This section introduces the concept of sustainable tourism
for initiatives in remote locations and outlines the steps
in planning for triple bottom line outcomes. The aim is
for a tourism business to create economic, social and
environmental benefits and minimises negative outcomes.
Key consideration in sustainable tourism are discussed,
including steps in tourism development, women in tourism,
innovation, travel decision-making and planning for tourism
growth. We begin this section with defining sustainable
tourism.
Sustainable tourism shares
some features with:
• Green tourism
• Responsible tourism
• Eco-tourism
• Environmental tourism
• Ethical tourism
WHAT IS
SUSTAINABLE
TOURISM?
When first identifying an innovative tourism project or expanding an existing
venture, the economic, socio-cultural and environmental sustainability of that
project must be considered. A critical aspect of sustainable tourism is the
need to avoid or minimise socio-cultural and environmental impacts on the
area visited by tourists. Planning and trialling tourism operations for minimal
impact before implementation is critical. Consideration should also be given to
understanding how a new venture will impact on the destination. Will it attract
more visitors to the destination? Will these visitors access new or different areas
or use local resources? What are the potential intrusions into natural habitats by
tourists? How can local communities and businesses get involved? Answering
these questions requires expertise and a high-level of skill. One first step is to
understand what minimal impact tourism is.
There is no single, universally agreed definition of minimal impact tourism. In
practice, it is commonly known as 'sustainable tourism'.
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