Tourism Sustainability (Essay Sample)

CAN TOURISM BE SUSTAINABLE IN THE 21ST CENTURY? by [Name] Course Professor’s Name Institution Location of Institution Date Can Tourism be Sustainable in the 21st Century? Tourism has continued to grow as it gains popularity as people’s way of life. Advocacy for sustainable tourism has equally seen a growing concern for having tourism as an integral part of development. This concept of sustainable tourism revolves around so much uncertainty as the issue is still sprouting due to many developments in the tourism sector. This has made its definition a little elusive but Weaver (2006, p.10) makes it simple by defining sustainable tourism as development in tourism that satisfies the needs of the present generation without jeopardizing those of the future generations. Therefore those currently reaping the fruits of tourism must endure to increase its positive outcomes and avoid any negative outcomes at all costs. The primary purpose of this paper is to gather facts so that it can have a concrete conclusion on whether tourism is sustainable in the 21st Century or not. Tourism and Sustainability From Weaver’s definition, it is clear that the question of tourism sustainability is all about what tourism can do for the local people who are on the receiving end when effects of tourism come knocking. In terms of development that directly touches the local people, tourism is linked to economic, social and environmental development (Lanza et al.2005, p. 226). Local people are significantly involved in policy making with regard to this issue. The focal point of development may seem of small scale but all segments must work together to have obtain the benefits. Actually McCool and Moisey (2008, p. 285) note that the three major institutionalparticipants involved in tourism development decisions include: public agencies who are in charge of natural resources and attractions, the tourism industry which provides a wide variety of services and the local residents who may offer cultural attractions and may benefit or suffer from the developments. It is notable that each participant has a responsibility of ensuring that their section is sustainable in support of the other sections of the system. McCool and Moisey further note that if these institutions do not exist in a symbiotic relationship, then alleviation of the undesired outcomes may be hard to achieve. Each participant must embrace sustainability and engage in suitable activities and development that resonates with others. Participants need to increase efforts and achieve individual goals otherwise trying to achieve everything at the same time may result to nothing (McCool and Moisey 2008, p. 286). All activities are guided by sets of standards that help in implementing sustainability. The 1995 Charter on Sustainable Tourism provides a principle based program, with 18 principles intended for the public agencies and the tourism industry (World Conference on Sustainable Tourism, 1995, p. 12). For example principle one states that tourism should be based on the condition of sustainability that is it must support the ecology, economy, ethics and societal norms. Principle three calls for tourism to be supportive of local people as well as their culture. These principles charge the three institutional participants with a duty of ensuring that tourism is sustainable. It is clear that emphasis laid by the Charter calls for the public agencies, tourism industry to cooperate with the local community where tourism has potential or is already well developed. For example the popularity of Machu Picchu, Peru an Inca site rediscovered in 1911, has seen it become unsustainable due to its own success. A lot of marketing has been done so that the site can earn more foreign currency but if the government wants the site to be intact in the future then, some restrictions have to be ensured especially in limiting the access to the site. Hudson (2008, p. 440) notes that the number of visitors to the site has been on the increase; in 1992 only 9,000 tourists visited throughout the year, 2002 the number rose to 150,000 and it reached approximately 400,000 by 2005. No laws were in place to restrict access or guide visitors’ conduct but as the Aguas Calientes village grew in size the banks of a nearby river were an eyesore of litter dropped by the visitors. Local people were also exploited by the visitors until the government got involved in regulating the activities around Machu Picchu. In 2001 the Peruvian government limited the number of visitors to 500 per day and must be guided by registered tour companies so that conservation regulations are adhered to. This was after it bowed to pressure from conservation bodies to take immediate corrective action. UNESCO had threatened to put Machu Picchu on its list of World Heritage in Danger sites which was meant to humiliate the Peruvian government in a bid to save the site. By so doing the government looked at the bigger picture of having a sustainable destination that would provide jobs for the future generation in the local community and an attraction that will be intact for the future visitors. The tourism industry supports the government efforts by ensuring that they have registered tour guides to accompany the visitors and ensure that the code of conduct is not assumed. Another example is south of England in the well-preserved countryside, Cranborne Chase and the popular New Forest. There is too much pressure on the New Forest because of its unique scenery which attracts many visitors for leisure and recreation. Pressure from visitors is also as a result of its easy accessibility from the adjacent Bournemouth and Southampton urban areas through the national motorway network. The authority has established laws that protect its landscape, flora and fauna. It is important to manage the numbers of visitors because of the potential impact they have on the site, local people and the ecosystem. This strategy is interconnected with responsibility of each institutional participant in one way or another (Boniface and Cooper 2005, p.119). Hall and Brown (2006, p.17) list five principles of sustainability as indicated in the Brundtland Report. One is holistic planning and strategy-making which involves making decisions that help the whole system achieve the desired short term and long term outcomes in relation to sustainability. It is always good to have a vision of where you want to go because it makes it easier to create pathways that will lead you there. Though in planning there are many unforeseen challenges they should not limit the desired goals. Plans help all the institutional participants in soliciting for the necessary resources that are required to make tourism sustainable. However, (Hanna 2005, p.27) found that efforts to achieve actual community participation in tourism is rather complicated because involving it in every stage of planning has proven hard to satisfy. Second is preservation of essential ecological processes which means that sustainability should ensure continued adequate environmental excellence. Some tourism products are directly linked to the ecology and therefore it is good to maintain it so that the future generations can also enjoy products. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to regain such products once the ecological processes have been tampered with. Third is protection of both human heritage and biodiversity this means that welfare of human beings must be upheld always. Lickorish and Jenkins (1997, p. 80) indicated that retention of communities in their original form is the best way to conserve tradition and lifestyles. They further posit that many a times there is a conflict between economic and cultural interests which ends up sacrificing the culture in the name of promoting tourism. There is no way a community can gain economic value at the price of losing a cultural value. The fourth one is development embracing productivity that can be sustained over the long term for future generations. Tourism that is sustainable should be concerned about the future so that the generations who visit can enjoy the tourism products and those in the host region can benefit economically. The fifth principle calls for achievement of a better balance of fairness and opportunity between nations. Reisinger (2009, p. 5) notes that relations connect distant regions in a manner that events happening locally are influenced by international events. Therefore occurrences in one nation will affect another and hence the need to be mindful of other nations. Conclusion There is a great concern for the environment and it is bound...