Sustainable Tourism
Sustainable tourism in its purest sense is an industry which attempts to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate income, employment, and the conservation of local ecosystems. It is responsible tourism which is both ecologically and culturally sensitive.
What is Sustainable Tourism?
Its informative. Travelers not only learn about the destination, they learn how to help sustain its character while deepening their own travel experiences. Residents learn that the ordinary and familiar may be of interest and value to outsiders.
It supports integrity of place. Destination-savvy (well informed) travelers seek out businesses that emphasize the character of the locale in terms of architecture, cuisine, heritage, aesthetics, and ecology. Tourism revenues in turn raise local perceived value of those assets.
It benefits residents. Travel businesses do their best to employ and train local people, buy local supplies, and use local services.
It conserves resources. Environmentally aware travelers favor businesses that minimize pollution, waste, energy consumption, water usage, landscaping chemicals, and unnecessary nighttime lighting.
It respects local culture and tradition. Foreign visitors learn about and observe local etiquette, including using at least a few courtesy words in the local language. Residents learn how to deal with foreign expectations that may differ from their own.
It does not abuse its product. Stakeholders anticipate development pressures and apply limits and management techniques to prevent the "loved to death" syndrome. Businesses cooperate to sustain natural habitats, heritage sites, scenic appeal, and local culture.
It strives for quality, not quantity. Communities measure tourism success not by sheer numbers of visitors, but by length of stay, money spent, and quality of experience.
It means great trips. Satisfied, excited visitors bring new knowledge home and send friends off to experience the same thing - which provides continuing business for the destination.
Background of Sustainable Tourism
At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in June 1992, "The Earth Summit", a comprehensive program of action for sustainable development was adopted by 182 governments known as Agenda 21. It in a clear manner identifies the environmental and development issues that threaten our ecological, social and economic future and presents a strategy for the transition to more sustainable practices.
Since the campaign of The Earth Summit there has been a steady increase in the awareness of the need to consider environmental and cultural issues in the Travel & Tourism industry, and not simply its economic returns. There is an increasing sense of urgency and a growing recognition that those who profit from tourism are not always those who have to bear its costs.
Hence governments, industries and academia have undertaken research and implemented actions to minimize the negative impacts of the ever increasing travel industry on the natural, human and built environment and to develop sustainable tourism practices.
In 1996 the World Travel & Tourism Council, the World Tourism Organization and the Earth Council worked together to produce "Agenda 21 for the Travel & Tourism Industry: Towards Ecologically Sustainable Development."
Principles of Sustainable Tourism
Increasing evidence shows that an integrated approach to tourism planning and management is now required to achieve sustainable tourism. It is only recently that there has been a growing recognition of the importance of combining the needs of traditional urban management (transportation, land use planning, marketing, economic development, fire and safety etc.) with the need to plan for tourism.
Some of the most important principles of sustainable tourism development include:
• Tourism should be initiated with the help of broad-based community-inputs and the community should maintain control of tourism development.
• Tourism should provide quality employment to its community residents and a linkage between the local businesses and tourism should be established.
• A code of practice should be established for tourism at all levels - national, regional, and local - based on internationally accepted standards. Guidelines for tourism operations, impact assessment, monitoring of cumulative impacts, and limits to acceptable change should be established.
• Education and training programs to improve and manage heritage and natural resources should be established.
Sustainable tourism in its purest sense is an industry which attempts to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate income, employment, and the conservation of local ecosystems. It is responsible tourism which is both ecologically and culturally sensitive.
What is Sustainable Tourism?
Its informative. Travelers not only learn about the destination, they learn how to help sustain its character while deepening their own travel experiences. Residents learn that the ordinary and familiar may be of interest and value to outsiders.
It supports integrity of place. Destination-savvy (well informed) travelers seek out businesses that emphasize the character of the locale in terms of architecture, cuisine, heritage, aesthetics, and ecology. Tourism revenues in turn raise local perceived value of those assets.
It benefits residents. Travel businesses do their best to employ and train local people, buy local supplies, and use local services.
It conserves resources. Environmentally aware travelers favor businesses that minimize pollution, waste, energy consumption, water usage, landscaping chemicals, and unnecessary nighttime lighting.
It respects local culture and tradition. Foreign visitors learn about and observe local etiquette, including using at least a few courtesy words in the local language. Residents learn how to deal with foreign expectations that may differ from their own.
It does not abuse its product. Stakeholders anticipate development pressures and apply limits and management techniques to prevent the "loved to death" syndrome. Businesses cooperate to sustain natural habitats, heritage sites, scenic appeal, and local culture.
It strives for quality, not quantity. Communities measure tourism success not by sheer numbers of visitors, but by length of stay, money spent, and quality of experience.
It means great trips. Satisfied, excited visitors bring new knowledge home and send friends off to experience the same thing - which provides continuing business for the destination.
Background of Sustainable Tourism
At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in June 1992, "The Earth Summit", a comprehensive program of action for sustainable development was adopted by 182 governments known as Agenda 21. It in a clear manner identifies the environmental and development issues that threaten our ecological, social and economic future and presents a strategy for the transition to more sustainable practices.
Since the campaign of The Earth Summit there has been a steady increase in the awareness of the need to consider environmental and cultural issues in the Travel & Tourism industry, and not simply its economic returns. There is an increasing sense of urgency and a growing recognition that those who profit from tourism are not always those who have to bear its costs.
Hence governments, industries and academia have undertaken research and implemented actions to minimize the negative impacts of the ever increasing travel industry on the natural, human and built environment and to develop sustainable tourism practices.
In 1996 the World Travel & Tourism Council, the World Tourism Organization and the Earth Council worked together to produce "Agenda 21 for the Travel & Tourism Industry: Towards Ecologically Sustainable Development."
Principles of Sustainable Tourism
Increasing evidence shows that an integrated approach to tourism planning and management is now required to achieve sustainable tourism. It is only recently that there has been a growing recognition of the importance of combining the needs of traditional urban management (transportation, land use planning, marketing, economic development, fire and safety etc.) with the need to plan for tourism.
Some of the most important principles of sustainable tourism development include:
• Tourism should be initiated with the help of broad-based community-inputs and the community should maintain control of tourism development.
• Tourism should provide quality employment to its community residents and a linkage between the local businesses and tourism should be established.
• A code of practice should be established for tourism at all levels - national, regional, and local - based on internationally accepted standards. Guidelines for tourism operations, impact assessment, monitoring of cumulative impacts, and limits to acceptable change should be established.
• Education and training programs to improve and manage heritage and natural resources should be established.
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