What Is Sustainable Tourism?Essay Preview: What Is Sustainable Tourism?Report this essayAs with other industrial sectors and fields of academic study, tourism research has also responded to the popularization of the concept of sustainable development in the wake of the World Commission on Environment and Developments Report, (WCED, 1987) Our Common Future. The first edition of a journal entirely devoted to the topic: “The Journal of Sustainable Tourism” was published in 1993 (Harris/Griffin/Williams, 2002, p. 3). Therefore the public understanding of sustainable tourism is only existent for the last 20 years.
A former research published in the “Annals for Tourism Research” for the UK government Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), on public understanding of sustainable tourism has shown the low level of awareness about the impacts of the tourism industry and appropriate response options (Miller, 2010, p.15). The research shows that the majority of the people seem to place a greater responsibility on the government to address the problem. One of the main findings is that people have to develop a sense of personal responsibility for the impacts developed by taking a holiday (Miller, 2010, p. 16). The majority of the people do not know how much impact their holiday has on the environment.
In general sustainable development is determined largely by what the stakeholders want it to be. There are a range of actors who have the right and ability to make changes to the tourism system and influence the process and consequences of development. These actors or stakeholders include tourists (domestic and foreign), tourist businesses (investors, developers, operators, shareholders, management, employees, public and private) the host community and their governments. These groups often have different interests in, and different perceptions of, tourism development. To be sustainable and successful, tourism development should involve various government departments, public and private sector companies, community groups and experts (Wahab/Pigram, 1998, p. 283). It only can be a success for both the environment and the tourism, if every stakeholder is committed. A clean, healthy and protected environment, apart from being inherently good for tourism, is also a key to its competitiveness. Increasingly, consumers of tourism are willing to pay more for a cleaner environment. Whether tourists are just lying on the beach, diving, whale watching, hiking, biking or visiting sites and attractions, the environment is the essence of most tourism products. It is the experience and enjoyment together with emotions that the tourism industry markets. Ecosystems, flora and fauna and cultural, historical, heritage, and arts sites are all important attractions for vacationers. Almost no other industry is as environmentally dependent as the tourism industry. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that we take the necessary steps to ensure the protection and enhancement of the natural built environment and cultural heritage through sustainable tourism management. (Edgell, 2006, p. 6) Someone has to take a look into the future and start being a role model and the majority will follow.
Tourism in the twenty-first century will be a major vehicle for fulfilling peoples aspiration for a higher quality of life. Tourism also has the potential to be on of the most important stimulants for global improvement in the social, cultural, economic, political and ecological dimensions of future lifestyles. Key elements of tourism sustainability include meeting the needs of both visitors and host communities and protecting and enhancing the tourism attraction for the future as part of a national economic resource. The relationship between tourists, host communities, businesses, attractions and the environment is complex, interactive and symbiotic. (Edgell, 1990, p.15) Sustainable tourism means achieving growth in a manner that does not reduce the natural and built environment and preserves the culture,
The Tourism Act is considered to have had its main effect in the past by passing a number of changes into the legislation: of enhancing the security and protection of tourists, enhancing the use of public transport, enhancing public order and improving the quality and safety of public places in the world’s most populous country. It also has brought about additional powers to promote and maintain human rights and respect for individual rights such as freedom from crime (especially in the context of terrorism), the right to education, the right to information and protection of a child under 21, protection of environment, access to safe medical treatment and medical care, access to clean public water and a range of other protection and security measures.
The tourism Act was the first national legislation, signed on 30 April 1996. It has been interpreted as an anti-terrorist law, which has an impact on both law enforcement and the international community. It has also caused a public discussion about the concept of tourism, as well as a public demand for the creation of a public tourism commission to review the proposals. The Commission, headed by the Secretary-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Torture of Cuba (OCTO), was set up in December 1991. It was created to study and develop ideas concerning such public tourism. In 1999 UNESCO, the world’s recognized tourist organisation, established this Commission to further study and develop projects and recommendations on tourism.
The Tourism Act provides a fundamental framework for the development of tourism, which aims to preserve and enhance its growth, prosperity, social cohesion, security and social institutions and promotes the cultural, economic and political importance of tourism and enhances its national economic competitiveness. This is a fundamental element of tourism development in the future.
The tourism Act was passed in October 1996 with the passage of the Cultural Strategy. This is an important step in this direction given the huge potential of tourism and its role in the development of the global stage. It is the first national tourism law signed in more than a century. The strategy is based on a comprehensive approach to ensure that all sectors of the economy in developing countries receive adequate public and private investment (in particular financial and economic services) and that their local economies are healthy, secure and resilient, with the protection of the environment, the right to liberty of the individual as well as the right to fundamental values and rights of citizenship. The aim of UNESCO is to build on the international efforts of UNESCO in the area of trade and tourism and to achieve its objectives of bringing about increased regional and economic growth and promoting sustainable development to strengthen inter-religious links, preserve biodiversity, promote social cohesion, foster economic development and provide a place for social interaction.
The policy objectives of the Planning and Development Commission (PERC) of UNESCO, the Strategic Plan for Cultural, Economic and Social Innovation, and UNESCO are aimed at the development of cultural and economic development. Their purposes in promoting tourism are:
to develop tourism;
to promote tourism in the context of the development of international cooperation;
to further promote tourism in the context of the conservation and conservation of biodiversity;
to enhance the performance of tourism activities of the development sector;
to promote tourism on a national, regional and transnational level and to promote tourism abroad for its protection, safety and welfare (particularly in the context of terrorism, terrorism of all kinds and