Defining Sustainable Tourism
Discusss about the Role of international and/or supranational organizations in the planning and implementation of sustainable tourism development.
“Sustainable tourism is an industry committed to making a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people.” (World Tourism Organization, e.d.). On one hand, the role of this industry is important and affirmative role in the socio-economic and political development such as providing new employment opportunities. On the other hand, as a way of creating opportunities for unemployment, it has not satisfied its expectations (Todorut, &Cîrnu, 2013). Simultaneously, criticisms from tourist destinations are showing the unenthusiastic influence upon culture, environments and living style which increase the demand for a more sustainable development in tourism. The essay will focus on the role of international organization in the execution and planning of sustainable tourism development. The theories and concepts will be described in the context of sustainable development. Involvement of tourism at international level will be elaborated with justification.
Sustainable tourism has different meaning for different people. There are various approaches such as business and management that control the tourism institutionally and philosophically and restrain tourism studies from enhancing innovative direction in culture and heritage tourism. Sustainable tourism development needs the well-versed contribution of entire applicable stakeholders along with strong political leadership to make sure broad participation and harmony building (Neto, 2003). Attaining sustainable tourism is considered as the constant process of monitoring and initiate defensive as well as corrective measures. Along with that sustainable tourism can maintain the upper level of tourist contentment and make sure a significant practice to the tourists, enhancing their consciousness about the matter of sustainability and endorsing sustainable tourism practices amongst them.
There are various theories and models available in the surrounding of the tourism phenomenon which has been posed, and each ashore has number of methodologies and discipline which has enhanced over shifting paradigms and initiating an enormous and diverse array of tourism knowledge. It has been found that there are numbers of references in the context of tourism research, which shows that to achieve the sustainability integrated and holistic theory should be there. As per Koutra, (2010), the role of integrated theory for sustainable tourism is vital to resolve the conflicts of economic, social and environmental factors. Integrated theory is helpful to bring the economic benefits, local jobs and participants, reducing waste and prevention of the natural environment. On the other hand Holistic theory integrates and identifies the inherent and instrumental values of ecosystems, biosphere and species and put emphasis on the significance of preventing the ecosystems in which those species lives. These approaches or theories are playing an integral role in the term of long term thinking because it has been seen that due to expand the tourism industry, many people ignore the value of the species that living there. These approaches would be helpful for the tourism industry to protect the species and enhance the number of tourism by including all interest groups.
Theories and Models for Sustainable Tourism
Jamal and McDonald (2011) stated in their study on heritage tourism that the requirement for a theoretical framework of the macro social context as micro individual drawing from assorted disciplines (Guidebook, 2004). It can be perceived integration taking place in theory in the form of theoretical integration, while there are different perspectives of theory are integrated to inform the research. The role of international has huge importance in the planning and implementation of sustainable tourism development. Along with that the involvement of local stakeholders and targeted local population are important in the planning process. There are various principles, declaration and codes such as Oslo statement on ecotourism, 2007, Québec Declaration on Ecotourism, May 2002, (the importance of global tourism), (sustainable tourism- perspective as per local authority), (sustainable tourism- perspective as per NGO) and global codes of ethics for tourism, 1999. World Tourism organization is focused on the enhancement of the well being of communities, identifying the product quality and tourist satisfaction, supporting to the protection of natural and environmental elements and concerning the adaptive management and monitoring (Kidder & Spears, 2011). It is integral to note that various stakeholders included in the business of tourism are liable for the execution of various principles. Tourism business, government, NGOs, tourists and local communities can all participate to make sustainable tourism. In order to attain the aim of sustainable tourism, it is essential that participants should encourage each other to focus on the principles of sustainable tourism (Keske&Smutko, 2010).
Involvement in tourism at the international level may be essential because it would be helpful in the growth of the specific country’s economy because it will enhance the tourism and earning of the specific country. It has been analyzed that important international conferences and agreements are being done. For instance, The Marrakesh Task Force Sustainable Tourism, developed in 2006, is motivating the execution of the actions that are liable to endorse sustainable tourism by the increment of support tools and showing the existing initiatives that may motivate the pilot projects and better practice in other countries (Decker, Raik, Carpenter, Organ, Schusler, 2005). It can be justified through describing the role of various department and government in the encouragement of tourism at international level. Another example is “International Guidelines for Biological Diversity and Tourism Development” which is established in 2004, for the purpose of accomplish the concept of sustainable tourism and it must be measured by all relevant bodies in the form of tool for planning of future and management of tourism. The major focus of these guidelines is on susceptible ecosystems and in protected areas (Butts & Singh, 2010).
There are different kinds of organization that has different roles and responsibilities such as UN World Tourism Organization, World travel and tourism council (WTTC), Pacific Asia travel association, National tourism organization, International Civil organization and professional tourism organization. The role of UN World Tourism Organization is vital in term of serving as a global forum for the concerns of tourist policy and plays a major role in promoting the sustainable, universally and responsible accessible tourism. WTTC is the private leading sector and involve various memberships such as tour operators, online distribution, cruise lines and gaming industry. The role and responsibility of the pacific Asia travel association is to increase the travel and tourism industry in the region of Asia Pacific Region. On the other hand national tourism organization is a primary government bodies that are liable to increase the scope of tourism industry in the specific country (Caffyn&Jobbins, 2003). International Civil Aviation organization has responsibility to promote the civil aviation on the scale of universal. The tourism industry is affected by the different roles and responsibilities of different organization such as specific organization that is Asia travel association are developed to promote the tourism industry in particular area not entire world which may influence the other destinations such as Australia, United States and United Kingdom. On the positive perspective, the organization such as WTTC and UTWTO are implemented the plan for developing the tourism industry in the whole world. It has been analyzed that tourism has been affected in various destinations as a result of various international agreements such as World Heritage List on Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Angkor is the symbol of the national identity for a long time and the temple of the Angkor Wat is the symbol of the Cambodia’s Kingdom. It had suffered due to indirect involvement of the Cambodia in the Vietnam War. UNESCO appealed to save Angkor and the situation of this monument improved and this site of World Heritage is no longer listed as in danger. It reflects that the war, disputes and bad environment may impact the tourism and people would not prefer to visit that places. The international agreements are helpful to increase the protection of the World Heritage Sites as well as the tourists by developing the strict rules for that places which come under issues of world.
Importance of International Organizations
It has been analyzed that there are an assortment of components of issues which may influence the tourism industry positively as well as negatively (Koutra, 2010). For instance, housing issues, community demographics, normal impacts on community life and changes in lifestyle are able to impact the tourism industry and the roles and responsibility of different organization can impact on the sustainable development of tourism industry. The role of international organizations is vital in developing the sustainable tourism because it puts positive impact such as government development policies local politics, tourism, private initiatives and economic change (World Health Organization, 2003). Sustainable tourism has good impact for the urban communities such as it provide the opportunity to get job opportunity, new markets for local products, improvement in the environment quality and socio-economic impacts. There are some examples such as Gijon, sustainable destination which is certified as “Biosphere World Urban Destination”, honored by Responsible Tourism Institute (ITR). FeynanEcolodge is a sustainable hotel in Jordan. The concept of this hotel is ecotourism which is possessed by Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN). Along with there are various projects and hotels are involved in the planning for making sustainable development of tourism industry which influence the impact in the positive term on the tourism industry. Every coin has two aspects which reflect positive as well as negative terms of specific situation. Although tourism is the profitable source for revenue for the destination, but it has also negative influence on it. These influences are involved both physical and cultural. The changes in climate and the reduction of the ozone layer are two key consequences of this that enhance the global traffic and industrial development. The international organizations are developed tourism industry by implementing various plans but it is vital for them to focus on the negative impact of executed plans on the environment, cultural and economic of the country (Bushell, Staiff& Eagles, 2007).
From the above discussion, it has been concluded that tourism is anticipated to recommence its swift growth in the future. This expansion can be connected not only for the amusements of tourists but also for increasing the benefits of economic and amplifying the living way of host communities as well as countries. There are various organizations that are focusing on the sustainable development of tourism and implement the plan of ecotourism and other effective strategies of sustainable tourism to minimize the negative influence. It has been recommended for the sustainable economic development to build the NGO support system and concentrate on training. It is vital for the developing the sustainable development to participate the genuine community, human resource development and assistance of technical and financial
References
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Butts, T., & Singh, S. (2010).Sustainable tourism as a tool for conservation and protection of the Amazon rainforest in Guyana?Sustainable tourism, 2(2), 173-185
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Decker, D.J., Raik, D.B., Carpenter, L.H., Organ, J.F., Schusler, T.M. (2005). Collaboration for community based wildlife management. Urban Ecosystems, 8, 227-236
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Jamal, T., & McDonald, D. (2011). The short and long of collaborative planning in the mountain resort destination of Canmore, Canada, Current Issues in Tourism, 14(1), 1-25
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Koutra, C. (2010). Rapid situation analysis: A hybrid, multi-methods, qualitative, participatory approach to researching tourism development phenomena’, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 18: 8, 1015 — 1033
Neto, F. (2003). A new approach to sustainable tourism development: Moving beyond environmental protection. In Natural resources forum (Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 212-222). Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Todorut, A. V., &Cîrnu, D. (2013). The Effects Of Sustainable Tourism Management For Local Communities. AnaleleUniversit??iiConstantinBrâncu?i din TârguJiu: SeriaEconomie, 2(2), 155-160.
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World Tourism Organization, (e.d.). Defining Sustainable Tourism. Accessed on 8th January, 2018 from: https://www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/sustour-define.html.
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