Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
•
Change of use of buildings and land for tourism
2.
Tourism should be recognised as a positive activity
purposes;
with the potential to benefi t the community and
the place as well as the visitor;
•
The development of tourist attractions;
3.
The relationship between tourism and the
•
Car parking associated with tourism projects.
environment must be managed so that the
environment is sustainable in the long term.
Tourism must not be allowed to damage the
resource, prejudice its future enjoyment or bring
unacceptable impacts;
In all cases, planning authorities have to balance the
economic benefi ts of tourism projects with the possible
damage to the local environment and communities.
Environmental impact assessments
(EIA)
4.
Tourism activities and developments should respect
the scale, nature and character of the place in which
they are sited;
5.
In any location, harmony must be sought between
An environmental impact assessment is a technique
to identify the costs and benefi ts of a particular
development from an environmental perspective. EIAs
are often required before the building of major tourist
facilities, such as hotels, airports and tourist attractions.
In addition to the impact of large-scale developments,
many hotel companies, airlines and tour operators are
now investigating their activities and processes from
an environmental standpoint. They examine everything
from the fuel used in their cars to the type of detergents
used for cleaning. Some organisations have used their
concern for the environment as a marketing tool,
hoping to capitalise on the growing market for tourism
products and services that are truly respectful of the
world in which we live.
the needs of the visitor, the place and the host
community;
6.
In a dynamic world some change is inevitable and
change can often be benefi cial. Adaptation to
change, however, should not be at the expense of
any of these principles;
7.
The tourism industry, local authorities and
environmental agencies all have a duty to respect
the above principles and to work together to
achieve their practical realisation.
As well as governments developing policies on
sustainable tourism, travel and tourism companies also
produce guidelines that are followed by management
and staff.
Sustainable tourism policies
Activity 12.8
The World Tourism Organisation (WTO) defi nes
sustainable tourism as
'tourism that meets the needs of
present tourists and host regions while protecting and
enhancing opportunity for the future'
. Various bodies
concerned with travel and tourism have developed
policies on sustainable tourism development,
including the former English Tourist Board Tourism
and the Environment Task Force, whose principles for
sustainable tourism developed in 1991 and quoted
extensively today state that:
Working with a partner, research and examine the
strategies being used by two tourist destinations
- one in the UK and one in a developing country -
to minimise tourism's negative impacts. Assess the
effectiveness of the strategies used in one of your
selected destinations. Present your fi ndings as case
study information sheets.
This activity is designed to provide evidence for
P3 and M2.
1.
The environment has an intrinsic value which
outweighs its value as a tourism asset. Its enjoyment
by future generations and its long-term survival must
not be prejudiced by short-term considerations;
