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in a specific space/place in order to permit the long-term survival of tourism,
rather than optimising the contribution of tourism to the wider sustainable
development of the destination. As one commentator summarises, 'sustain-
able tourism is essentially an exercise in sustainable resource management'
(Pigram, 1990). Moreover, even at the global policy level, ambiguity with
respect to the objectives of sustainable tourism development persists; that is,
it remains unclear whether it is the sustainability
of
tourism or the sustain-
ability
through
tourism that is the objective. For example, the World Tourism
Organisation (UNWTO) suggests that:
Sustainable tourism development guidelines and management practices
are applicable to all forms of tourism in all types of destinations, includ-
ing mass tourism and the various niche tourism segments. Sustainability
principles refer to the environmental, economic and socio-cultural
aspects of tourism development, and a suitable balance must be estab-
lished between these three dimensions to guarantee its long-term sus-
tainability. (UNWTO, 2013a)
Thus, the 'triple bottom line' of economic, environmental and socio-
cultural sustainability is explicit within definitions of sustainable tourism
development, as detailed in the UNWTO's statement that sustainable tour-
ism should:
• Make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key ele-
ment in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes
and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.
• Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve
their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contrib-
ute to inter-cultural understanding and tolerance.
• Ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-
economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, includ-
ing stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social
services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation.
(UNWTO, 2013a)
To an extent, of course, this makes good business sense. All businesses or indus-
tries strive to maintain their resource base for long-term survival and profit
and it is widely recognised that sound environmental policies may signifi-
cantly enhance profitability. However, the important point here is that this
inward focus upon sustaining tourism itself (the only 'outward', develop-
mental focus of the UNWTO's statement above is the reference to poverty
alleviation), concentrating on issues such as the rate and scale of develop-
ment, the type of tourist targeted and the degree of local control, not only
suggests that 'true' sustainable tourism development (i.e. consistent with the
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