Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Justification for responsible tourism management
The argument for RTM is built on three main premises. First, tourism is an
important sector in terms of job creation and contribution to a country's gross
domestic product (GDP). Tourism and general travel are estimated to contribute
approximately 11 per cent to global GDP, account for 6-7 per cent of total
exports of goods and services and provide employment for an estimated 231
million people (8.3 per cent of total employment) (UN-WTO, 2007; WTTC,
2007). Tourism in South Africa, as one of the largest industries, contributes 8.3
per cent to the country's GDP and was estimated to have created 969,000 jobs in
2007 (7.5 per cent of total employment) (WTTC, 2006). Secondly, international
tourism trends indicate that tourists are demanding a unique travel experience
and that businesses adopting RTM are better able to meet this demand. Thirdly,
RTM is a strategic business decision. In South Africa, CSR, and by implication,
RTM is increasingly being seen as an integral part of conducting business and has
been shown to lead to increased brand and company reputation, improved staff
morale and retention and a higher return on investment (Frey, 2007a; van der
Merwe and Wöcke, 2007).
CSR and RTM also have their fair share of sceptics. Some of the key criti-
cisms are that RTM can become a pure public relations exercise, with companies
merely promoting their public image (also called 'greenwashing') without
committing resources into uplifting communities or the environment. The call for
action, rather than more responsible tourism policies is increasingly becoming
stronger. Whilst a lot of valuable work has been conducted in devising practical
documents to promote responsible tourism, changing management practices are
limited. There is a need to move from policy development to implementation and
control. There is also some doubt as to the actual size and degree of consumer
demand for responsible tourism products. Unfortunately, research in this area is
limited but some evidence does suggest that demand is increasing. Other counter
arguments that are presented highlight that the only responsibility of business is
towards its shareholders and that using company or shareholders' resources on
non-profit maximizing objectives is unethical. Friedman (1970 as cited by
Windsor, 2006) argued for a 'free market system' where the responsibility of
business is to maximize returns for shareholders, based on private ownership,
competition and economic freedom. Whilst this line of argument holds in highly
industrialized nations where poverty and extreme inequality are relatively limited,
this is not the case in developing nations. A pure market system in these countries
has often failed to address a host of socioeconomic challenges and can lead to an
even greater divide between the rich and the poor. It is therefore the responsibility
of the public and private sectors to work together to ensure healthy social and
natural environments, and by implication, a healthy economy.
The next section draws on findings from both the CSR and tourism academic
literature to support the demand for RTM. However, there is a paucity of
research into tourists' preferences and attitudes towards RTM in southern Africa.
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