Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sustainable Development and Tourism: Some Critical
Implementation Issues
We have examined the steps involved in implementing a sustainable tourism program as well as
certain related implementation issues. Five such stages are presented for discussion.
De
ning the Relevant Population/Community
We now focus on the question of
As professionals in the
eld,
we need to know if we are to take a global, macroperspective in our discussions of tourism and
sustainable development, or whether we should restrict our thinking to a more local focus. While
recognizing that there is a need for global thinking, we also need to recognize that we might need to
restrict the allocation of our energies to those jurisdictions where we have the power to act and to
make a difference.
In any event, the principle being enunciated here is that, as professionals, we need to de
ne our
sphere of interest and action. The impacts and populations of relevance might be quite different for
each sphere, and, consequently, so might be our likely actions.
''
sustainable development for whom?
''
De
ning the Values That Underlie Sustainable Development
Regardless of the way in which the values of a society are determined, they will ultimately determine
the policies that emerge with regard to sustainable development. Whether these policies are the result
of compromise or consensus is the concern of the political entity involved. In the end, however, the
political process and the power of different political units will determine the level and form that
sustainability will take. Those of us in the tourism sector have traditionally ignored this reality, and we
are weaker for it. Thus, once the members of the relevant population/community have been de
ned, it
is important to identify the values that underlie the kind of tourism they wish to develop for the
destination.
De
ning the Dimensions of Sustainability
The concept of sustainability is relevant in practical terms only when we de
ne what is to be
sustained. From a tourism perspective, discussions on sustainability may pertain to the environment,
cultural identity, economic well-being, or social stability. Individuals responsible for, or interested in,
each of these areas taken separately may very legitimately focus on their area of concern and
attempt to achieve sustainability in relation to some acceptable ongoing carrying capacity of
the destination.
However, from an overall destination management perspective, the task becomes much more
complex. Here, the challenge becomes one of attempting to balance the sustainability of economic,
cultural, social, and environmental systems. Although one hopes for compatibility in the pursuit
of sustainability within and across these systems, this is not always possible. Often, the reason
for such incompatibility is a divergence of the values from which the goal of sustainability is
being pursued.
De
ning the Time Horizon
Sustainable development as a concept implies forever; this may be impractical to deal with and can
even lead to a feeling of helplessness. There is some merit in seeking to develop programs that are
sustainable in perpetuity, but such programs may require huge amounts of resources and considerable
time for their implementation. It may be wiser and more effective to undertake a less demanding
series of phased programs that initiate movement in desired directions rather than delaying action
until longer-term programs can be put in place.
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