The Consumption of Tourism - Tourism and Development: Concepts and Issues - page 360

succinctly argue, 'resource problems are not really environmental problems;
they are human problems' and, hence, sustainable resource use depends upon
appropriate consumption patterns and behaviour. Sustainable tourism devel-
opment, whether as a concept or in any of its product manifestations, such
as 'ecotourism', and guides to/codes of appropriate tourist behaviour, are also
based on the fundamental assumption that tourists are responsive to their
inherent messages. In other words, it is largely taken for granted that tourists
are positively disposed to seek out appropriate forms of tourism or that they
will respond to advice on how to behave as tourists. It is assumed, quite simply,
that tourists will willingly adapt their behaviour as consumers in order to
optimise the contribution of tourism to local development.
The purpose of this chapter is to argue that this is not the case. That is, the
notion that tourists are becoming increasingly aware of and responsive to the
consequences of tourism development (and the implications of their own
actions as tourists) in destination areas is overly naïve. Few tourists question or
have knowledge of the impacts of tourism (Ryan, 1997: 5) and to expect other-
wise is to imply that they follow a rational, knowledge-based consumption
process that not only best satisfies their identified needs but which also recog-
nises their contribution to the local society and environment. As Ryan (1997:
3) observes generally, 'from a purely pragmatic viewpoint . . . [tourism] . . . seems
hardly a rational mode of behaviour', whilst many commentators point out
that, more often than not, tourists themselves do not understand why they
participate in tourism. Henning (2012), for example, suggests that contempo-
rary tourism consumption may in fact be a habit or even an addiction. More
specifically, the expectation of appropriate behaviour on the part of tourists
also overlooks the social and cultural forces inherent in the consumption of
tourism, forces that, as this chapter suggest, may significantly limit the con-
tribution of tourism to development. Therefore, any analysis of the role of
tourism in development would not be complete without exploring the frame-
work of consumerism within which the consumption of tourism occurs.
Development - The Role of the Tourist
For tourism to be an effective means of achieving development in desti-
nation areas then, according to current thinking, the manner in which tour-
ism is consumed should, ideally, reflect the characteristics of the destination
and the desired nature and rate of development (Inskeep, 1991). In some
cases, small-scale, integrated tourism may be most appropriate; in others, the
development of more traditional, mass forms of tourism may be seen as the
most effective strategy. However, in either case, tourist-consumer behaviour
should, it is suggested, be appropriate to the setting.
In other words, a balanced, symbiotic relationship should exist between
tourists - and the satisfaction of their needs - and the developmental needs