.g. WTO, Tourism Concern)

• Charities (e.g. VSO)

• Christian organisations (e.g. Tearfund)

• Industry organisations (e.g. AITO, ABTA)

•

WTO Global Code of Ethics Principles

• ARTICLE 1Tourism's contribution to mutual understanding and respect between peoples and societies

ARTICLE 2Tourism as a vehicle for individual and collective fulfilment

ARTICLE 3Tourism, a factor of sustainable development

ARTICLE 4 Tourism, a user of the cultural heritage of mankind and contributor to its enhancement

• ARTICLE 5Tourism, a beneficial activity for host countries and communities

ARTICLE 6Obligations of stakeholders in tourism development

ARTICLE 7Right to tourism

ARTICE 8Liberty of tourist movements

ARTICLE 9Rights of the workers and entrepreneurs in the tourism industry

See http://www.world-tourism.org/code_ethics/eng/principles.htm

Issues of ethical concern for tour operators

• Relationship with host community

• Treatment of employees

• Marketing of products

• Attitude to the natural environmentWeeden (2002)

Utilising ethical credentials

• Use of locally owned organisations

• Keep group sizes small

• Treat all employees fairly

• Promote packages truthfully

Weeden (2002)

Using ethical credentials pays off

Meyer et al. (2004)

• ACTIVITY 1 – 20 MINUTES

• YOUR VIEWS ON ETHICAL ISSUES

1. Would your guests be willing to pay more money for their holiday if workers at the destination were guaranteed good wages and working conditions?

2. Would your guests be willing to pay more money for their holiday if the hotel served locally produced food?

3. Would your guests be willing to pay more money for their holiday if some of the money went to a local charity?

Ethical questions for you and your company

CORE 2 – TIME DEMENSION

• Time dimension – long lasting (inter-generational equity)

• ‘Tourism …viable over an indefinite period and does not degrade or alter the environment (human and physical)’ Butler 1993

• Ensure that productivity can be sustained into the long term future

• How long is long term?

• What is the average business investment time scale?

• What is the normal political timescale?

Complication to core 2 – the present??

• Social equity dimension – (intra-generational equity)

• spread wealth more evenly throughout current generations; throughout the world

• Provide for a better level of fairness and opportunity between different countries

CORE 3 - INCLUDE ALL STAKEHOLDERS

• Holistic – includes all aspects and stakeholders

• Cooperation, partnerships and compromises

• Facilitate and engage public participation

• Participation: all interest groups affected by a development should be involved in the decision making process.

The key stakeholders in sustainable tourism

The Host CommunityGovernmental Bodies

Tourism Industry

Sustainable Tourism

Tourists Pressure Groups

Voluntary Sector/NGOsExperts

Media

• ACTIVITY 2 – 20 MINUTES

• YOUR VIEWS ON WHO SHOULD TAKE THE LEAD IN DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

Solutions? - Destination management

Destination Management or Marketing Organisations (DMO)?

The concept of the DMO (where “M” stands for management rather than simply marketing)- a quite recent form of organizing the destination management.

DMO - responsible for well-being of all aspects of the destination

marketing is no longer the sole purpose

Linking competitiveness with sustainability

Ritchie and Crouch, (2003)

4 Pillars of sustainability (Ritchie & Crouch, 2003:44-47)

1. Ecological sustainability

2. Economic sustainability

3. Socio-cultural sustainability

4. Political (governance) sustainability

Political sustainability (governance)

• Political sustainability is rarely identified as one of the pillars of sustainability.

• However-critical to the acceptability of any solution. • Problem lies on how one determines sustainability. • A philosophical question – a political debate.• Who decides? Power structures, elites and democracy.

(Ritchie & Crouch 2003.)

A framework for monitoring destination impacts

Six factors1. Economic and regional development benefits2. Adverse environmental effects3. Quality of life & employment opportunities4. Improved community environment5. Cultural erosion6. Crime

Core indicators of sustainable tourism

• Site protection• Stress• Use intensity• Social impact• Development control• Waste management

•Planning processes•Critical ecosystems•Consumer satisfaction•Local satisfaction•Tourism’s contribution• to local economy

• Relevance to the issue• Data availability (capacity to collect and

process) • Credibility of the information • Clarity and understandability to users• Comparability over time and across

jurisdictions or regions

What is important in the definition of indicators?

A WTO guidebook on indicators

Other issues in sustainable tourism debate

To name some of the key issues in the sustainable tourism debate

• visitor management• concept of carrying capacity• role of public sector planning• role of industry• tourist education• private versus public transportation• value judgment and lack of factual evidence etc.

Also - Links to Ecotourism

Looks at -• policy frameworks; • conservation management frameworks;• WTO & ecotourism• Definitions of ecotourism

Further websites to assist benchmarking your destination

• United Nations Environment Program• See more about sustainable tourism from the

following webpages:• www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/sust-tourism

• The impacts of tourism in environment:• http://www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/sust-

tourism/environment.htm

• Too much for a one day workshop!!

• BUT for today, let’s concentrate on practical ways forward – what can you do?

• ACTIVITY 3 – Think of over Lunch

• PRACTICAL WAYS FORWARD

• THE ROLE OF INDUSTRY – WHAT CAN YOU DO IN YOUR BUSINESS TO CONTRIBUTE TO SUSTAINABLE TOURISM?

Thank You!

Discussion

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