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TOURISM
Introduction
There has been an upmarket trend in tourism over the last few decades, especially in
Europe where international travel for short breaks is common. Tourists have higher levels
of disposable income and greater leisure time and they are also better-educated and have
more sophisticated tastes. There is now a demand for better quality products, which has
resulted in the fragmentation of the mass market for beach vacations; people want more
specialized versions, such as Club 18-30, quieter resorts, family-oriented holidays, or
niche market-targeted destination hotels. People are also likely to take more than one
short break holiday each year.
The developments in technology and transport infrastructure, such as Jumbo jets and lowcost airlines, have made many types of tourism more affordable. There have also been
changes in lifestyle, such as retiree-age people who sustain year round tourism. This is
facilitated by internet purchasing of tourism products. Some sites have now started to
offer dynamic packaging, in which an inclusive price is quoted for a tailor-made package
as requested by the customer.
There have been a few setbacks in tourism, such as the September 11, 2001 attacks and
terrorist threats to tourist destinations such as Bali and European cities. Some of the
tourist destinations, including the beach resorts of Cancún have lost popularity due to
shifting tastes. In this context, the excessive building and environmental destruction often
associated with traditional "sun and beach" tourism may contribute to a destination's
saturation and subsequent decline. Spain's Costa Brava, a popular 1960s and 1970s beach
location is now facing a crisis in its tourist industry. On December 26, 2004 a tsunami,
caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake hit Asian countries bordering the Indian
Ocean, and also the Maldives. Tens of thousands of lives were lost, and many tourists
died. This, together with the vast clean-up operation in place, has stopped or severely
hampered tourism to the area.
CASE STUDY 1: Caribbean Tourism: How important?
Do governments fully understand the importance of tourism; the industry that now
underwrites the regional economy?
This is the underlying theme in a sequence of reports produced over the last eighteen
months that illustrate the positive economic impact that the industry has in areas such as
employment, taxation, domestic agriculture and foreign exchange. The studies have been
produced variously by the World Travel and Tourism Council, leading international firms
of consultants, supported with European Union resources and actively encouraged by the
Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA).
They set out to demonstrate to government and regional institutions that the industry has
become the predominant force in the regional economy.
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Taking the reports together the following facts emerge: Caribbean tourism generated
US$56.1 billion of economic activity and employed directly fifteen per cent of the
regional workforce in 2007; between now and 2017 earnings from tourism will grow by
3.3 per cent per annum; the Caribbean is the most economically dependent region of the
world on the industry; hotels source in the region 74 per cent of vegetables, 84 per cent of
services; 93 per cent of utilities and 47 per cent of light manufactures, but only small
quantities of seafood; and tourism accounts for on average twenty one per cent of
regional investment rising to as much as 70 per cent in some nations.
A third just published study looks at the effect of taxation on the industry’s
competitiveness. The reports make clear that this is not a form of special pleading by a
small group of hoteliers but is about Caribbean self-interest and the need for a changed
policy environment.
Together the studies argue for seeing tourism as an industry like no other in as much as it
brings into every Caribbean nation very large number of individuals who spend
significantly and contribute directly or indirectly to virtually every aspect of each nation’s
hard and soft infrastructure. Running through the text of each document is the clear
message that if the industry does not remain competitive then the economy of almost
every Caribbean nation will decline and along with it the fortunes of most Caribbean
citizens.
These studies stem from a frustration felt in the industry that few in Governments are
giving tourism the holistic high level policy attention that it deserves. Instead tourism
ministers, who in most states are relatively junior cabinet members, are expected to be
able to influence their colleagues on every development touching on the competitiveness
of the industry whether it be aviation policy, public health or the environment.
In private, industry leaders say that the objective of these reports is to cause Prime
Ministers, Finance Ministers, leaders of regional institutions and Governments outside
the region to recognise that every decision they take impacts on the tourism economy.
The studies are also intended to raise questions about the absence of any formal
institutional structure in Caricom whereby tourism ministers are able to move issues
directly up to regional heads of government.
A further objective is to suggest to regional institutions that tourism issues should more
frequently lead the regional economic or political agenda at meetings with external
partners. In this latter context a demonstration of the seriousness with which the region
takes the issue will arise in a matter of days in the final services negotiating session for an
Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe.
As matters stand, the region’s detailed four page tourism annex prepared by the
Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery with the support of CTO and CHA, stands in
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stark contrast to the European Commission’s one page generic offer on tourism. It may
be true that some aspects of the tourism text are better dealt with using alternative
language elsewhere in the EPA, but at stake is much more than the sometimes
impenetrable language of services liberalisation.
The EC seems not willing to accept that by giving formal recognition to tourism in an
EPA or by creating a formal basis for EC/Caribbean dialogue on the sector it will affirm
the importance of the industry that will represent in years to come the largest part of the
region’s economic relationship with Europe.
To their huge credit Caribbean trade negotiators are now preparing to argue that a
substantive text on tourism is an essential component of an EPA and that this must
address real issues such as European market access for Caribbean service providers or the
mutual recognition of tourism credentials. Past agreements with Europe have treated
tourism as if it was we are in some way marginal to regional development.
If Europe means what it says about supporting the creation of a vibrant regional economy
it must agree to a viable text and the creation of an institutional basis for an ongoing
dialogue on tourism.
There is now extensive evidence of the overriding economic significance of tourism and
the need to ensure its sustained competitiveness. The challenges its faces should now take
centre stage in Caribbean economic and political decision making.
By David Jessop, the Director of the Caribbean Council.
CASE STUDY 2: Trinidad and Tobago - The Issues
With the decline in oil revenues during the 1980s, Trinidad and Tobago found itself in
serious economic problems. The government decided to undergo structural reforms and
start developing other sectors of the economy, particularly the tourism industry. Tourism,
however, may be detrimental to the environment and careful planning must be done in
order to preserve the islands’ natural endowments, which is precisely what attracts
tourists. This paper examines the current environmental situation of the country and the
possible impact of the tourism industry on the islands’ coral reefs.
Description
Trinidad and Tobago's economy has traditionally relied on oil revenues, which represents
25% of the country's GNP. However, in the last decade, oil production revenues declined
as a consequence of a slowdown in international oil activities and low prices. The decline
in oil revenues was a world-wide problem in the 1980s. Economies once boosted by the
1970s oil prices were faced with a sharp decline in their revenues when prices fell in the
1980s. Mexico is a classic example of this problem. In most of these countries, the
increase in oil revenues was accompanied by an increase in state-owned companies and
state employment. When the oil crisis came the burden on state’s treasury was even
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greater because of all the state-dependent enterprises and employment. Oil continues to
be the leading product of the country. Other sectors of Trinidad and Tobago's economy
only showed a marginal improvement in the last decade and as a result, GDP decreased
60% in the period1982-91.
Trinidad and Tobago's government is now developing the tourism industry in order to
generate revenues and address social problems arising in the last decade. For example,
the unemployment rate of the country is now 20.4%, which means that more than
100,000 people are jobless in the country.
Tourism is seen as a solution for the economic problems of the country because it is a
labour intensive economic activity that generates a considerable amount of revenue for
the country.
The development of tourism, however, cannot proceed without careful environmental
planning because the tourism industry may be very detrimental to the environment. A
greater influx of tourists in a country without the infrastructure to receive them may cause
environmental degradation that in turn will cause problems for the native population or
deplete the natural attractions necessary for the tourism industry. In the Trinidad and
Tobago case, there is a chronic shortage of water in Tobago which becomes critical
during the month of February, when Carnival is on and tourists flood the island. The
hotels end up absorbing most of the water supply, leaving the local population without
water.
Another environmental problem that has arisen in the recent past is the depletion of sand
for construction purposes. This has not only damaged the beaches, but also ruined the
natural environment where turtles come to lay their eggs. Since Trinidad and Tobago's
tourism industry development project relies heavily on eco-tourism, this country needs to
create a very strong infrastructure in order to comply with the development plan's idea
and secure the island's environmental assets.
Trinidad and Tobago's environmental problems are multiple and the development of
tourism is likely to worsen the situation if it is not done without regard to the
environment. There are different types of coral reefs off-shore the island, and they are
being harvested or destroyed in different manners because of unplanned tourist activity.
For example, coral reefs are being harvested for sale to tourists and sometimes
Tobagonians rent special rubber sandals to tourists so that they can enter the sea and step
on coral reefs without harming their feet.
Madeira Island has recently been faced with tourism development projects and its
consequences. SaoTome and Principe, off the coast of Africa, have been dealing with the
same problem. In the Galapagos Islands, ecotourism has started to bring about disastrous
consequences to the archipelago's delicate and valuable natural heritage. Finally,
Bermuda presents a case in the same region as Trinidad and Tobago, where the clash
between fishing and tourism has raised concern about the island's economic priorities. All
these cases analyze the impact/role of tourism in island settings.
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While environmental concerns are an important variable when deciding upon a
development procedure, they seem to be at the same time an issue aside from the main
core of the process. The development of the complex tourism structures must be
monitored and subject to environmental impact assessments. The lack of legal
mechanisms in Trinidad and Tobago to access potential problems with tourism
development makes it an obstacle to tourism development, since the ‘open-ended’
character of the situation increases the risk of both foreign and domestic private
investment.
Even though the nature of the development project is based on eco-tourism, there are
many problems that have to be addressed in order to make Trinidad and Tobago’s general
policies coherent with the project that they want to implement. There are no formal
regulations addressing the environmental impact of development projects, which so far
have contributed to the deterioration of the islands, particularly the water supply side.
Trinidad and Tobago is a two-island archipelago located in the southernmost end of the
West Indies, 7 miles off the coast of Venezuela. The two islands are 21 miles apart. Portof-Spain is the national capital. The population of the country is about 1.3million, and the
ethnic composition of the islands is 40% African-origin, 40% West Indies-origin, and
20% other. The most interesting factor that distinguishes Trinidad and Tobago from the
rest of the Caribbean Islands is that geologically, the islands share their ecological origins
with South American mainland rather than with the Antillean arc: Tobago's Main Ridge
is believed to be the furthest reaches of the Andes. This particularity means that Trinidad
and Tobago boasts a continental range of flora and fauna not found elsewhere in the
Caribbean.
Trinidad and Tobago are two very distinct islands. Trinidad's area is 15 times bigger than
that of Tobago (1,864 sq. miles and 116 sq. miles, respectively). Trinidad is more
developed and most part of the economic activities happen in this island. Tobago is
virtually undeveloped and thus very vulnerable to insensitive exploitation; there is
already a pressing problem with this island's water supply and sewage system, which is
already being used over its capacity.
Environmental problems have an indirect impact on the tourism industry. First, the
uncertainty of the environmental regulations may create a disincentive for potential
domestic and foreign investors. Second, if the tourism industry will rely on eco-tourism,
the state of the island’s environment will be incoherent with the image they are trying to
market.
Eco-Tourism may be a possible solution to the influx of tourists, but infra-structural
reforms are needed before the island is able to accept tourists.
Culturally, there is a historical resistance to the tourism industry, which is regarded as a
form of colonialism. It is easy to picture crowds of white tourists from North America
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and Europe being served by native Trinidad and Tobago people, who are overwhelmingly
(80%) of African and West-Indies heritage.
Ethical Tourism: Tourism Concern
To spend most of your year looking forward to your two weeks holiday is not unusual.
We want sun, we want hedonism, we want to get away from it all. One thing we don't
want to worry about is ethics. But whether you have travelled to Bath or Bali, you will
probably have seen a thing or two that has made you worry about what your holiday is
doing to the place you visit and the people who live there. Ever wondered how your
swimming pool is kept brim-full with water when local fields are parched or local people
are taking theirs from wells? Ever marvelled at the greenness of a golf course in the
middle of the arid Mediterranean? Ever wondered how much your waiter is getting paid
to serve you with drinks all day? Such are the queries around the ethics of tourism.
In fact, co-option of land and natural resources such as water, are common complaints of
residents about tourism development. Women in parts of India walk for miles for water
because underground water is siphoned off by hotels. Farmers in Indonesia have been
imprisoned for protesting about losing their land to tourism development, and a protest in
Mexico last year about a prospective golf course being built on farm land led to the
shooting of one man and the harassment of several others.
One of the most disturbing examples of our holidays causing problems for local people is
that of Burma. A beautiful, exotic country - the next destination on many globe-trotter's
'must-do' list - Burma is described in brochures as 'The Golden Land'. But life for the
Burmese is far from golden. Torture, murder and rape are everyday occurrences at the
hands of the military junta. Over the past few years the junta has forced hundreds of
thousands of Burmese to labour on tourism projects and millions more have been forced
from their homes to make way for widened roads, hotel developments and other touristrelated infrastructure. Burma's human rights abuses are therefore directly related to
developing holidays. Tourism - now the world's largest industry - is not about buckets
and spades and floppy hats any more. It's no different to any other multinational industry
like oil or logging. It just takes a while for us to get our heads round it.
The argument for tourism is obviously that it provides jobs and foreign exchange. These
are the two big turn-ons for any government. But here too, the benefits are not always
what they seem. A waiter in the Gambia - a big tourist destination for Europeans and
especially Britons - will probably get £1 a day for his labours. The benefits for the
country are illusive. Only around 30p out of every £1 spent actually stays in a Southern
country. If you think about it, it's easy to see why - as tourists we invariably book with a
foreign travel agent, fly on a foreign airline, stay in a foreign-owned hotel (fitted out with
imported, European furniture), travel with a foreign tour operators, and consume
imported food and drinks. Eating a few local vegetables is often the closest we get to
supporting the local economy.
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So how do we have our two weeks of hedonism without making life more difficult for the
people who live in destination areas? Over the past couple of decades various answers
have been proffered. 'Ecotourism' and 'Green' tourism are two new labels often used in
connection with holidays which have some nature or conservation factor. 'Alternative
tourism' another. The problem is, as with the greening of any industry - it is difficult to
separate the 'green' from the 'green-wash'. You may be appreciating local wildlife (and
therefore 'green') and donating to a local community project (and therefore 'alternative'),
but is that 'ethical tourism' if the local people are for instance, not allowed onto their
ancestral lands to graze their cattle as has happened to the Maasai of East Africa?
Such dilemmas abound. The example of Nagarahole national park in Karnataka state is
another example. As dream ecotourism destinations go, Nagarahole national park in
India, is high on the list. Highlighted at the first Earth Summit as being of major
importance to the earths biodiversity, here tourists can be awestruck by elephants, tiger,
leopards, bison, marsh crocodiles and a rich variety of plants and birdlife.
The Taj Group of Hotels would seem a natural choice to manage ecotourism in the park.
An award-winning member of the International Hotels Environment Initiative, water and
waste is recycled with zeal and energy-saving has become an art-form. Yet local tribal
people - the Adivasis - are highly critical of the Taj's plans to build a hotel in the park,
and this year won a court battle to stop the development going ahead. An historic victory
- the 29,000-strong Adivasis claimed their customary rights of access to the forest and its
produce were being taken away and that building the hotel in the national park was
illegal.
What the Nagarahole case shows is the age old conflict between developers and local
people. "But this developer is 'green'," comes the cry. "So what?" say the local people "it's our land they want to build on and our lives it will change."
The Adivasis of Nagarahole are quite unusual - they are one of the few examples where
the little guys have fought the big guys and won. But all over the world, local people are
experiencing similar problems and finding it hard to fight their corner. In Europe, the
British campaigning organisation Tourism Concern, is one of a number of nongovernmental organisations which campaign in support of Southern groups experiencing
problems with tourism, try to influence change in the European tourism industry and to
raise awareness amongst our travelling public of some of the issues.
With 'Ethical business' being the new buzz-words in our new political arena, ethical
tourism is something that is getting more and more attention. Many tourists from affluent
countries are starting to adopt an ethical stance, as are many tour operators. Call it the
'90s zeitgeist if you will, a reaction to the uncaring '80s, but the word is getting round.
The fact that last Year's 'Visit Myanmar Year' (Myanmar is the junta's new name for
Burma) was an outstanding flop and that several British tour operators pulled out of
Burma for ethical reasons, shows some sort of positive reaction.
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On a general level, there is an increasing demand for holidays that both protect the
environment and benefit local people more. At the moment, the only way to find such a
holiday is to do your own research, ask difficult questions of your tour operator and
choose the one you feel most comfortable with. But the ethical consumer concept of
'fairtrade' - where local people receive a fair wage and the environmental impact of a
product is minimised- may be one way of finding an answer. If we can have fairtrade tea,
coffee and bananas - can we have fairtrade tourism? Tourism Concern sees this as a
major part of our work. The problem is, of course, that tourism is not a single product like
coffee - it is a combination of a whole range of services provided by a whole range of
people. Determining what is and is not a fairtrade holiday is fraught with difficulties.
Tourism Concern's Fairtrade in Tourism research programme - which works in
consultation with partners in Southern countries plus VSO and the University of North
London - is trying to find a way through these dilemmas.
Ethical tourism world-wide is of course, not something that can just happen overnight especially when tourism is growing so quickly and controlled by some of the world's
largest multinational corporations. Fundamental changes have to happen in the way
governments plan tourism and support it, the way tour operators operate tourism, and the
way local people are involved in and benefit from it. The answers are not simple or
obvious. But what is desperately needed is for everyone - tourists, the tourism industry,
governments and community and environmental groups - to reassess things. The very
least is for local people to be consulted and involved more about whether and how
tourism is developed where they live. One thing is for sure, if we want to carry on going
on holiday, something definitely has to change.
By Sue Wheat of Tourism Concern
The International Ecotourism Society
Consumer Demand and Operator Support for Socially and Environmentally
Responsible Tourism
Key Findings:
Since 2000, the tourism industry has faced multiple international crises: economic
recession, the SARS outbreak, terrorist attacks, and the expanding war on terrorism.
Despite these setbacks to the industry, both consumers and travel companies show strong
support for responsible tourism, including stating a willingness to pay more for ethical
practices, to contribute to community projects, and to support certification.
Consumers continue to view safety, cost, weather, accessibility, and quality of facilities
as paramount when planning vacations. However, their demand for ethical products,
social investment, and eco-labels is growing., although most consumers do not actively
inquire about business practices. Tour operators are increasingly aware of the demand for
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socially and environmentally responsible tourism, and are exploring certification
programs as a way to market their ecotourism products.
To create a current snapshot of the trends that are shaping the tourism industry and
informing debates about certification, we analyzed a range of recent studies from the
U.S., Europe, Costa Rica, and Australia. The following introduction summarizes our
findings on four central topics:
Consumer Demand for Responsible Tourism: Strong and growing, but largely
passive
• A majority of tourists are interested in the social, cultural and environmental issues
relevant to the destinations they visit. They want to learn about the issues both before
they travel, and while they are at their destination.
• Many travelers seek out pristine environments to visit, and it is important to the vast
majority of them that their trip not damage local ecosystems. They are interested in
patronizing hotels that are committed to protecting the local environment, and
increasingly view local environmental and social stewardship as a responsibility of the
businesses they support.
• However, only a small percentage of tourists describe themselves as “ethical” or
actually ask about hotel policies; even fewer report changing their plans due to
responsible tourism issues.
Operator Support for Responsible Tourism: Widespread, especially among
specialist operators
• Three-quarters of the tour operators surveyed say they have or are planning to produce a
responsible tourism policy. These policies are designed to educate tourists and/or set
operating principles.
• Specialist tour operators targeting “green” consumers are more likely to set and
publicize responsible practices, because superior environmental performance may bring
them branding and price advantages.
• However, few companies feel external pressure to create responsible tourism policies. It
is still fairly rare that their customers proactively ask about social, environmental, and
economic issues.
Consumer Willingness to Pay for Responsible Travel: While surveys of intention
show strong willingness, few have measured actual consumer practices.
• At least a third of tourists surveyed say they are willing to pay more to companies that
benefit local communities and conservation. Some tourists say they would also be willing
to pay more for access to information about the environmental and social aspects of the
destinations they visit.
• Tourists from a variety of countries advocate the hiring of local employees, and are
willing to pay more for their vacation, if they can be assured that the employees are paid
a fair wage.
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Travelers’ Philanthropy: Rapidly growing corporate & consumer commitment to
assisting local communities
• The majority of tour operators surveyed say they are supporting local charities and
projects, through donation collections both at the destination and as a post-departure
follow-up.
• While still only a small share of the overall market, both ethical consumption and
socially responsible investment schemes are growing rapidly. Fair Trade products, for
example, have enjoyed steep increases in popularity. There is great potential for
ecotourism to appeal to a similar consumer demographic.
Support for Certification: Consumer demand, industry improvements, and
corporate benefits constrained by inadequate marketing & label confusion
• Once educated about ecotourism certification and ecolabels, a majority of tourists
support the concept and say that they will use the labels to
choose future tour operators.
• However, there are several challenges to certification and labeling, most of which center
around a lack of funding and strong marketing for the certification programs. Without
adequate marketing and education, consumers are unclear about certification and
labeling. The abundance of labels has dimmed tourists’ specific recognition of legitimate
programs.
• Though most certified businesses cite improvements in performance, employee morale,
and internal policies as early successes from certification programs, many have not yet
seen the market differential that they had anticipated.
• Nevertheless, most certified operators surveyed in Australia say certification meets their
initial expectation and they believe it will provide future.
Consumer Demand for Responsible Tourism
Contrary to some beliefs, most tourists do not simply want to live in a ‘sanitized bubble’
while on holiday…
Education and Information
• More than half (53%) of U.S. tourists surveyed agree that they have a better travel
experience when they learn as much as possible about their destination’s “customs,
geography, and culture.”
• Nearly two in three British tourists (63%) want some information on the ethical issues
associated with their vacation,3 and 37% said they try to learn about local culture before
they travel.
• More than three in four (78%) British package vacation travelers reported that the
inclusion of social and environmental information in tour operators’ brochures is
important to them. Over half (52%) of British respondents indicated that they are
interested in finding out more about local social and environmental issues before booking
a trip.
• In Australia, the opportunity to “learn about the environment” was the motivation most
frequently cited by those choosing to patronize ecotourism operations.
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• An overwhelming majority (82%) of Dutch tourists believe that integrating
environmental information into all travel brochures is a good idea.
• A survey of executives from the U.S.’ 2,000 largest foundations found that 80% were
interested in hotels’ social and environmental practices, and 73% wanted to know similar
information about airlines.
Social and Cultural Aspects
• Over half (62%) of U.S. travelers surveyed in 2003 say that it is important that they
learn about other cultures when they travel,9 and 52% seek destinations with a wide
variety of cultural and arts events/attractions.10 Nearly half (49%) prefer trips with
small-scale accommodations, which are run by local people.
• While cost, weather and quality of facilities are paramount in choosing a holiday, 42%
of British tourists look for the quality of local social, economic and political information
available; and 37% identified opportunities to interact with local people as an important
factor.12 A separate study found that 75% of British and Australian travelers, and 33% of
U.S. tourists, favour seeing local people on their hotel beach.
• Three in four British tourists agree that their trip should include visits to experience
local culture and foods. This number increased by 4% between 2000 to 2002, from 77%
to 81%.14
Environmental Impact
• More than two-thirds of U.S. and Australian travelers, and 90% of British tourists,
consider active protection of the environment, including support of local communities, to
be part of a hotel’s responsibility. According to a 2002 survey, these travelers are more
likely to patronize hotels with a “responsible environmental attitude.” However, only
14% of U.S. travelers, and 26% of Australians, actually ask hotels if they have an
environmental policy. Not a single British traveler surveyed spoke to the hotel about their
policies.
• In the U.S., more than three-quarters of travelers “feel it is important their visits not
damage the environment,” according to a 2003 study. This study estimates that 17 million
U.S. travelers consider environmental factors when deciding which travel companies to
patronize.
• In Britain, 87% of tourists interviewed in 2002 stated that it was either “very” or “fairly
important” that their vacation not damage the environment; this was up from 85% in
2000.17 Additionally, 66% of British travelers said that they had placed importance on
the fact that their last trip “had been specifically designed to cause as little damage as
possible to the environment.”18 In a 1997 survey, 18% of British tourists said that a
hotel’s lack of concern for the environment would prevent them from returning to the
same place again.
• A 2002 survey found German tourists expect environmental quality: 65% (39 million)
want clean beaches and water, and 42% (25 million) “think that it is particularly
important to find environmentally-friendly accommodation.”
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Authenticity and Pristine-ness
• Travel experiences are better when the destination is a well-preserved natural,
historical, or cultural site, according to 61% of U.S. tourists surveyed.21 One in three
U.S. travelers is influenced by a travel company’s efforts to preserve the environment,
history, or culture of the destinations it visits.
• Nearly 91 million U.S. travelers (59%) support controlling access to and/or more
careful regulation of national parks and public lands in order to preserve and protect the
environment.23 More than half of U.S. tourists (54%) notice that there are fewer
unspoiled destinations than there used to be.
• In Britain, the figure is even higher: nearly all (83%) British tourists indicated that dirty
beaches and a polluted sea “mattered a great deal” in choosing or recommending travel
destinations.25 As many as 42% of European travellers surveyed agreed that they want to
visit a “place with clean air [and] water.”
• At least 85% of the tourists that visit Costa Rica consider national parks and rainforests
the most important places to visit in the country.
Ethics and Reputation
• In choosing a holiday, “the three main criteria are weather, cost and good facilities. But
[UK] tourists do show concern about ethical policies and environmental considerations.”
• In Britain, 27% of tourists surveyed placed “high” importance and another 34% placed
“middle” importance on a tourism company’s ethical standing when choosing a
vacation.28 Another British study found that the “ethically aware” constituted only 11%
of the study population, and that this section of the population tended to be younger,
more affluent and educated; 48% described themselves as “apathetic” and another 22% as
“unconcerned.”
• In 2000, 70% of British tourists surveyed felt that the “reputation of the holiday
company on environmental issues” is “very important” or “fairly important.” This figure
dropped to 65% in 2002.
Operator Support for Responsible Tourism
With increasing competition in the industry, the companies that dare to become more
ethical and respond to this unmet consumer demand will be able to gain a competitive
edge.
Responsible Tourism Policies
• In a 2001 study of British tour operators, 49% said that they had developed some form
of a responsible tourism policy. An additional 26% said that they were planning to
produce such a policy in the future. The most popular form was a set of written principles
that guided their activities. Another popular policy consisted of suggestions for how
tourists should behave.
• In a 2004 survey by Green Globe 21, 89% of Australian and international organizations
that supply the tourism industry stated that “issues of sustainability and corporate social
responsibility” are “extremely important” to them and 84% stated that “minimizing
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their…impacts on the environment and assisting their clients to do the same” are
“extremely important.”
Motivations
• More than 20 of the 65 British companies surveyed said that their responsible tourism
policy is designed to educate tourists. Even more said that it is integral to the underlying
principles upon which their company operated. Only 3 companies (5%) mentioned
external pressure, from NGOs or tourists, as a motivation. Of the companies that had not
yet designed a responsible tourism policy, 21% stated that their clients were not
interested in such a policy.
• Only 30% of the British companies surveyed said that their customers were asking more
about the social, environmental, and economic issues associated with tourism. But a
“significant” number of specialist tour operators stated that clients were more interested
in these issues after they returned from a trip, having personally experienced the
situations and seen the potentially negative effects of tourism.
• A survey in Costa Rica found that businesses that routinely have superior environmental
performance and target “green” consumers could set themselves apart from their
competitors and thus yield price premiums.
• Tour operators who focus on “green” consumers are more likely to participate in
voluntary environmental programs because they will benefit from having an
environmentally friendly reputation.
• Larger companies, and those with higher visibility (such as multinational businesses),
are also more likely to participate in voluntary initiatives because they will benefit from
economies of scale. They may also be held to higher standards by consumers, and will be
expected to play a leadership role in efforts to protect the environment.
• When large, medium, and small-sized British tour operators were surveyed, most
operators agreed that tourists use responsible tourism practices “nearly every time” to
choose which tour operator to support.
Money Left at Destination
• Small-sized British tour companies, surveyed in 2000, estimated that approximately
70% of their trips’ costs remained in the local economies of their destinations. Mediumsized companies put the figure at 35%, while larger tour companies were unable to create
an estimate.
The complete text can be found at:
http://www.ecotourism.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/eco_template.aspx?arti
cleid=108&zoneid=16
Extracts from Tourism Highlights 2007 Edition
Americas – Central America’s Stellar Performance
Estimates for the Americas point to an increase of 2% in international tourist arrivals in
2006 – well short of the world average increase of 5.4%. However, this average masks
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widely differing performances across the four subregions. Central America achieved by
far the best result, with an 11% increase, while South America’s growth, at 3% – which
was well below its 12% increase in 2005 – was still above the regional average, as was
the Caribbean’s 3% rise. But North America, which accounts for two thirds of the
region’s total arrivals, dragged the average down with a rise of only 1%.
In North America, international tourist arrivals in the USA reached 51 million in 2006, an
increase of 4% over 2005. But this was still below its 2000 peak (51.2 million). Arrivals
in Canada fell by nearly 3%, due to the impact of an unfavourable exchange rate, US
border regulations and higher fuel prices. Arrivals in Mexico were also down 3%.
Repairs and improvements to hotels and other tourism facilities damaged by hurricane
Wilma in October 2005 were largely completed by mid-2006. As for the Caribbean
islands, results varied sharply in 2006, due to a number of factors – e.g. whether they
were damaged by the hurricanes of 2005 and/or whether they were able to attract new
airline services. Among the most visited islands, there was very positive growth in
arrivals for Jamaica (+13%) and the Dominican Republic (+7%), but not for Cuba (-5%).
Results from Central American countries were on the whole very favourable. El Salvador
(+17%), Guatemala (+14%), Honduras (+10%) and Panama (+20%) all reported doubledigit increases. Economic growth in South America has shifted up a gear. The remarkable
recovery of the Argentine economy continued to fuel intraregional travel in 2006. Chile,
Colombia and Peru showed rises of 10% or more in arrivals, while Argentina and
Venezuela achieved increases of 9%. By contrast, arrivals in Brazil decreased by 6% –
due in part to a significant fall in airline capacity on international routes by Brazilian
airlines as a result of the restructuring of Varig – while, in Uruguay, arrivals declined by
3%.
Long-term prospects
Tourism 2020 Vision is the World Tourism Organization’s long-term forecast and
assessment of the development of tourism up to the first 20 years of the new millennium.
An essential outcome of the Tourism 2020 Vision are quantitative forecasts covering a 25
years period, with 1995 as base year and forecasts for 2010 and 2020. Although the
evolution of tourism in the last years has been irregular, UNWTO maintains its long-term
forecast for the moment. The underlying structural trends of the forecast are believed not
to have significantly changed. Experience shows that in the short-term, periods of faster
growth (1995, 1996, 2000, 2004 to 2006) alternate with periods of slow growth (2001 to
2003). And, the actual pace of growth is in reality in line with the Tourism 2020 Vision
forecast as international tourist arrivals show an average growth of 4.2% between 1995
and 2006.
UNWTO’s Tourism 2020 Vision forecasts that international arrivals are expected to
reach nearly 1.6 billion by the year 2020. Of these worldwide arrivals in 2020, 1.2 billion
will be intraregional and 378 million will be long-haul travellers.
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The total tourist arrivals by region shows that by 2020 the top three receiving regions will
be Europe (717 million tourists), East Asia and the Pacific (397 million) and Americas
(282 million), followed by Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.
East Asia and the Pacific, South Asia, the Middle East and Africa are forecasted to record
growth at rates of over 5% per year, compared to the world average of 4.1%. The more
mature regions, Europe and Americas, are anticipated to show lower than average growth
rates. Europe will maintain the highest share of world arrivals, although there will be a
decline from 60% in 1995 to 46% in 2020.
Long-haul travel worldwide will grow faster, at 5.4% per year over the period 1995-2020,
than intraregional travel, at 3.8%. Consequently the ratio between intraregional and longhaul travel will shift from around 82:18 in 1995 to close to 76:24 in 2020.
The full document “Tourism Highlights 2007 Edition” can be seen in the Facts and
Figures section of the World Tourism Organization at www.unwto.org
Here is a summary of various arguments on developing tourism
Tourism vastly increases income to a particular area or country, not only via direct
spending but also through taxation and the purchase of luxury goods which creates a
larger market than would be possible with purely local spending. In many less
developed countries tourism acts as an alternative to cash crops, improving terms of
trade and creating a more diversified economic base. Revenue received from tourists
can be reinvested in improving otherwise poorly funded infrastructure, both in areas
visited and in the rest of the country as well. The multiplier effect of spending works
through the economy to sustain levels of employment and increase labour market
flexibility. If local people are employed in the industry then they are more likely to
accept the demands tourists make.
Tourism generates income for many people, but before an area can reap the benefits it
must have first invested in developing tourism and this may present high risk. Often
large sums of money are needed to attract tourists, so significant capital investment
may be wasted (as in Jeju in South Korea, which is spending $3.6b over ten years).
The spending is concentrated in resorts rather than spread across the country, or being
put into providing for basic needs.
It is also true that tourism demands that an area conform to a certain stereotyped
image. This may even prevent modernisation or development, or require the local
inhabitants to make a caricature of their own culture. Local hostility is already turning
to litigation over the issues of access to private beaches, diving areas, water and
grazing land.
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The effect of tourism on the environment is also an area of concern. The negative
impact mass tourism has on a place is evident and undeniable. However, positive
measures have been taken to reduce or limit damage. The recent trend of ‘ecotourism’
can provide benefits to serious research, such as in Belize where tourist divers collect
information for scientists (with a similar project regarding Australian whale sharks).
Governments not otherwise inclined to protect such species will have a financial
incentive as well as a moral imperative to do so if tourists encourage it.
Critics of ‘ecotourism’ say it is as unsustainable as other forms, given the lack (apart
from in Australia) of an accepted system of accreditation. ‘Ecotourism’ can entail
anything from a sincere attempt to maintain the ecosystem to a packaged imitation of
‘real wildlife/culture’. Ironically, the attractions of unspoilt countryside are ruined by
ever more visitors: tourism is a good example of classic market failure, where the
social costs are paid by those receiving few, if any, of the benefits.
It is not purely ecosystems which are damaged by the pressure of consumption (e.g.
by sewage output or pressure on water resources), but also ancient monuments or
heritage sites. Millions of feet have eroded paths in the Peak District and the Great
Wall of China. Cheaply constructed concrete hotels are unsympathetic to the
architectural vernacular. Furthermore, noise pollution derives from clubs and bars
provided for tourists.
However, carried out in the right way, tourism may not necessarily conflict with
conservation. In York, maintaining geographical separation between old and new
buildings and refusing planning permission for certain heights of offices prevents
architectural vandalism. Similar care has been taken on parts of the Sinai coast. In
fact, artificial imitations in Las Vegas or Disneyworld serve to ease the pressure on
original areas.
International tourism in particular may increase short-term returns, but at the cost of a
dependence on the vagaries of fashions. A single climatic disaster, such as a
hurricane, or a crime wave (as in South Africa), or terrorist attack (such as that at
Luxor in 1997, where 58 tourists were attacked) will mean the market quickly
collapses. Even without this, changing trends will mean tourist tastes shift every few
years.
Some say that the increased size of the industry is currently unsustainable.
Infrastructure, and in particular airspace, is already unable to cope with the amount of
journeys demanded – so ways must be found by which to reduce tourists artificially.
But tourist numbers are continuing to rise due to cheaper travel and greater access to
previously closed countries – it may be better to try to provide facilities for them
rather than allow unlimited access which may cause environmental damage.
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