Sustainability and the Tourism Industry - Fall 2010

The Sustainability of the Tourism Marketplace

Nov 2010

Contents of this Lecture• Part 1

• Define Sustainable Destination Development

• Watch 30 minute video titled the Impacts of Tourism – LRC

• Part 2 • Outline three types of

impacts of Destination Development

– Economic– Environmental– Socio-Cultural

Part 1 – Sustainable Destination Development

What is Sustainable Destination Development ?

Here's the formal definition from the World Tourism Organization.

http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/tour/definitions3.html

Sustainable tourism development guidelines and management practices are applicable to all forms of tourism in all types of destinations…

Sustainability principles refer to the environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development, and a suitable balance must be established between these three

dimensions to guarantee its long-term sustainability.

What are the Benefits of Successful

Destination Development?

The best orientation to this topic is the LRC video titled …

the “Impacts of Tourism”

Part 2 – Impacts of Destination Development

Balancing these issues will lead to Sustainability

Environmental Impact ofDestination Development

What do you see?

The tourism industry can have a negative impact on the environment

“However it is now recognised that tourism is an industry just like any other, an industry which has been characterised by rapid, short-term ventures which have often damaged those very assets upon which they depend.”

"Tourism kills tourism is acknowledged as widespread phenomena.”

“Tourism is essentially an exploitative industry, and as such it is justified to regulate tourism as is done for any other polluting industry.” From Sustainable Tourism and Eco-Tourism

by Annalisa Koeman BSc (Geog.), M EMD

Look at the physical impact development has on the environment of the host community

A Comparison

Niagara Falls vs. Iguazu Falls

Does Tourism Threaten the Environment?World Travel & Tourism Council

• The WTTC has a position

• 5 Key Environmental Issues– 1. Global Warming– 2. Depletion of ozone layer– 3. Acid Rain– 4. Depletion and pollution

of water resources– 5. Depletion and pollution

of land resources

Tourism& the Environment Sustainable development

(and therefore sustainable tourism) takes into account 3 central points:

1. the necessary interactions between the environment and economic activity;

2. long-term time scale; and

3. inter- as well as intra-generational equity - providing for the needs of current societies without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

From Sustainable Tourism and Eco-Tourismby Annalisa Koeman BSc (Geog.), M EMD

http://www.mekonginfo.org/mrc_en/doclib.nsf/0/1A03035194C194664725692800174AC3/$FILE/FULLTEXT.html

Economic Impact of Destination Development

• Key Concepts are from the reading Economic Impacts of Tourism– Source: Stynes, Daniel J. 1997. Economic impacts of tourism. (.pdf) Michigan State University.

Just look at our Industry from an Employment PerspectiveWhat does it mean to You?

Ontario’s 4th Quarter Tourism Outlook

Socio-Cultural Impact of Destination Development

Sociocultural Factors

Consider how cutting down trees to create a Resort Golf Course on the left side of the mountain will effect

the village located on the right of the mountain

The Destination Development Paradox

Tourism offers economic opportunities yet has the ability to potentially destroy native cultures and traditions

How do private companies develop tourism products or attractions?

Developing a new tourist destination or a specifically tourism-related product requires great tenacity, ◦ initially in order to gain a proportion of the market share,

and then to maintain this position in the medium to long term.

Today's tourists are more experienced, and therefore discerning with the type of holidays they take.

Western customers are accustomed to purchasing products tailored to their needs, holidays included: ◦ In United Kingdom alone, hundreds of tour operators

prepare offers based on special interest activities.

So what can we do? 1/21. Sustainable Tourism development planning

requires careful coordination and cooperation of all tourism decision-makers, and in both, the public and private sector, in order to carry out a development that will remain sustainable over time.

2. It would seem fairly obvious from the discussion above that purely market led planning would not enable the destination to achieve the objective of sustainable tourism, because of the tendency to forget environmental and social impacts.

3. Whether or not a pure market orientation might lead to undesirable effects on the environment and host community, the public sectors sustainability orientation can not be ignored.

So what can we do? 2/2

4. The Public Sector looks at tourism development from the sustainability side also implies considering tourism as a long-term investment: resources have to be kept because they are the only ones available; once used the life-span of the destination is over.

5. Everyone has a role to play:– The public sector owns and manages the destination's

infrastructure and is concerned with the overall country's well being;

– Non-profit organizations run a large number of the attractions visited;

– The residents participate in the welcome to the tourist and allow them to share the day-to-day of the place.

6. Critical is to sustainability is the fact the participants understand the need for sustainable development, and recognize the fact that business success depend on the protection of the actual resources tourist consume.

Sustainable Destination Development is an Instrument for Change

As Tourism/Hospitality professionals, it makes sense that we understand the host community before, during & after development occurs. Why?

Final Thought – We have to act upon our awareness if things are going to change