Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
good, for similar reasons. However, the adaptation capacity of some destina-
tions may be poor. Bows et al (2009b, p17) suggest where remote destinations
are concerned, tour operators should target the high end of the market and
'divert large volumes to more accessible places, with reliable and fast access
by more sustainable transport modes and over shorter distances'. Forward-
thinking tour operators might anticipate future changes, such as an emissions
cap implemented through an emissions trading scheme, by developing low-car-
bon products, such as slow travel, focused on short- and medium-distance
destinations. In this respect, 'the tourism sector is taking a risk, by (apparently)
aiming for air transport to become its dominant means of transport' (Bows et
al, 2009b, p18). There is a requirement for the development of new tourism
products. If tourism is to be sustainable, then it must embrace low-carbon
tourism. However, the sustainability of tourism is widely questioned in the
literature (Gössling, Peeters and Scott, 2008).
Critique of sustainable tourism
It is perhaps trite to repeat a message delivered so adequately elsewhere
(Sharpley, 2009) that there are definitional problems with the concept of sus-
tainable development, but these issues have been persistent and without
resolution (Holden, 2007). Sustainable development is characterized by three
concepts: safeguarding long-term ecological systems; satisfying basic needs;
and promoting inter- and intra-generational equity (Holden, 2007). In trans-
lating these to travel more broadly, Holden introduces the idea of a minimum
level of mobility. In this scenario, people in developed countries need to travel
less as some countries have a high propensity to fly (see, for example, Høyer,
2000), while people in developing countries may need to travel more to
achieve equity. Hence, Høyer and Aall (2005) argue that to achieve sustain-
able mobility, tourism must focus more on domestic visitors and shift radically
to rail, buses, walking and cycling. There are also travel inequalities in devel-
oped countries. Dubois and Ceron (2006b), in their analysis of French tourism
in 2050, suggest leisure travel should be more equitably shared among the
French population.
Sustainable development has typically been presented as a tripartite model
of environmental, social and economic issues. In tourism, this reflects the
impact analysis framework discussed at the start of this chapter. However,
Holden (2007) notes that economic growth should not be a goal, but rather
it facilitates the three key concepts of sustainable development set out above;
that is, it is a means rather than an aim. Economic issues have come to the
fore, due to the use of the 'triple bottom line' perspective that was developed
to help operationalize the sustainable development concept for business. For
this reason the 'triple bottom line' perspective has been widely adopted in
tourism. However, the economic emphasis is a somewhat misleading inter-
pretation of sustainable development that mixes business goals with notions
of societal welfare. In tourism, this has led to a tendency to emphasize the sus-
tainability of tourism itself, rather than sustainable development achieved
through tourism (Sharpley, 2009).
