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Tourism and the Environment

CHAPTER

Tourism and the Environment

CHAPTER

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.

Does tourism threaten the environment?

Remember Rebecca Torres’ (2003) article?

Tourism has the potential and power to:

Enhance the environment

Provide funds for conservation

Preserve culture and history

To set sustainable use limits (e.g. Alcatraz)

To protect natural resources

“The environment is the core of the tourism product” (Goeldner & Ritchie, 2013, p. 372)

Kathmandu, Napal

Kathmandu, Capital of Nepal

Kathmandu, Napal

Kathmandu, Capital of Nepal

Kathmandu,Nepal

Kathmandu

Kathmandu, Capital of Nepal

Sandwiched between China to the north and India to the south

Nestled high in the Himalayas, the kingdom was closed to the outside world until 1951.

The city stands at an elevation of 1,370 meters or 4,110 ft.

Populations: City 1,003,285; Valley 2,517,023 and growing

Since then it has become one of the premier tourist destinations of the world.

It is also the entry point for Everest expeditions

Kathmandu and Everest – Ecotourism management

Sir Edmund Hilary

Tenzing Norgay

Kathmandu and Everest – Ecotourism management

Does tourism threaten the environment?

Before we address “how” tourism can best respond to the negative impacts, let’s look at how tourism can be “sustainable” over the long haul.

Lets look at a few terms and definitions:

Sustainable or Sustainability

Sustainable Development

Sustainable Tourism

What is Sustainable or sustainability?

Gatto (1995) 3 distinct definitions:

Sustained yield of resources that derive from the exploitation of populations and ecosystems (applied biologist's definition);

Sustained abundance and genotypic diversity of individual species in ecosystems subject to human exploitation or, more generally, intervention (ecologist’s definition); and

Sustained economic development, without compromising the existing resources for future generations (economist's definition).

Gatto, M. (1995). "Sustainability: is it a well defined concept?" Ecological Applications 5(4): 1181-1183.

What is Sustainable or sustainability?

Merriam-Webster - #2a of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged (i.e., sustainable agriculture)

Wiki – to “sustain” - to “maintain", "support", or "endure”.

the word sustainability is applied not only to human sustainability on Earth, but to many situations and contexts over many scales of space and time, from small local ones to the global balance of production and consumption.

A universally accepted definition of sustainability remains elusive because it needs to be factual and scientific, a clear statement of a specific “destination”.

The simple definition "sustainability is improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems”, though vague, conveys the idea of sustainability having quantifiable limits

“The word sustainable has been used in too many situations today, and ecological sustainability is one of those terms that confuse a lot of people. You hear about sustainable development, sustainable growth, sustainable economies, sustainable societies, sustainable agriculture. Everything is sustainable (Temple, 1992).”

Sustainability requires the reconciliation of environmental, social equity and economic demands - also referred to as the "three pillars" of sustainability or (the 3 Es).

What is Sustainable Development?

The term “sustainable development” was coined by the Int’l Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) 1980 World Conservation Strategy conclave

Defined: “a process to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (Goeldner & Ritchie, 2013, p. 372)

Sustainable development is based on 3 principles of

sound husbandry of the worlds resources and

on equity in the way those resources a used and

in the way in which the benefits obtained from them are distributed

What is Sustainable Development?

Three dimensions or pillars of sustainable development are now recognized and underlined:

Economic sustainability

Social sustainability

Environmental sustainability

Motto: “People, Planet, Prosperity”

Interdependent and mutually reinforcing or in competition. Must find a balance.

(Moldan, Bedřich, Janoušková, Svatava, & Hák, Tomáš. (2012). How to understand and measure environmental sustainability: Indicators and targets. Ecological Indicators, 17, 4-13)

Economic sustainability

Social sustainability

Environmental sustainability

Three Pillars of Sustainability

What is Sustainable Development?

Economic sustainability

Generating prosperity at different levels of society and addressing the cost effectiveness of all economic activity

Its about the vitality of enterprises and activities and their ability to be maintained in the long term

Economic sustainability

Social sustainability

Environmental sustainability

What is Sustainable Development?

Economic sustainability

Social sustainability

Respecting human rights and equal opportunities for all society.

Requires an equitable distribution of benefits,

Focusing on alleviating poverty

Emphasis on local communities

Recognizing/respecting different cultures

Avoid any form of explotation

Economic sustainability

Social sustainability

Environmental sustainability

What is Sustainable Development?

Economic sustainability

Social sustainability

Environmental sustainability

Conserving and managing resources

Especially those that are not renewable (example?)

Action to minimize pollution of air, land and water

Conserve biological diversity and natural heritage

Economic sustainability

Social sustainability

Environmental sustainability

What is Sustainable Development?

Bhutan's 4 pillars of gross national happiness:

Equitable social economic development

Preservation of culture

Conservation of the environment

Good government

What is Sustainable tourism?

Defined: tourism based on the principles of sustainable development (3Es)

A condition of tourism, not a type of tourism

Fundamental Objective:

To make ALL tourism more sustainable

High-volume tourism can be just as sustainable as small-scale, dispersed special-interest tourism.

Economic sustainability

Social sustainability

Environmental sustainability

What is Sustainable tourism?

The World Tourism Organization's (WTO) Definition of Sustainable Tourism

"Sustainable tourism development guidelines and management practices are applicable to all forms of tourism in all types of destinations, including mass tourism and the various niche tourism segments. Sustainability principles refer to the environmental, economic and sociocultural aspects of tourism development, and a suitable balance must be established among these three dimensions to guarantee its long-term sustainability.”

Thus, sustainable tourism should:

Economic sustainability

Social sustainability

Environmental sustainability

What is Sustainable tourism?

Thus, WTO suggest sustainable tourism should:

Make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural resources and biodiversity.

Respect the sociocultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to intercultural understanding and tolerance.

Ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socioeconomic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation.

What is Sustainable tourism?

Thus, WTO suggest sustainable tourism should: (cont.)

Sustainable tourism development requires the informed participation of all relevant stakeholders as well as strong political leadership to ensure wide participation and consensus building. Achieving sustainable tourism is a continuous process and it requires constant monitoring of impacts, introducing the necessary preventive and/or corrective measures whenever necessary.

Sustainable tourism should also maintain a high level of tourist satisfaction and ensure a meaningful experience to the tourists, raising their awareness about sustainability issues and promoting sustainable tourism practices amongst them.

Tourism and Sustainable development-a special relationship

Tourism is unique in that its relationship involves:

Tourist (consumer)

Tourism industry

The environment

Local community

Three important and unique aspects of the relationship between tourism and sustainable development

Interaction

Delivering unique experiences through the interactions

Awareness

Tourists are aware of environmental issues, national differences and cultures.

This can affect attitudes and concerns for sustainability

Dependency

Tourists depend on destination environments to be intact, clean, attractive natural areas, authentic historic/culture traditions and welcoming hosts.

Some guiding principles and approaches to achieving sustainability?

Setting the course for sustainable tourism

Take a holistic view

Pursue multi-stakeholder engagement

Plan for the long-term

Address both global and local impacts

Promote sustainable consumption

Equate sustainability and quality

Some guiding principles and approaches to achieving sustainability?

Setting the course for sustainable tourism

Formulating a development plan

Reflect all impacts in costs-polluter-pays principle

Minimize risk taking – Precautionary principle

Take a life-cycle perspective

Consider functional alternatives

Respect limits – Carrying capacity of destination

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.

Some guiding principles and approaches to achieving sustainability?

Setting the course for sustainable tourism

Formulating a development plan

Managing the destination on an ongoing basis

Adapt to changing conditions

Undertake continuous monitoring using indicators

Core indicators-applies to ALL destinations (e.g., stress, social impact, etc.)

Destination-specific indicators (e.g., carrying capacity, site stress, etc.)

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:

Supplementary ecosystem-specific indicators for application to particular ecosystems (e.g., coastal areas, parks and protected areas, or mountainous regions).

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-system-specific indicator sets, but are nonetheless needed for management of the particular site.

Some guiding principles and approaches to achieving sustainability?

Setting the course for sustainable tourism

Formulating a development plan

Managing the destination on an ongoing basis

Setting the agenda for sustainable tourism

Two primary elements:

The ability of tourism to continue as an activity in the future

The ability of society and the environment to absorb and benefit from the impacts of tourism in a sustainable way

The agenda for sustainable tourism involves 12 aims that address economic, social and environmental impacts

Sustainable Tourism: 12 Aims for An Agenda

Economic viability: Ensure viability/competitiveness of tourism destinations and enterprises, so they continue to prosper and deliver benefits in the long term.

Local prosperity: Maximize contribution of tourism to economic prosperity of host destination, including proportion of visitor spending retained locally.

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.

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.

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.

Sustainable Tourism: 12 Aims for An Agenda (continued)

Sustainable Development and Tourism: The five Critical Areas

Defining the Relevant Population/Community

Defining the Time Horizon

Defining the Dimensions of Sustainability

Defining the Values that Underlie Sustainable Development

Allocating Responsibility for Action

Sustainable Development in Tourism: Possible Allocation of Responsibility

Sustainable tourism vs. Ecotourism

Sustainable tourism – conveys a more functional societal obligation to ensure the conditions necessary to maintain the physical environment in as “preserved state” for future generations.

Ecotourism - conveys a greater concern for the fundamental obligation of all travelers to avoid harming, and indeed protect, all sites that they visit. Individual travelers must accept responsibility for their behavior.

Definitions of Ecotourism

Some definitions of ecotourism:

Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local people

Environmentally friendly travel that emphasizes seeing and saving natural habitats and archeological treasures

A tool for conservation

Ecologically responsible tourism

Benefits and Importance of Ecotourism

Thought… True or false?

Ecology + tourism = Ecotourism

Ecology is defined as the science of the relationships between organisms and environment

When tourism is connected to ecology, a foreign entity is introduced and nature’s relationship are changed.

Ecotourism does not work when Eco tours are so popular that they destroy the very environment they seek to protect.

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

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

Visitors/Tourists

 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

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
Visitors/Tourists	· 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