This document discusses sustainable tourism and the environment. It covers topics like the principles of sustainable development and tourism, challenges to achieving sustainability, and the role of ecotourism. The three pillars of sustainability are outlined as economic, social and environmental. Ecotourism is defined as responsible travel that conserves habitats and sustains local communities. Indicators are identified to measure sustainability at destinations.

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Principles, Practices, Philosophies
TOURISM
TWELFTH EDITION
Charles R. Goeldner
J. R. Brent Ritchie
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CHAPTER
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Tourism and the Environment
17

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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.

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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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• 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.
ELEMENTS OF THE WTTC VISION OF TRAVEL
& TOURISM AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(CONTINUED)

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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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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
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN TOURISM:
POSSIBLE ALLOCATION OF RESPONSIBILITY

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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.

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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.

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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)

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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 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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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-system-
specific 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