Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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'To be sustainable (tourism) requires the establishment of an indus-
try which includes consideration of the long-term effects of eco-
nomic activity in relation to resources and, therefore, concerns for
the twin needs for this and future generations' (Curry & Morvaridi,
1992: 131);
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'The concept of sustainability is central to the reassessment of tour-
ism's role in society. It demands a long-term view of economic activ-
ity . . . and ensures that the consumption of tourism does not exceed
the ability of the host destination to provide for future tourists'
(Archer & Cooper, 1994: 87);
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'Sustainable tourism depends on: (a) meeting the needs of the host
population in terms of improved standards of living in the short and
long term; (b) satisfying the demands of increasing tourist numbers
and continuing to attract them to achieve this; (c) safeguarding the
environment to achieve the two foregoing aims' (Cater & Goodall,
1992: 318).
Figure 9.2
Early defi nitions of sustainable tourism
example, the Globe 90 Conference in Canada which recommended that
tourism 'must be a recognised sustainable development option, considered
equally with other economic activities when jurisdictions are making devel-
opment decisions' (Cronin, 1990)) and, on the other hand, environmentally
sustainable tourism (see Hunter, 1995). As discussed in the literature (Sharp-
ley, 2009b), the latter perspective has, inevitably perhaps, come to dominate
the planning of tourism in practice - the tourism industry has marched
ahead and embraced the 'sustainability imperative' (Garrod & Fyall, 1998)
with vigour. A plethora of codes of practice have emerged, and entire (though
not necessarily particularly coherent) sub-disciplines such as ecotourism
have flourished as the industry has adopted a social and environmental con-
science. International, national and industry sectoral organisations have all
drawn up codes of practice or lists of guidelines to guide tourism develop-
ment, whilst tourists themselves have long been exhorted to adopt appropri-
ate or sustainable roles and practices or to become 'good' or 'responsible'
(Goodwin, 2011; Wood & House, 1991). Those which are directed at tour-
ism development in general, such as those advocated by Tourism Concern,
emphasise the breadth of socio-economic and environmental prerequisites
for sustainability so well-rehearsed in the sustainable development litera-
ture. Such conditions as 'using resources sustainably', 'reducing over-
consumption and waste' and 'maintaining diversity' echo the environmental
prerequisites for sustainability mooted three decades ago and most famously
articulated in Rio in 1992.
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