Tourism and Sustainability PDF

Tourism and sustainability Francesc Romagosa [email protected] 1. Introduction to sustainable tourism 1.1 Sustainable development 1.2 Sustainable tourism 2. Tourism and environmental sustainability 2.1 Tourism and the environment 2.2 Tourism and the global env...

Tourism and sustainability Francesc Romagosa [email protected] 1. Introduction to sustainable tourism 1.1 Sustainable development 1.2 Sustainable tourism 2. Tourism and environmental sustainability 2.1 Tourism and the environment 2.2 Tourism and the global environmental crisis 2.3 Environmental policies for a sustainable tourism 3. Tourism and economic and social sustainability 3.1 Economic and social impacts of tourism 3.2 Ethics and tourism 3.3 Economic and social policies for a sustainable tourism 4. Tools for a more sustainable tourism 4.1 Main stakeholders and their roles 4.2 Tools for more sustainable tourism destinations 4.3 Tools for more sustainable tourism enterprises Continuous assessment: 3 practical assignments (50%) 2 partial exams ○ 1st exam: 25 october 2024 ○ 2nd exam; 20 december 2024 1.1 Introduction to sustainable development Definition: We who live now should live well with good quality of life but without compromising the future, don't over explore the planet. Thinking in the long term and maintaining it. Major planetary problems (existed 30 years ago) that make evident the need for a new development model: Biodiversity loss Deforestation and desertification Greenhouse effect and climate change Lack of water Ozone layer depletion Population growth, poverty and human inequalities  - A balance between the pillars have to be found. - In a nutshell, if any type of development pretends to be sustainable, it should be: 1. Economically viable (thinking long-term) 2. Socially fair (no exploiting, human rights) 3. 3. Environmentally and culturally respectful Think globally, act locally. Concepts related to sustainability: Rationality →think twice when you act, what's the impact. Savings→ saving for the future (resources). Efficiency Humility → also think about other species, animals etc. Equity Responsibility→ to act in a responsible way. Commitment Examples of emerging concepts Resilience→ Be able to recover, to overcome a problem and adapt to new circumstances. Sustainability developments has strengths and weaknesses (historical point of view): - Novelty: ➔ It puts the economy, and social and environmental needs at the same level ➔ It overcomes traditional ideologies - Oppurtunity ➔ Global crisis ➔ Ideological crisis The humans in the center: Anthropocentric Criticisms to the concept of sustainable development It is an ambiguous (open to implement in different ways) and imprecise concept (this makes its effective implementation and measurement difficult) It is a contradictory concept (development vs. growth, it is not the same) It is a concept that can be badly used (e.g. “greenwashing”, or the confusion between “sustainable growth”, “green growth” or “sustained development” with “sustainable development”) Erik Swyngedouw → Impossible sustainability, he says there a lots of different sustainabiltites (sustainable poverties, cities, growth, wetlands, loss, markets, water, development, bodies and more). However he says there is no practices. No one is against it and all are concerned about long time survival of humanity but just keep doing business as usual. Sustainability requires a change in a way of: Thinking Acting Producing Consuming UNWTO and SDG. Goal 1 - No poverty: As one of the largest and fastest growing economic sectors in the world, tourism is well-positioned to foster economic growth and development at all levels and provide income through job creation. Sustainable tourism development, and its impact at community level, can be linked with national poverty reduction goals, those related to promoting entrepreneurship and small businesses, and empowering less favored groups, particularly youth and women. Goal 2 - Zero Hunger: Tourism can spur sustainable agriculture by promoting the production and supplies to hotels, and sales of local products to tourists. Agro-tourism can generate additional income while enhancing the value of the tourism experience. Goal 3 - Good Health and Well-being: Tax income generated from tourism can be reinvested in health care and services, improving maternal health, reduce child mortality and preventing diseases. Visitors fees collected in protected areas can as well contribute to health services. Goal 4 - Quality Education:Tourism has the potential to promote inclusiveness. A skilful workforce is crucial for tourism to prosper. The tourism sector provides opportunities for direct and indirect jobs for youth, women, and those with special needs, who should benefit through educational means. Goal 5 - Gender Equality: Tourism can empower women, particularly through the provision of direct jobs and income-generation from SMEs in tourism and hospitality related enterprises. Tourism can be a tool for women to become fully engaged and lead in every aspect of society. Goal 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation: Tourism investment requirement for providing utilities can play a critical role in achieving water access and security, as well as hygiene and sanitation for all. The efficient use of water in tourism, pollution control and technology efficiency can be key to safeguarding our most precious resource. Goal 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy: As a sector, which is energy intensive, tourism can accelerate the shift towards increased renewable energy shares in the global energy mix. By promoting investments in clean energy sources, tourism can help to reduce green house gases, mitigate climate change and contribute to access of energy for all. Goal 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth: Tourism, as services trade, is one of the top four export earners globally, currently providing one in ten jobs worldwide. Decent work opportunities in tourism, particularly for youth and women, and policies that favour better diversification through tourism value chains can enhance tourism positive socio-economic impacts. Goal 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Tourism development relies on good public and private infrastructure. The sector can influence public policy for infrastructure upgrade and retrofit, making them more sustainable, innovative and resource-efficient and moving towards low carbon growth, thus attracting tourists and other sources of foreign investment. Goal 10 - Reduced Inequality: Tourism can be a powerful tool for reducing inequalities if it engages local populations and all key stakeholders in its development. Tourism can contribute to urban renewal and rural development by giving people the opportunity to prosper in their place of origin. Tourism serves as an effective mean for economic integration and diversification Goal 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities: Tourism can advance urban infrastructure and accessibility, promote regeneration and preserve cultural and natural heritage, assets on which tourism depends. Investment in green infrastructure (more efficient transport, reduced air pollution) should result in smarter and greener cities for, not only residents but also tourists. Goal 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production: The tourism sector needs to adopt sustainable consumption and production (SCP) modes, accelerating the shift towards sustainability. Tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for tourism including for energy, water, waste, biodiversity and job creation will result in enhanced economic, social and environmental outcomes. Goal 13 - Climate Action: Tourism contributes to and is affected by climate change. Tourism stakeholders should play a leading role in the global response to climate change. By reducing its carbon footprint, in the transport and accommodation sector, tourism can benefit from low carbon growth and help tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Goal 14 - Life Below Water: Coastal and maritime tourism rely on healthy marine ecosystems. Tourism development must be a part of Integrated Coastal Zone Management in order to help conserve and preserve fragile marine ecosystems and serve as a vehicle to promote a blue economy, contributing to the sustainable use of marine resources. Goal 15 - Life on Land: Rich biodiversity and natural heritage are often the main reasons why tourists visit a destination. Tourism can play a major role if sustainably managed in fragile zones, not only in conserving and preserving biodiversity, but also in generating revenue as an alternative livelihood to local communities. Goal 16 - Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: As tourism revolves around billions of encounters between people of diverse cultural backgrounds, the sector can foster multicultural and inter-faith tolerance and understanding, laying the foundation for more peaceful societies. Tourism, which benefits and engages local communities, can also consolidate peace in post-conflict societies. Goal 17 - Partnerships for the Goals: for 2030 Ideas to implement sdgs in tourism industry: 1. No poverty; by working together with local businesses, e.g hotel restaurants work together with local farmers and artists for decoration. Also by creating jobs for local communities, have an amount of vacancies for locals with minorities, they can also offer training to get them experience. 2. Responsible consumption and production: restaurants in hotels or etc. will add fees to people that leave food untouched at a buffet. The can do to good to go with their leftovers. Analyze food consumption, to show how much food should be made, to minimise leftovers.  3. Life below water: tourism should try to minimise marine pollution by for example not using motor boats in sensitive marine areas, diving and snorkeling should be done with very clear instructions to not affect animals or coral etc. Beach clean ups can also be organized. 1.2 Sustainable tourism Relationship between tourism and sustainable development On the positive side, tourism can: - Provide a growing source of opportunities for enterprise development and employment creation as well as stimulating investment and support for local services, even in quite remote communities. - Bring tangible economic value to natural and cultural resources. This can result in direct income from visitor spending for their conservation, and an increase in support for conservation from local communities. - Be a force for inter-cultural understanding and peace On the negative side: - Place direct pressure on fragile ecosystems causing degradation of the physical environment and disruption to wildlife. - Compete for the use of scarce resources, notable land and water. - Be a significant contributor to local and global pollution. - Be a vulnerable and unstable source of incomes, as it is often vert sensitive to actual or perceived changes to the environmental and social conditions of destinations. - Exert considerable pressure on host communities and led to alteration of local communities. Sustainable tourism: ➔ The growing awareness of negative impacts that tourism exerts over the environment and local communities led several decades ago to the recognition of the need to promote a new tourism model (the so-called sustainable tourism). ➔ “Sustainable tourism is the tourism that satisfies the needs of tourists and hosting regions and at the same time preserves and improves future opportunities” (WTO, 1993). ➔ “Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities” (UNEP - WTO, 2005). Because of negative impacts a new model sustainable tourism was created. Green tourism-> environmental Tourism should positively contribute to: - Economy - The scoial welfare - The environmental conservation Both local and global Consequently, sustainable tourism should be seen not as a specific type of tourism (e.g. cultural tourism, beach tourism, etc.), but as: - a way to understand the whole tourism sector (a philosophy), - an objective that any type of tourism destination, enterprise or related stakeholder, should pursue. Guiding principles of sustainable tourism (UNEP – WTO, 2005) Taking a holistic view Pursuing multi-stakeholder engagement Planning for the long term Addressing global and local impacts Promoting sustainable consumption Equating sustainability and quality Minimizing risk taking—precautionary principle / considering alternatives Types of tourism that are highly compatible with the concept of sustainable tourism; Ecotourism Cultural tourism which involves visitors learning about the history and culture of the area.  Urban attractions which provide new uses for derelict sites Small-scale rural ‘agro-tourism’ which brings income to farmers. Conversation holidays where tourists do conservation work during their vacation. Types of tourism that are largely incompatible with the concept of sustainable tourism Mass market coastal tourism (all in clusive) Activity holidays (skiing, off road vehicl drfiving and mountain biking) Sex tourism (transferring diseases hiv) Hunting and fishing Very fragile environments (forest, and antarctic) Evolution of sustainable tourism 1. Polar opposites, mass and sustainable were total opposites one had to go if the other wanted to be developed. 2. A continuum, try to find a place in the middle/ balance 3. Movement, positive action could make mass tourism more sustainable. 4. Convergence, all type of tourism can strive to be sustainable. Milestones: Global sustainable tourism council (2010) EU strategy for sustainable tourism (2021) Key stakeholders - The host community: (directly and not directly employed, loyal business people) - Tourists: mass and eco tourist - Voluntary sector: non governmental organization, trust and charities (dev. countries.) - Experts: commercial consultants, acedemics - Govermental bodies: european, region, national, local, all. - Tourism industries: tour operators, attractions, retail, transport, hospitality sector) - Pressure groups: environment, wildlife, human rights, workers rights - Media: specialist travel, news Jost Krippendorf ↑ 1. Exploration Stage Unknown. small number of adventurous tourist, often interested in nature, culture, or novelty. Facilities and services for tourists are minimal or nonexistent. The local environment and culture are typically preserved because tourism is limited in scale and impact. 2. Involvement Stage Word spread, more visitors arrive, local population recognize tourism's potential. Basic facilities (like accommodations and transport) develop, and local businesses start to cater to tourists. Local residents begin to get involved in tourism activities, but the destination is still relatively unspoiled. 3. Development Stage  Tourism rapidly expands, external investments and the development of extensive infrastructure (hotels, resorts, entertainment). Large numbers of tourists now visit, and the destination becomes more commercialized. The local culture and environment may begin to change due to the influx of tourists. Mass tourism often leads to overdevelopment, environmental degradation, and the displacement of local traditions and practices. 4. Consolidation Stage Well-established, significant part of the local economy. Visitor numbers may continue to increase, but the growth rate starts to slow. The destination becomes more standardized, with less unique or local appeal. The environment and cultural heritage might suffer from overuse, leading to potential conflicts between residents and tourists. Visitor satisfaction may decline if the area becomes overcrowded or loses its authenticity. 5. Stagnation Stage Tourist numbers reach peak, destination's appeal starts to diminish due to overdevelopment, environmental issues, or a loss of its original charm. The infrastructure begins to age, and the area may become overly dependent on tourism. At this stage, the destination becomes vulnerable to external factors (such as competition from new destinations), and the negative impacts of tourism (pollution, overcrowding) are highly visible. The destination may also experience declining tourist numbers and a loss of revenue. 6. Decline or Rejuvenation Stage This final stage can go in two directions: ○ Decline: The destination becomes unattractive due to overuse, environmental degradation, or changing tourist preferences. Visitor numbers decrease, and businesses may close or shift away from tourism. ○ Rejuvenation: If a destination invests in revitalization efforts (like infrastructure improvements, marketing, or developing new attractions), it can attract a new wave of tourists and restart its growth. Without proper management, decline can lead to economic and social challenges for the local population. However, rejuvenation strategies, especially those that focus on sustainability, can help revive the destination. Key challenges for more sustainable tourism in the 21st Century (UNEP - WTO, 2005): - Managing dynamic growth (planning of new development, special attention to vulnerable / fragile areas or resources) - Climate change (consequences of / contributions to) - Poverty alleviation (creation of job opportunities / improve the existing ones) - Support for conservation - Health, safety and security Key challenges for the sustainability of European tourism (Tourism Sustainability Group, European Commission, 2007): - Challenge 1: Reducing the seasonality of demand - Challenge 2: Addressing the impact of tourism transport - Challenge 3: Improving the quality of tourism jobs - Challenge 4: Maintaining and enhancing community prosperity and quality of life, in the face of change  - Challenge 5: Minimising resource use and production of waste - Challenge 6: Conserving and giving value to natural and cultural heritage - Challenge 7: Making holidays available to all - Challenge 8: Using tourism as a tool in global sustainable development 2.1 Tourism and environmental sustainability Environment: ➔ our surroundings, all the things we have around us (so almost everything). E.g. beach, cultural heritage, gastronomy, animals, recreational activities. Quality, cleanliness. ➔ The surroundings or conditions is which a person, animal or plant live or operates. Destination put promotional images that do not always align with the perceived/actual experience, such as overcrowding, waste. Our environment: The earth system (BIOSPHERE) - Air → Atmosphere - Water → Hydrosphere - Soil → Litosphere Ecosystem: a community of living organisms (plants, animals and microbes) in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment (things like air, water and mineral soil), interacting as a system. Different types of ecosystems (ecosystems interact and mix) 1) Natural ecosystems - Terrestrial (forests, grasslands, desert) - Aquatic (freshwater, wetlands, rivers, marine systems, seas, oceans) 2) Artificial ecosystems - Agricultural fields and meadows (semi natural, where animals can still be found) - Tree plantations (semi natural, where animals can still be found) - Aquariums, zoo (semi natural, where animals can still be found) - Urban ecosystems (absolutely artificial, manmade) Economic perspective: natural resources (raw) Water Energy resources Mineral resources Soil Wood Landscape etc. Management perspective: environmental vectors: Air Water Energy Waste Provisoning: Local food, Agri production, energy, fresh water, natural medicine, beekeeping, genetic background, compost, renewable energy Regulating: Air quality, pollination, flood control, climate regulation, erosion control, soil formation, specific habitat, biological control. Cultural:spiritual value, cultural identity, scientific knowledge, local knowledge, aesthetic value. - When we travel in the future, it won’t be so much a question of where we can go, but whether it’s still worthwhile going there” Hermann Löns (1908) - Tourism destroys what it is looking for when finding it” Hans Magnus Enzensberger - Tourism is like fire.You can cook your supper with it, but it can also burn your house down” Modern Asian proverb Floral and fauna species composition ➔ disruption breeding habits ➔ Killing animals through hunting ➔ Damage of vegatation by feet and vehicles ➔ creation of wildlife reservation or habitat restoration Pollution ➔ Water pollution through sewage, oil ➔ Air pollution from vehicles, heating ➔ Noise pollution Erosion ➔ Damage to geological features ➔ Damage river banks Natural resources ➔ Change in risk of occurrence of fire ➔ Over exploitation of biological resources (overfishing for example) ➔ Reduction of mineral resources, ground and surface water supplies. Visual impact ➔ Litter ➔ Facilities ➔ Sweage, algal blooms Coastal tourism ➔ Cruising → dumping waste, petrol, emission fuel ➔ Swimming→ water contamination ➔ Boating → noise, and construction Urban form ➔ Change in character ➔ Changes to roads, pavements, street furniture etc. Infrastructure ➔ Overload ➔ New infrastructurfe or upgrading of existing infrastructure Positive tourism & Negative environment; Parasitical tourism ➔ Mass tourism destinations, that destroys the previous landscape, beach tourism. Negative for both : conflict or competence ➔ Natural areas affected by tourist, such as waste. Positive for both: symbiotic or mutual benefit ➔ protected areas, where the are promoting sustainable use of place Negative tourism, good environment: Tourism limitation ➔ natural reserves, no access visitors In middle for both: Coexistence ➔ lots of urban destinations. E.g. La ramblas, urban but street cleaning, monuments, litter, overcrowding, noise. But all have to be managed but as economic generates lots of income, they can invest in resources to make the environment managed. 2.2 Tourism and the global environment crisis Greenhouse effect and climate change ➔ sdg 13 climate change & sdg 7 promotion of affordable and clean energy ➔ Natural proces ➔ Human actions have acimated the greenhouse effect which turns it to global warming ➔ Co2 evolution -> 1790: 280, 1890:290, 1992:358, 2016:400 Climate in general is a principal resource for tourism. ➔ Mountain needs cold weather for snow ➔ Coastal resorts etc. ➔ It is a driver of seasonality (such as examples mentioned before) ➔ It has an important influence on operating costs (heating/cooling, snowmaking, water supply, insurance costs, etc.) ➔ Both activity and destinations Direct climate impacts ★ Possible geographic and seasonal redistribution visitor flows (it is changing because of risks such as tornados etc. and temperature change) ★ Increased tourism infrastructure damage ★ Higher adaptation and operating expenses. Indirect environmental change impacts Changes in water availability Biodiversity loss and reduced landscape aesthetics Increased natural hazards Coastal erosion and inundation Damage to infrastructure Increasing incidence of vector-borne diseases. Tourism ➔ Contributor → mitigation (the action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something.) ➔ Victim → Adaption The evidence of the vulnerability of the current tourism model brings to recognize the need to: Restructure the sector / destinations towards more diversified forms of tourism Stimulate more sustainable forms of tourism Introduce social changes that facilitate the adaptation (holiday distribution, more sustainable behaviour, etc.) Biodiversity loss ➔ Sdg 14(life below water) & 15 (life on land) Ecosystems with the highest levels of biodiversity (and highly threatened): Tropical rainforests Coral reefs Wetlands Mediterranean forests Ecotourism Tourism and biodiversity conservation >>> the crucial role of ecotourism Ecotourism is defined as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people" (The International Ecotourism Society, 1990). Principles of Ecotourism ○ Ecotourism is about uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. This means that those who implement and participate in ecotourism activities should follow the following ecotourism principles: Minimize impact. Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect. Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts. Provide direct financial benefits for conservation and for local people. Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate. Lack of water 2.3 Environmental policies for a sustainable tourism General ways of improving the relationship between tourism and the environment (or how to make tourism more environmentally sustainable): Holistic thinking (the concept of ecosystems) Regulation of the negative impacts (reduction or minimizing) Encouraging good practice (rather than preventing bad practice) Raising awareness amongst tourists and the industry Paying a price that covers the environmental costs of tourism Maintaining a balance between conservation and development In other words, making tourism more environmentally sustainable means that tourism should help maintaining or improving (not reducing) the environmental quality of destinations, products and services. Environmental quality of the natural environment refers to its characteristics in relation to its own characteristics (i.e. an environment thats has been heavily modified by the human actionthrough urban development, can be considered an environment witha low environmental quality from this perspective). Environmental quality of the built environment usually refers to its characteristics according to human expectations related to air or water purity, pollution, noise, and other effects on human health andperceptions. The problem is that in many cases, tourism development brings about a decrease in the environmental quality of destinations (both in the natural and in the built environment). Therefore, environmental policies for stopping that decrease are needed. ➔ Physical integrity: To maintain and enhance the quality of landscapes, both urban and rural, and avoid the physical and visual degradation of the environment. ◆ Ensuring that new tourism development is appropriate to local environmental conditions ◆ Minimizing the physical impact of tourist activity ◆ Maintaining high quality rural and urban landscapes as a tourism resource ➔ Biological diversity: To support the conservation of natural areas, habitats and wildlife, and minimize damage to them. ◆ Working with national parks and other protected areas ◆ Promoting development and management of ecotourism ◆ Using tourism to encourage landholders to practice sustainable land management ◆ Working with private parks and reserves ◆ Minimizing damage to natural heritage from tourism ◆ Raising visitor awareness of biodiversity ◆ Raising support for conservation from visitors and enterprises ➔ Resource efficiency: To minimize the use of scarce and non-renewable resources in the development and operation of tourism facilities and services. ◆ Taking account of resource supply in the planning of tourism development and vice versa ◆ Minimizing water consumption by the tourism sector ◆ Minimizing consumption of energy from non-renewable resources ◆ Ensuring the efficient use of land and raw materials in tourism development ◆ Promoting a reduce, reuse, recycle mentality ➔ Environmental purity: To minimize the pollution of air, water and land and the generation of waste by tourism enterprises and visitors. ◆ Promoting the use of more sustainable transport ◆ Reducing the use of environmentally damaging chemicals ◆ Avoiding the discharge of sewage to marine and river environments ◆ Minimizing waste and where necessary disposing of it with care ◆ Influencing the development of new tourism facilities minimizing damage to natural heritage from tourism -> protect and manage natural heritage, avoid disturbance to wildlife and educuate. Manage visitors to avoid littering disturbance. Controlling tourism is important to protect natural heritage areas. Policies should focus on reducing harm to habitats and minimizing wildlife disturbances caused by visitors, especially during certain activities like diving and adventure tourism. Key actions, Education and Awareness: Teach tourists about the environment and responsible behaviors. Visitor Management: Control the number of visitors and their actions to prevent damage and littering. Protecting Endangered Species: measures to stop tourism from contributing to illegal wildlife trade or the purchase of souvenirs made from endangered species. - Great Barrier Reef, Australia: The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority runs educational programs that inform visitors about coral reef ecosystems and conservation efforts. Visitors can participate in workshops about reef ecology and sustainable diving practices. - Machu Picchu, Peru: The Peruvian government has implemented a visitor limit to control the number of tourists at Machu Picchu. A timed entry system requires visitors to book tickets in advance, reducing overcrowding and protecting the site’s integrity. - Yellowstone: Yellowstone features designated boardwalks and trails around geothermal areas like Old Faithful. Guided tours explain the geology and biology of these areas while keeping visitors on established paths to protect fragile features and surrounding environment. - guided tours / to educate tourist and avoid disturbance on wildlife - Time entry systems to reduce disturbance and to easier manage and keep an eye on tourist Education and Awareness: Teach tourists about the environment and responsible behaviors. Visitor Management: Control the number of visitors and their actions to prevent damage and littering. Protecting Endangered Species: Implement measures to stop tourism from contributing to illegal wildlife trade or the purchase of souvenirs made from endangered species.