Contents:
Different parties will have to be involved in the process of developing
sustainable tourism. This paper focuses on the what the tourism industry
itself can do in order to increase its sustainability. The paper defines
three major problems and suggests possible tourism initiatives to help
solve these problems. Other problems should also been included in the discussion
for it to become exhaustive.
Problem 1:
Decreased access to natural resources for the local
communities and environmental degradation:
Tourism is not, as many people assert, a clean and non-polluting industry. A major problem is the lack of a common understanding of what sustainable tourism or ecotourism mean. This ambiguity leads to violations of environmental regulations and standards. Hence, the environmental problems evolving from tourism are manifold. First of all the tourism industry is very resource - and land intensive. Consequently, the interest of the tourism sector will often be in conflict with local resource - and land use practices.
The introduction of tourism will imply an increased stress on resources available. An influx of tourists into the area leads to a competition for resources. This competition is compounded by employees working at the tourist sites. Almost as a rule tourists are supplied at the expense of the local population.
Tourist activities imply an intensified utilisation of vulnerable habitats.
Investors and tourists do not necessarily posses awareness on how to use
natural resources sustainably, and subsequently this utilisation often
leads to a degradation of resources. Tourism is also a major generator
of wastes. In most tourist regions in developing countries, sewage, waste
water and solid waste disposal are not properly managed or planned. Lastly,
tourism is also responsible for a considerable proportion of increased
volumes and mileage in global transport and hence the associated environmentally
damaging pollutant emissions. The tourism industry has not shown sufficient
willingness to (internalise or) compensate the cost of conservation of
biodiversity by for instance protected areas, even though they profit from
it.
Recommendations and possible solutions:
In general, the tourism industry should engage in promoting sustainability
as a hole-mark for investors. More specifically, the investors in
tourism should strive to adopt environmentally sound technologies or other
measures to minimise the consumption of the local ground water. In the
case of water utilisation such measures might be water-saving equipment,
desalination systems and collecting and utilising rain water. Using other
types of resources in a sustainable manner is of course also crucial. There
is a need to use ecological materials and installation of renewable sources
of energy systems (solar energy) in all new buildings and new construction.
Furthermore there should be an acceleration of installation or solar/wind
power in all public work projects of communities where tourism will be
introduced. To prevent or minimise the impact of chemical inputs in soil,
water and health, one should start utilising sound ecological methods,
including IPM (Integrated Pest Management). Ecological methods need to
be applied in all areas utilised for tourism, including in the maintenance
of golf courts, gardens and recreational facilities.
Pollution of ground and coastal waters must be prevented, and recommendations made (perhaps even legislation) for tourism investors to invest in proper sewage treatment facilities. Appropriate waste disposal systems and ways to separate garbage into organic and non-organic waste should be developed. Organic waste can be composted and possibly reused on hotel gardens or even for local farming. This could be done through collaboration with local residents. Residents could organise themselves and manage the allocated dumping sites and hence benefit from the system in receiving payment from the hotel for services rendered. A system to separate the different materials, and recycle some should be in place at the land-fill site thus reducing the waste even further.
To avoid degradation of the natural environment, tourism projects can
help finance protected areas and safeguard ecologically sensitive regions
against further environmental deterioration. By empowering local populations
and have them participating in the entire process, sustainability will
be ensured as it becomes accepted by and adjusted to the local communities.
A protected area might certainly also be a suitable tourist-attraction,
where tourists can experience amazing nature and learn about conservation
and traditional uses of natural resources in the area.
Investors in tourism should always respect the traditional land tenure
system in the area and the traditional user-right systems of resources.
In regard to this the communication and consultation with the local communities
about resource-use is important. Tourism investors should nor exclude local
people from using local resources, and thus take away what they depend
on for maintaining their well-being.
The tourism industry can and must take initiatives to implement the polluter pays principle (or other forms of internalisation of externalities) for pollution related to tourism operations. This may be organised and carried out through local tax systems or through funds established by the tourism industry for local community development. The polluter pays principle should be applied for minor pollution only and should not be developed into a possibility for investors to pay a symbolic fine for imposed irreversible negative impacts on the local environment.
Inaccurate and/or mild environmental legislation in destinations countries
may possibly attract more foreign investors contributing to fast economic
growth and development but with environmental damage as a consequence.
To avoid the dilemma destination countries will have to face in choosing
between economic development or environmental protection international
and multinational companies enterprises must be committed to follow the
environmental standards of their home country should these be stricter
than those at the destinations.
Problem 2:
Increasing cultural erosion and disrespect for human
rights:
Tourism is a powerful agent of change. International tourism acts as a catalyst for the transition from traditional ways of life to so-called modern, Western forms of society. Accordingly, tourism often brings with it introduction of new behaviour trends and norms. Very often these are contrary to traditional norms existing in the host community and can come into conflict with its cultural identity and threaten the traditional value systems there. The problem is that the investors seem to have a lack of cultural understanding of the society the invest in. There is a need for an increased awareness that establishment of new hotels etc. will have its consequences on the society and the people who live in it.
Tourism has become associated with violation of human rights. Many destination countries have experienced an increase in criminality, prostitution, alcohol and drug abuse as a consequence of tourism. Furthermore, child labour is commonplace in the tourism industry (particularly in the informal sector). According to estimates made by ILO (International Labour Organisation), between 3 and 19 million children and teenagers work in the tourism sector. A particularly abominable form of violation of human rights is the child slavery and despicable abuse of children taking place in the booming sex industry in many countries. In these countries, tourism has led to an incredible increase in prostitution and also in the exploitation of children. The tourism industry has not yet come up with a general condemnation of these violation of human rights.
Recommendations and possible solutions:
The tourism industry should promote projects which are compatible with the cultural identity of the local population's way of life. Furthermore, the tourism sector should always make sure it acts in accordance with the cultural heritage and respect the cultural integrity of tourism destinations. This might be accomplished by defining codes of conduct for the industry and hence providing investors with a checklist for sustainable tourism projects.
Establishing and developing tourist training programmes could be one way of operationalizing codes of conducts for the tourists. Here tourists can be informed and educated about the destination for their travel both before and after the arrival at the site. At the site tourist information centres can be established through funding from the investor. The information given to the tourists should include codes of conduct regarding appropriate behaviour and clothing. It is reasonable to assume that people's offending behaviour is largely a consequence of ignorance rather than intention. Consequently, information and facts about the destination, ways of life, history, cultural heritage is crucial to help tourists get along.
It is an absolute must that tourism investors do not engage in or promote child labour and prostitution. Moreover, it is appropriate that the industry commit themselves to a global campaign against such, and any other violation of human rights.
Evaluating the sustainability of the tourism development in regard to
cultural and human right aspects is highly recommended for those responsible
for the tourism projects. As with the earlier mentioned case of preventing
environmental degradation, this must be carried out through communication
and consultation with the local communities.
Problem 3:
Unqualified jobs and foreign exchange leakage:
The tourism industry is characterised by a high degree of monopoly which implies a concentration of services and profits into very few big transnational corporations. In many countries, tourism facilities mostly belong to foreigners. Furthermore, in local host communities in many countries a relatively small number of people are involved in the tourism industry in host communities in many developing countries. Very often there is a lack of qualified manpower in the locality. Hence, most employees are recruited form the big cities, neighbouring countries or even form the country of origin of the investors.
Multiplier effects from tourism are less significant than is often assumed. One reason is that tourism industries purchase most of their inputs, be that materials, products or services in their country of origin. As a result a considerable amount of foreign exchange revenues leaks from the destination countries. The more goods, services, physical capital and human capital a country must import for its tourism services, the higher the leakage. Very often the investors are not approaching the local community to see what it actually can provide. In addition to this, the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), with its liberalisation of global trade and services, is increasingly undermining the possibilities of individual countries and regions to control their tourism industries and the possible economic gains from tourism.
Recommendations and possible solutions:
By devising local training programmes and establishing educational projects the tourism industry can ensure qualified local people employed in their projects. One should train the local people instead of foreigners to become guides due to their knowledge of the area and the resources. The investors should be responsive to the kind of knowledge, abilities and skills found in the local communities. Very often such knowledge and skills are well fitted to be used in tourist activities be it fishing trips, nature trails, souvenir sales or dancing courses for tourists etc.
To constrain foreign exchange leakage, those responsible for the tourism projects should ensure purchase of local inputs for their projects. A proper examination of local resources available will be beneficial for both the industry and the local residents. Usually there is a considerable local willingness to start producing new products if a marked for these products exists. The tourism sector should also adopt measures to prevent foreign exchange leakage by a commitment to re-investment of a fair share of the locally accrued profit. We have already mentioned protected areas, training programmes on codes of conduct for tourists or possible training of local employees as projects in need of funds. Initiatives towards more local community development projects should also be appropriate.
The tourism industry should promote the establishment of small and medium-sized tourism enterprises which compared to large-scale mega hotels etc. have far more moderate impacts on the environment. It is the industry's responsibility to act as a model for communities showing that it is possible to do business while protecting the natural resources. The industry should also promote and support local communities to start tourist related businesses and grant access to low interest loans.
It is the responsibility of the tourism sector to ensure total transparency
in all transactions and to prevent tourism projects from being used
as projects for laundering illicit money as well as to refuse using bribes
as a means to obfuscate or avoid government rules and regulations. There
should be a global boycott against those investors involved in such or
other types of illegal activities.
General recommendations and possible solutions which concern all three problem areas:
Empowerment by the residents at the tourist destination through local
participation may be facilitated by providing written and legally
binding contracts between local people and the tourism investors. The contracts
will help to avoid broken promises - which too many examples and previous
experience prove to be a huge problem. In addition to the afore mentioned
examples, providing proper information for tourists and establishing training
programmes for residents, the tourism industry through for instance the
WTTC or the WTO, with NGOs in the selection panels, could issue awards
for especially sustainable tourism projects as an encouragement for investors.
In this paper the focus have been on what the tourism industry itself
can do in order to augment and improve its environmental, cultural, social
and economic profile and make sure this is sustainable. The industry's
effort can not be successful without a profound collaboration with all
stakeholders.
Within the industry it is important that both small and large-scale
tourism operators are included in the collaboration and that they participate
in solving problems related to tourism development. As mentioned, a sustainable
development of the tourism industry can only be ensured through participation
of all local residents in the destination countries. There is a need for
a willingness and ability for the partners to work with this kind of a
bottom-up approach. In this context both environment and social NGOs have
an important role to play, putting pressure on the industry and facilitating
contracts and local participation for community development. Governments
in both destination- and countries of origin for tourists and investors
are responsible for providing appropriate legislation for sustainable tourism
development and to follow up the tourism projects with sufficient monitoring
and appropriate sanctioning. Exchange of successful experiences of sustainable
tourism projects is an important factor in this connection. Lastly, an
interdisciplinary approach to the problem is neccessary, using local, regional
and/or international consultitative fora.