TOURISM
___________________________
Principles, Practices, Philosophies
Charles R. Goeldner
J. R. Brent Ritchie
TWELFTH EDITION
© 2012 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
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CHAPTER 17
Tourism and the Environment
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LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Understand fundamental nature of sustainable development
and sustainable tourism.
• Identify guiding principles for achieving sustainable tourism.
• Review policy aims of an agenda for sustainable tourism.
• Examine major challenges facing achievement of
sustainable tourism.
• Identify new realities of tourism in era of global climate
change.
• Examine policies and measures to mitigate tourism-induced
climate change.
• Examine concept of ecotourism and its role in sustainable
tourism.
© 2012 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
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WTTC KEY ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES
•
•
•
•
•
Global warming
Depletion of the ozone layer
Acid rain
Depletion and pollution of water resources
Depletion and pollution
of land resources
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WTTC IMPLICATIONS OF
RESOURCE DEPLETION
• Political instability or increased competition for land
could lead to loss of potential new tourism
destinations and degradation of existing destinations
• Loss of landscape and wildlife could cause decrease
in customer satisfaction with tourism products
and lower propensity to travel to some destinations
• Higher fuel prices could lead to operational price
increases and corresponding decreases in
number of travelers in this “price-sensitive market”
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ELEMENTS OF THE WTTC VISION OF TRAVEL
& TOURISM AND THE ENVIRONMENT
• Travel & Tourism is integral aspect of modern
societies.
• Global awareness of environmental damage is
developing rapidly.
• The resources of world’s largest industry can and
must be harnessed to achieve environmental goals.
• The industry has potential to influence billions of
customers per year and use its leverage to achieve
beneficial environmental effects.
• The customer challenge will exert a growing
pressure to achieve environmental improvements.
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ELEMENTS OF THE WTTC VISION OF TRAVEL
& TOURISM AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(CONTINUED)
• Environmental lobbies will add pressure to
develop good environmental practice.
• Self-regulation must be developed rapidly and
effectively and used to influence development
of appropriate and workable regulations.
• Corporate environmental mission statements
are a vital first step toward self-regulation.
• Environmental leadership must come from the
major international companies.
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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND
TOURISM: THE CRITICAL AREAS
•
•
•
•
Defining the Relevant Population/Community
Defining the Time Horizon
Defining the Dimensions of Sustainability
Defining the Values that Underlie Sustainable
Development
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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN TOURISM:
POSSIBLE ALLOCATION OF RESPONSIBILITY
Level/Organization
Responsibilities
Host Community/Region


Defining tourism philosophy, vision for community, region
Establishing social, physical , cultural carrying capacity for host
community/region
Destination Management
Community-Organization


Coordination of implementation of community SD plan for tourism
Monitoring levels, impact of tourism in community/region
Individual Tourism
Firms and Operators


Fair contribution to implementation of SD plan for tourism
Observance of regulations, guidelines, practices for SD
Host Community/Region

Encouragement/acceptance of tourism within parameter of SD plan

Acceptance of responsibility for minimal self-education with respect to
values of host region
Acceptance and observance of terms and conditions of host
community SD plan for tourism
Visitors/Tourists

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SUSTAINABLE TOURISM:
12 AIMS FOR AN AGENDA
1. Economic viability: Ensure viability/competitiveness of
tourism destinations and enterprises, so they continue to
prosper and deliver benefits in the long term.
2. Local prosperity: Maximize contribution of tourism to
economic prosperity of host destination, including proportion of
visitor spending retained locally.
3. Employment quality: Strengthen number and quality of local
jobs created/supported by tourism, including level of pay,
conditions of service, and availability without discrimination by
gender, race, disability or other ways.
4. Social equity: Seek widespread, fair distribution of economic/
social benefits from tourism throughout recipient community,
including improving opportunities, income, and services
available to the poor. © 2012 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
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SUSTAINABLE TOURISM:
12 AIMS FOR AN AGENDA
(CONTINUED)
5. Visitor fulfillment: Provide safe, satisfying, fulfilling experience
for visitors, available without discrimination by gender, race,
disability, or other ways.
6. Local control: Engage/ empower local communities in planning,
decision making about management /future development of
tourism in their area, in consultation with other stakeholders.
7. Community well-being: Maintain, strengthen quality of life in
local communities, including social structures and access to
resources, amenities, and life support systems, avoiding any form
of social degradation or exploitation.
8. Cultural richness: Respect, enhance historic heritage, authentic
culture, traditions, and distinctiveness of host communities.
© 2012 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
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SUSTAINABLE TOURISM:
12 AIMS FOR AN AGENDA
(CONTINUED)
9. Physical integrity: Maintain, enhance quality of
landscapes, both urban and rural, and avoid physical and
visual degradation of the environment.
10. Biological diversity: Support conservation of natural
areas, habitats, and wildlife; minimize damage.
11. Resource efficiency: Minimize use of scarce and
nonrenewable resources in development and operation of
tourism facilities and services.
12. Environmental purity: Minimize pollution of air, water,
land and the generation of waste by tourism enterprises
and visitors.
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CARRYING CAPACITY DEFINED…
Maximum amount of development, use,
growth, or change a site or destination can
endure without unacceptable alteration in
physical environment, community’s social
fabric, and/or local economy; and without
unacceptable decline in quality of experience
gained by the visitor.
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THREE PILLARS OF
SUSTAINABILITY
1. Economic
2. Social
3. Environmental
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THREE PILLARS OF
SUSTAINABILITY
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DEFINITIONS OF ECOTOURISM
Some definitions of ecotourism:
• Responsible travel to natural areas that
conserves the environment and sustains the wellbeing of local people
• Environmentally friendly travel that emphasizes
seeing and saving natural habitats and
archeological treasures
• A tool for conservation
• Ecologically responsible tourism
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TYPES OF INDICATORS
• Core indicators of sustainable tourism which have
been developed for general application to all
destinations
• Destination-specific indicators applicable to particular
ecosystems or types of tourism. These indicators fall
into two categories:
1. Supplementary ecosystem-specific indicators for application to
particular ecosystems (e.g., coastal areas, parks and protected
areas, or mountainous regions).
2. Site-specific indicators developed uniquely for the particular site.
These reflect important factors of the site, which may not be
adequately covered by core and supplementary eco-systemspecific indicator sets, but are nonetheless needed for management
of the particular site.
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BENEFITS AND IMPORTANCE
OF ECOTOURISM
• Provides jobs and income for local people
• Makes possible funds to purchase and
improve protected or natural areas to attract
more ecotourists in the future
• Provides environmental education for visitors
• Encourages heritage and environmental
preservation and enhancement
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TOURISM INDUSTRY
ASSOCIATIONS OF CANADA
• Enjoy diverse natural and cultural heritage and help to
protect and preserve it
• Assist in conservation efforts through efficient use of
resources, including energy and water
• Experience friendliness of our people and welcoming spirit
of our communities. Help preserve these by respecting our
traditions, customs, local regulations
• Avoid activities which threaten wildlife or plant populations,
or which may be potentially damaging to our natural
environment
• Select tourism products and services that demonstrate
social, cultural, environmental sensitivity
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COMMON FEATURES
OF ALL CODES
• The need to make an overall commitment to physical and
human environment, to accept responsibility for
environmental damage and take corrective action where
necessary, and promote, reward outstanding environmental
performance
• The need to develop policies and strategies that take
account of land-use planning regulations and the need to
protect some areas from further development
• The need to develop management policies that enhance
beneficial and minimize adverse impacts on the environment
• The need to cooperate with other firms, sectors and
countries
© 2012 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
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