Tourism: Principles, Practices, Philosophies Part One: Tourism Overview

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Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development
Learning Objectives

• Recognize the world-wide importance of natural
  resource conservation and sustainable tourism
  development.
• Learn how ecotourism can benefit local people.
• Understand the dangers and limitations of
  ecotourism.
• Understand tourist codes of ethics and
  guidelines.
• Learn current environmental practices of tourism
  organizations and suppliers.
• Learn how to maintain natural destinations.

Chapter 17 Tourism and the Environment
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The WTTC Four Myths of Tourism
Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development

• Myth 1
• Travel Tourism is a non-essential, mass
  activity of affluent people in developed
  countries.
• Myth 2
• Tourisms major environmental impact is damage to
  developing countries.
• Myth 3
• Ecotourism is the only logical, sustainable
  response to the environmental impacts of Travel
  Tourism.
• Myth 4
• Comprehensive planning regulations and control
  are the only way to curb the environmental
  exploitation of Travel Tourism.

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WTTC Key Environmental Issues
Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development

• Global warming
• Depletion of the ozone layer
• Acid rain
• Depletion and pollution of water resources
• Depletion and pollutionof land resources

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WTTC Implications of Resource Depletion
Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development

• 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 a
  decrease in customer satisfaction with tourism
  products and hence lower propensity to travel to
  some destinations.
• Higher fuel prices could lead to operational
  price increases and corresponding decreases in
  the number of travelers in this price-sensitive
  market.

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Elements of the WTTC Vision of Travel
Tourismand the Environment
Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development

• Travel Tourism is an integral aspect of modern
  societies
• Global awareness of environmental damage is
  developing rapidly
• The resources of the worlds largest industry can
  and must be harnessed to achieve environmental
  goals
• The industry has the potential to influence
  billions of customers per years and to use its
  leverage to achieve beneficial environmental
  effects
• The customer challenge will exert a growing
  pressure to achieve environmental improvements
• Environmental lobbies will add pressure to
  develop good environmental practice
• Self-regulation must be developed rapidly and
  effectively and used to influence the 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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The Premises of Sustainable Development
Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development

• The Premise of Interdependency
• The Premise of Multidisciplinarity
• The Premise of Previous Experience
• The Premise that Nature is Better
• The Premise of Politics and Power

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Sustainable Development and Tourism The Critical
Areas
Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development

• 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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Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development
Sustainable Development in Tourism A Possible
Allocation of Responsibility
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Sustainable Tourism An Agenda for Action
Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development

• ACTIVITIES
• Coordinating the development of a tourism
  philosophy and vision for the community/ region
• Specifying the major goals of the
  community/region with respect to tourism
• Obtaining consensus concerning the social,
  physical, and cultural carrying capacity of the
  community/region in question
• Identifying the specific action initiatives
  necessary to meet the tourism development
  objectives while respecting the destinations
  carrying capacities
• Gaining agreement on the measures to be used in
  monitoring the impacts of tourism in the
  community/region
• Gathering and disseminating information
  concerning the impacts of tourism on the
  community/region

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Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development
Sustainable Tourism An Agenda for Action

• PROGRAM ELEMENTS
• Maximum total visitation levels to a
  community/region
• An obligatory tax to support tourism
  infrastructure planning, development, and
  maintenance
• Community-supported legislation to protect and
  preserve unique resources and heritage sites
• Community and industry consensus concerning
  architectural and signage standards
• Support for standards and certification programs
  that encourage staff development and the delivery
  of high-quality service

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Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development
Definitions of Ecotourism
Some definitions of ecotourism are as follows

• 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

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Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development
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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Translating Idealism into Sustainable Tourism
What Managers Need to Know
Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development

• Measures of
• The general relationship between tourism and the
  environment
• The effects of environmental factors on tourism
• The impacts of the tourism industry on the
  environment

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Types of Indicators
Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development

• 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 that are developed
  uniquely for the particular site. These
  indicators reflect important factors of the site.
  Which may not be adequately covered by the core
  and supplementary eco-system-specific indicator
  sets, but are nonetheless needed for management
  of theparticular site.

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Core Indicators of Sustainable Tourism
Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development

• a International Union for the Conservation of
  Nature and Natural Resources
• b The composite indices are largely composed of
  site-specific variables. Consequently, the
  identification and evaluation of the indicators
  composing these indices require on-site direction
  from an appropriately trained and experienced
  observer. In the future, based on the experiences
  in designing composite indicators for specific
  sites, it may be possible to derive these indices
  in a more systematic fashion.See the case
  studies for Villa Gesell and Peninsula Valdes for
  application of these indices.
• Source World Tourism Organization

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Tourism Industry Associations of Canada
Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development

• Enjoy our diverse natural and cultural heritage
  and help us to protect and preserve it.
• Assist us in our conservation efforts through the
  efficient use of resources, including energy and
  water.
• Experience the friendliness of our people and the
  welcoming spirit of our communities. Help us to
  preserve these attributes by respecting our
  traditions, customs, and 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, and environmental
  sensitivity.

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Common Features of All Codes
Part Four Tourism Supply, Demand Policy,
Planning, and Development

• the need to make an overall commitment to the
  physical and human environment, to accept
  responsibility for environmental damage and take
  corrective action where necessary, and to promote
  and 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 and
• the need to cooperate with other firms, sectors
  and countries.

Chapter 17 Tourism and the Environment