Discuss the Contention That Sustainable Tourism Is, Perhaps, an Impossible Dream.
Discuss the contention that sustainable tourism is, perhaps, an impossible dream.
The definition of sustainable tourism is much debated. However, a suitable meaning can be inferred from the broadly used definition of sustainable development, an economic process to which sustainable tourism is intrinsically linked. Sustainable tourism would be that which ‘meets our needs today, without compromising the ability of people in the future to meet their needs’ (Swarbrooke, 1999, p. 3). These needs would be those of all involved in the tourism, ‘the host population, tourism guests, tourism organisations and the natural environment’ (Cater, 1995, p. 21). These needs are equitable to the prime interests of said parties, for example the tourist’s need to travel, locals’ need for employment, the tourism organisation’s need to maintain their business and for the environment not to be damaged. Sustainable tourism would be that which allows these present stakeholders to achieve these things, without inhibiting the potential of future stakeholders to do so. Given that ‘there is probably no other economic activity which cuts through so many sectors, levels and interests’ (Cater, 1995, p. 21) as tourism, a fall in its levels would affect a huge amount of people. This highlights the importance of sustainable tourism and all that it encompasses, such as Ecotourism and Green Tourism.
To achieve this ideal tourism must be done in a manner which limits the ‘negative environmental and social impacts’ (Forsyth, 1997, p. 272). The International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) definition of Ecotourism reinforces this: ‘Ecotourism is environmentally responsible travel and visitation to relatively undisturbed natural areas in order to enjoy and appreciate Nature (and any accompanying cultural features – both past and present) that promotes conservation, has low negative visitor impact, and provides for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local populations’
The definition of sustainable tourism is much debated. However, a suitable meaning can be inferred from the broadly used definition of sustainable development, an economic process to which sustainable tourism is intrinsically linked. Sustainable tourism would be that which ‘meets our needs today, without compromising the ability of people in the future to meet their needs’ (Swarbrooke, 1999, p. 3). These needs would be those of all involved in the tourism, ‘the host population, tourism guests, tourism organisations and the natural environment’ (Cater, 1995, p. 21). These needs are equitable to the prime interests of said parties, for example the tourist’s need to travel, locals’ need for employment, the tourism organisation’s need to maintain their business and for the environment not to be damaged. Sustainable tourism would be that which allows these present stakeholders to achieve these things, without inhibiting the potential of future stakeholders to do so. Given that ‘there is probably no other economic activity which cuts through so many sectors, levels and interests’ (Cater, 1995, p. 21) as tourism, a fall in its levels would affect a huge amount of people. This highlights the importance of sustainable tourism and all that it encompasses, such as Ecotourism and Green Tourism.
To achieve this ideal tourism must be done in a manner which limits the ‘negative environmental and social impacts’ (Forsyth, 1997, p. 272). The International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) definition of Ecotourism reinforces this: ‘Ecotourism is environmentally responsible travel and visitation to relatively undisturbed natural areas in order to enjoy and appreciate Nature (and any accompanying cultural features – both past and present) that promotes conservation, has low negative visitor impact, and provides for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local populations’
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