Sustainable Tourism - Essay Example

Sustainable Tourism Introduction There are many connotations attached to Sustainable Tourism. The definition embodied in the Brundtland Report refers to “forms of tourism which meet the needs of tourists, the tourism industry, and host communities today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Swarbrooke, 1999, p. 13). Another definition given in the same reference states the phrase “means tourism which is economically viable but does not destroy the resources on which the future of tourism will depend, notably the physical environment and the social fabric of the host community.” The definition that is adopted by the World Tourism Organization, however, describes sustainable tourism as “tourism which leads 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.” By this token, the industry is referred to in a host of other ways: e.g., eco-tourism, green travel, environmentally and culturally responsible tourism, fair trade and ethical travel (Shay, McHarry, & Gardiner, 2002, p. 1). There are some who disagree with such sweeping definitions, however, because they convey a simplified meaning to what is actually a complex and challenging area of endeavour, while conversely, highly detailed definitions tends to reduce the impression of sustainable tourism to a few limited elements. One comment is that the definition arrived at in the academe comes across as too scientific and technocratic, so as to alienate practitioners (Swarbrooke, 1999). One way of conceptualizing sustainable tourism is as follows: Sustainable tourism related to other terms (Source: Swarbrooke, 1999, p. 14) The diagram depicts the interrelatedness of the different terms, none of which fully comprehends the complete meaning of sustainable tourism. Therefore, while ecotourism is often used synonymously with the term, it focuses on the ecology and neglects the cultural, economic, and aesthetic aspects. Ecotourism per se, taken in its strictest sense, accounts only for a small portion of the tourism market – estimated at roughly 3-7%, according to the World Trade and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) (Shay, et al., 2002). Challenges and problems posed by tourism activities Tourism has grown to be a major industry that accounts for a significant portion of the revenues generated by the economy of many countries. That it has other, less tangible but equally beneficial impacts is apparent for both the destination community and the visiting tourists, in the form of heightened mutual understanding and appreciation of each other’s cultures. However, there are also negative repercussions of the tourism industry, impacting mostly upon the destination community. Ecological impact. Some of the disadvantageous effects of tourism in the host communities are enumerated by Shay, et al. (2002) as the following: (1) Threats to ecosystems and biodiversity, involving the loss of wildlife and rare species, loss of habitat and degradation of ecosystems; (2) Disruption of coasts, including shoreline erosion and pollution, adverse impact to coral reefs, and disturbance of fish spawning grounds; (3) Deforestation, such as loss of forests for fuel wood and timber to serve the tourist industry, which also has repercussions on soil and water quality; (4) Water overuse due to tourism and recreational activities, e.g. to irrigate golf courses, fill up swimming pools, and service the increase in consumption due to a rise in tourists; (5) Increase in urban problems such as congestion and overcrowding, increased vehicular traffic and its attendant effects such as air and noise pollution and impacts on health. Economic impacts. There are also impacts created by tourism activities on the economic life and livelihood of the community. The principal purpose a community would embark on tourism as an industry is that its economic benefits are substantial, in terms of creation of employment opportunities in tourist-related activities, revenues from the sale of goods and services to tourists, dividends and profits accruing to local entrepreneurs, and rental income paid by tourists for home stays or lodging (Shay, et al., 2002). On the other hand, there are likewise disadvantages created by a community’s over-reliance on tourism as its principal growth vehicle. A community has limited resources which it may devote to all its productive activities. By catering to tourists, it is possible that other activities which have a more valuable purpose for the long-term may be neglected or crowded out. For instance, it is possible that lands formerly devoted to agricultural purposes may instead be bought out and converted to golf courses, malls and high-rise hotels. Small isolated communities, such are those located on islands, may have to reserve more of its “imported” (i.e., ferried in from the mainland) food, water, and consumables for the use of tourists, necessitating more delivery trips and possibly raising prices of these commodities. Finally, the fickleness of the tourism industry may create undesirable fluctuations in the economic life of the locality. There are ebbs and flows of tourists which are not explainable by regular seasonality, but affected suddenly by negative travel advisories concerning terrorism and violence to tourists. Social impacts. With the influx of transient visitors in a locality also comes incidences of social crimes which defy resolution, because the possible perpetrator leaves the area within a short period of time. Probably the most disconcerting of these misdeeds concerns child prostitution fuelled by the significant number of foreign paedophiles who visit developing countries with the intention of sexually exploiting children living in poverty, with the promise of material gifts and remuneration (Shay, et al., 2002). There are several conflicting viewpoints in the debate on sustainable tourism which has sparked controversy among policy makers and academicians. For instance, there seems to be a prevailing impression that while emphasis is given to the interests of the host population, many writers feel that the destination community should receive the benefits of tourism, but at the same time keep its culture intact. Socio-cultural influences are seen to be intrinsically negative, and therefore any such tourism-related changes should be prevented or avoided (Zhenhua Liu, 2003). The question, therefore, is whether or not cultural integrity must be preserved to the point that any change should be rejected by destination societies. Croall (1995) felt that it must, because tourism tended to trivialize cultures, brings uniformity, and adversely affects traditional customs and the community’s distinctive way of life. On the other hand, Todaro (1997) stressed that development inherently involves major social structural changes, multidimensional processes, and profound shifts in popular attitudes and institutions; these are inseparable from the accelerated economic growth and the reduction in poverty and inequality. In retrospect, the preservation of cultural integrity, whether or not it is tourism-related, is not only counter-progressive but practically impossible, with the technological advances in communication. The necessary implication – that of censureship and cultural isolation – runs parallel to autocratic and contrary to democratic regimes. The aforementioned problems are situations that render tourism unsustainable, because they create conditions that would tend to destroy the physical resources or degrade the socio-cultural or economic life of the host community. These negative effects cause the local tourism industry to deteriorate and therefore become unsustainable in due time. The institutions of measures to make tourism activities sustainable therefore becomes an imperative. Contributory factors towards the success of sustainable tourism There are factors that tend to support sustainability in tourism, and some which tend to impede it. A study conducted on the domestic tourism industry in the Netherlands found that there is a strong mismatch between the governance principles and measures recommended by international forums, and those that are implemented. The problem is not attributable to a lack of consensus, as there is general support for adopting measures to improve coordination. The problem is the lack of a unifying vision as to what and how such measures should be adopted. The source of the mismatch lies in the political ideology guiding tourism in the Netherlands, which revolved around the principles of small government, decentralization and deregulation (Dinica, 2009). Another case study, this time of Lillehammer, Norway, three tourism-related projects were examined: hotel management, transport and aesthetics. The purpose of the study was to determine success factors that drive sustainable tourism activities. Hotels were found to be natural take-off points for developing sustainable tourism policy. Further findings point to the importance of coordination of service providers among themselves, with the involvement of the stakeholders, the development of locally oriented codes of conduct, and the participation of the local authorities. The inevitable outcome is determined by the leadership factor, the indispensable component in the formula for success. The study pointed to the enlightened and responsible management of a destination that creates opportunities for networking and cooperation among stakeholders and service providers, as critical to any workable model of sustainable tourism (Welford & Ytterhus, 2004). Other than service providers, another important source of sustainability in the tourism industry is the supply chain management. This involves using purchasing policies and practices of tour operators in particular, since their product relies upon the functions of suppliers of accommodation, transportation, and tourist activities. The contribution of tour operators to the overall sustainability effort is found to have a greater impact if operators are held responsible for the activities of their suppliers (Font, Tapper, Schwarts & Kornilaki, 2008). Some priority areas for the improvements of various sectors of the supply chain are enumerated in the following table. By holding tourist operators responsible for the sustainability compliance of their supply chains, there is a greater chance that sustainable tourism initiatives may be more stringently observed, and success assured. Conclusion Tourism, like most economic activity, may be exploitative and even destructive if carried out in a negligent or irresponsible manner. Even with the best of intentions, certain practices may prove injurious to the host community in the long-term if done in a manner that depletes resources, erodes cultures and breaks down institutions. Problems that are related to the ecology, the culture and the economy of the people in the locality may thus be created, and if left unaddressed could lead to the eventual degradation of community life – ironically also destroying the community’s attractiveness as a tourist site. For this purpose, care must be taken to observe sustainable practices as described in the earlier section. Government should create networks with the community and industry participants in order to coordinate efforts. Tourist operators should be held responsible for their suppliers’ compliance in order to enhance visibility and transparency. Most importantly, a clear vision and strong leadership are necessary in order to more effectively actualize those expressions of good intentions. These are but some of the directions that may be taken; a more thorough study should be undertaken by policy makers and non-government institutions, in order to find more direct and specific solutions to each community’s particular problems. Bibliography Croall, J 1995 Preserve or Destroy: Tourism and the Environment. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, London. Dinica, V 2009 “Governance for sustainable tourism: a comparison of international and Dutch visions.” Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Sept. 2009, vol. 17, no. 5, pp. 583-603 Font, X; Tapper, R; Schwartz, K; & Kornilaki, M 2008 “Sustainable supply chain management in tourism.” Business Strategy & the Environment (John Wiley & Sons, Inc), May2008, Vol. 17 Issue 4, p260-271; DOI: 10.1002/bse.527 Shay, K; McHarry, J; & Gardiner, R 2002 “Sustainable Tourism – Turning the Tide” Stakeholder Forum’s Towards Earth Summit 2002. Economic Briefing No. 4. Accessed 18 March 2011 from http://www.stakeholderforum.org/fileadmin/files/SF_Briefing_Papers/bp_tourism.pdf Todaro, M P 1997 Economic Development, 6th edition. Longman, London Welford, R & Ytterhus, B 2004 “Sustainable development and tourism destination management: A case study of the Lillehammer region, Norway.” International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, Dec 2004, Vol. 11 Issue 4, p410-422 Zhenhua Liu, M 2003 “Sustainable Tourism Development: A Critique.” Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Vol. 11 Issue 6, p459-475 Read More