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The role of tourism in sustainable development.

Robert B. Richardson Robert B. Richardson Community Sustainability, Michigan State University
https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199389414.013.387
Published online: 25 March 2021

Sustainable development is the foundational principle for enhancing human and economic development while maintaining the functional integrity of ecological and social systems that support regional economies. Tourism has played a critical role in sustainable development in many countries and regions around the world. In developing countries, tourism development has been used as an important strategy for increasing economic growth, alleviating poverty, creating jobs, and improving food security. Many developing countries are in regions that are characterized by high levels of biological diversity, natural resources, and cultural heritage sites that attract international tourists whose local purchases generate income and support employment and economic development. Tourism has been associated with the principles of sustainable development because of its potential to support environmental protection and livelihoods. However, the relationship between tourism and the environment is multifaceted, as some types of tourism have been associated with negative environmental impacts, many of which are borne by host communities.

The concept of sustainable tourism development emerged in contrast to mass tourism, which involves the participation of large numbers of people, often in structured or packaged tours. Mass tourism has been associated with economic leakage and dependence, along with negative environmental and social impacts. Sustainable tourism development has been promoted in various ways as a framing concept in contrast to these economic, environmental, and social impacts. Some literature has acknowledged a vagueness of the concept of sustainable tourism, which has been used to advocate for fundamentally different strategies for tourism development that may exacerbate existing conflicts between conservation and development paradigms. Tourism has played an important role in sustainable development in some countries through the development of alternative tourism models, including ecotourism, community-based tourism, pro-poor tourism, slow tourism, green tourism, and heritage tourism, among others that aim to enhance livelihoods, increase local economic growth, and provide for environmental protection. Although these models have been given significant attention among researchers, the extent of their implementation in tourism planning initiatives has been limited, superficial, or incomplete in many contexts.

The sustainability of tourism as a global system is disputed among scholars. Tourism is dependent on travel, and nearly all forms of transportation require the use of non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels for energy. The burning of fossil fuels for transportation generates emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change, which is fundamentally unsustainable. Tourism is also vulnerable to both localized and global shocks. Studies of the vulnerability of tourism to localized shocks include the impacts of natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and civil unrest. Studies of the vulnerability of tourism to global shocks include the impacts of climate change, economic crisis, global public health pandemics, oil price shocks, and acts of terrorism. It is clear that tourism has contributed significantly to economic development globally, but its role in sustainable development is uncertain, debatable, and potentially contradictory.

conservation
economic development
environmental impacts
sustainable development
sustainable tourism
tourism development

Introduction

Sustainable development is the guiding principle for advancing human and economic development while maintaining the integrity of ecosystems and social systems on which the economy depends. It is also the foundation of the leading global framework for international cooperation—the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (United Nations, 2015 ). The concept of sustainable development is often associated with the publication of Our Common Future (World Commission on Environment and Development [WCED], 1987 , p. 29), which defined it as “paths of human progress that meet the needs and aspirations of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” Concerns about the environmental implications of economic development in lower income countries had been central to debates about development studies since the 1970s (Adams, 2009 ). The principles of sustainable development have come to dominate the development discourse, and the concept has become the primary development paradigm since the 1990s.

Tourism has played an increasingly important role in sustainable development since the 1990s, both globally and in particular countries and regions. For decades, tourism has been promoted as a low-impact, non-extractive option for economic development, particularly for developing countries (Gössling, 2000 ). Many developing countries have managed to increase their participation in the global economy through development of international tourism. Tourism development is increasingly viewed as an important tool in increasing economic growth, alleviating poverty, and improving food security. Tourism enables communities that are poor in material wealth, but rich in history and cultural heritage, to leverage their unique assets for economic development (Honey & Gilpin, 2009 ). More importantly, tourism offers an alternative to large-scale development projects, such as construction of dams, and to extractive industries such as mining and forestry, all of which contribute to emissions of pollutants and threaten biodiversity and the cultural values of Indigenous Peoples.

Environmental quality in destination areas is inextricably linked with tourism, as visiting natural areas and sightseeing are often the primary purpose of many leisure travels. Some forms of tourism, such as ecotourism, can contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and the protection of ecosystem functions in destination areas (Fennell, 2020 ; Gössling, 1999 ). Butler ( 1991 ) suggests that there is a kind of mutual dependence between tourism and the environment that should generate mutual benefits. Many developing countries are in regions that are characterized by high levels of species diversity, natural resources, and protected areas. Such ideas imply that tourism may be well aligned with the tenets of sustainable development.

However, the relationship between tourism and the environment is complex, as some forms of tourism have been associated with negative environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater use, land use, and food consumption (Butler, 1991 ; Gössling & Peeters, 2015 ; Hunter & Green, 1995 ; Vitousek et al., 1997 ). Assessments of the sustainability of tourism have highlighted several themes, including (a) parks, biodiversity, and conservation; (b) pollution and climate change; (c) prosperity, economic growth, and poverty alleviation; (d) peace, security, and safety; and (e) population stabilization and reduction (Buckley, 2012 ). From a global perspective, tourism contributes to (a) changes in land cover and land use; (b) energy use, (c) biotic exchange and extinction of wild species; (d) exchange and dispersion of diseases; and (e) changes in the perception and understanding of the environment (Gössling, 2002 ).

Research on tourism and the environment spans a wide range of social and natural science disciplines, and key contributions have been disseminated across many interdisciplinary fields, including biodiversity conservation, climate science, economics, and environmental science, among others (Buckley, 2011 ; Butler, 1991 ; Gössling, 2002 ; Lenzen et al., 2018 ). Given the global significance of the tourism sector and its environmental impacts, the role of tourism in sustainable development is an important topic of research in environmental science generally and in environmental economics and management specifically. Reviews of tourism research have highlighted future research priorities for sustainable development, including the role of tourism in the designation and expansion of protected areas; improvement in environmental accounting techniques that quantify environmental impacts; and the effects of individual perceptions of responsibility in addressing climate change (Buckley, 2012 ).

Tourism is one of the world’s largest industries, and it has linkages with many of the prime sectors of the global economy (Fennell, 2020 ). As a global economic sector, tourism represents one of the largest generators of wealth, and it is an important agent of economic growth and development (Garau-Vadell et al., 2018 ). Tourism is a critical industry in many local and national economies, and it represents a large and growing share of world trade (Hunter, 1995 ). Global tourism has had an average annual increase of 6.6% over the past half century, with international tourist arrivals rising sharply from 25.2 million in 1950 to more than 950 million in 2010 . In 2019 , the number of international tourists reached 1.5 billion, up 4% from 2018 (Fennell, 2020 ; United Nations World Tourism Organization [UNWTO], 2020 ). European countries are host to more than half of international tourists, but since 1990 , growth in international arrivals has risen faster than the global average, in both the Middle East and the Asia and Pacific region (UNWTO, 2020 ).

The growth in global tourism has been accompanied by an expansion of travel markets and a diversification of tourism destinations. In 1950 , the top five travel destinations were all countries in Europe and the Americas, and these destinations held 71% of the global travel market (Fennell, 2020 ). By 2002 , these countries represented only 35%, which underscores the emergence of newly accessible travel destinations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Rim, including numerous developing countries. Over the past 70 years, global tourism has grown significantly as an economic sector, and it has contributed to the economic development of dozens of nations.

Given the growth of international tourism and its emergence as one of the world’s largest export sectors, the question of its impact on economic growth for the host countries has been a topic of great interest in the tourism literature. Two hypotheses have emerged regarding the role of tourism in the economic growth process (Apergis & Payne, 2012 ). First, tourism-led growth hypothesis relies on the assumption that tourism is an engine of growth that generates spillovers and positive externalities through economic linkages that will impact the overall economy. Second, the economic-driven tourism growth hypothesis emphasizes policies oriented toward well-defined and enforceable property rights, stable political institutions, and adequate investment in both physical and human capital to facilitate the development of the tourism sector. Studies have concluded with support for both the tourism-led growth hypothesis (e.g., Durbarry, 2004 ; Katircioglu, 2010 ) and the economic-led growth hypothesis (e.g., Katircioglu, 2009 ; Oh, 2005 ), whereas other studies have found support for a bidirectional causality for tourism and economic growth (e.g., Apergis & Payne, 2012 ; Lee & Chang, 2008 ).

The growth of tourism has been marked by an increase in the competition for tourist expenditures, making it difficult for destinations to maintain their share of the international tourism market (Butler, 1991 ). Tourism development is cyclical and subject to short-term cycles and overconsumption of resources. Butler ( 1980 ) developed a tourist-area cycle of evolution that depicts the number of tourists rising sharply over time through periods of exploration, involvement, and development, before eventual consolidation and stagnation. When tourism growth exceeds the carrying capacity of the area, resource degradation can lead to the decline of tourism unless specific steps are taken to promote rejuvenation (Butler, 1980 , 1991 ).

The potential of tourism development as a tool to contribute to environmental conservation, economic growth, and poverty reduction is derived from several unique characteristics of the tourism system (UNWTO, 2002 ). First, tourism represents an opportunity for economic diversification, particularly in marginal areas with few other export options. Tourists are attracted to remote areas with high values of cultural, wildlife, and landscape assets. The cultural and natural heritage of developing countries is frequently based on such assets, and tourism represents an opportunity for income generation through the preservation of heritage values. Tourism is the only export sector where the consumer travels to the exporting country, which provides opportunities for lower-income households to become exporters through the sale of goods and services to foreign tourists. Tourism is also labor intensive; it provides small-scale employment opportunities, which also helps to promote gender equity. Finally, there are numerous indirect benefits of tourism for people living in poverty, including increased market access for remote areas through the development of roads, infrastructure, and communication networks. Nevertheless, travel is highly income elastic and carbon intensive, which has significant implications for the sustainability of the tourism sector (Lenzen et al., 2018 ).

Concerns about environmental issues appeared in tourism research just as global awareness of the environmental impacts of human activities was expanding. The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was held in Stockholm in 1972 , the same year as the publication of The Limits to Growth (Meadows et al., 1972 ), which highlighted the concerns about the implications of exponential economic and population growth in a world of finite resources. This was the same year that the famous Blue Marble photograph of Earth was taken by the crew of the Apollo 17 spacecraft (Höhler, 2015 , p. 10), and the image captured the planet cloaked in the darkness of space and became a symbol of Earth’s fragility and vulnerability. As noted by Buckley ( 2012 ), tourism researchers turned their attention to social and environmental issues around the same time (Cohen, 1978 ; Farrell & McLellan, 1987 ; Turner & Ash, 1975 ; Young, 1973 ).

The notion of sustainable development is often associated with the publication of Our Common Future , the report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, also known as the Brundtland Commission (WCED, 1987 ). The report characterized sustainable development in terms of meeting “the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (WCED, 1987 , p. 43). Four basic principles are fundamental to the concept of sustainability: (a) the idea of holistic planning and strategy making; (b) the importance of preserving essential ecological processes; (c) the need to protect both human heritage and biodiversity; and (d) the need to develop in such a way that productivity can be sustained over the long term for future generations (Bramwell & Lane, 1993 ). In addition to achieving balance between economic growth and the conservation of natural resources, there should be a balance of fairness and opportunity between the nations of the world.

Although the modern concept of sustainable development emerged with the publication of Our Common Future , sustainable development has its roots in ideas about sustainable forest management that were developed in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries (Blewitt, 2015 ; Grober, 2007 ). Sustainable forest management is concerned with the stewardship and use of forests in a way that maintains their biodiversity, productivity, and regeneration capacity as well as their potential to fulfill society’s demands for forest products and benefits. Building on these ideas, Daly ( 1990 ) offered two operational principles of sustainable development. First, sustainable development implies that harvest rates should be no greater than rates of regeneration; this concept is known as maximum sustainable yield. Second, waste emission rates should not exceed the natural assimilative capacities of the ecosystems into which the wastes are emitted. Regenerative and assimilative capacities are characterized as natural capital, and a failure to maintain these capacities is not sustainable.

Shortly after the emergence of the concept of sustainable development in academic and policy discourse, tourism researchers began referring to the notion of sustainable tourism (May, 1991 ; Nash & Butler, 1990 ), which soon became the dominant paradigm of tourism development. The concept of sustainable tourism, as with the role of tourism in sustainable development, has been interpreted in different ways, and there is a lack of consensus concerning its meaning, objectives, and indicators (Sharpley, 2000 ). Growing interest in the subject inspired the creation of a new academic journal, Journal of Sustainable Tourism , which was launched in 1993 and has become a leading tourism journal. It is described as “an international journal that publishes research on tourism and sustainable development, including economic, social, cultural and political aspects.”

The notion of sustainable tourism development emerged in contrast to mass tourism, which is characterized by the participation of large numbers of people, often provided as structured or packaged tours. Mass tourism has risen sharply in the last half century. International arrivals alone have increased by an average annual rate of more than 25% since 1950 , and many of those trips involved mass tourism activities (Fennell, 2020 ; UNWTO, 2020 ). Some examples of mass tourism include beach resorts, cruise ship tourism, gaming casinos, golf resorts, group tours, ski resorts, theme parks, and wildlife safari tourism, among others. Little data exist regarding the volume of domestic mass tourism, but nevertheless mass tourism activities dominate the global tourism sector. Mass tourism has been shown to generate benefits to host countries, such as income and employment generation, although it has also been associated with economic leakage (where revenue generated by tourism is lost to other countries’ economies) and economic dependency (where developing countries are dependent on wealthier countries for tourists, imports, and foreign investment) (Cater, 1993 ; Conway & Timms, 2010 ; Khan, 1997 ; Peeters, 2012 ). Mass tourism has been associated with numerous negative environmental impacts and social impacts (Cater, 1993 ; Conway & Timms, 2010 ; Fennell, 2020 ; Ghimire, 2013 ; Gursoy et al., 2010 ; Liu, 2003 ; Peeters, 2012 ; Wheeller, 2007 ). Sustainable tourism development has been promoted in various ways as a framing concept in contrast to many of these economic, environmental, and social impacts.

Much of the early research on sustainable tourism focused on defining the concept, which has been the subject of vigorous debate (Bramwell & Lane, 1993 ; Garrod & Fyall, 1998 ; Hunter, 1995 ; Inskeep, 1991 ; Liu, 2003 ; Sharpley, 2000 ). Early definitions of sustainable tourism development seemed to fall in one of two categories (Sharpley, 2000 ). First, the “tourism-centric” paradigm of sustainable tourism development focuses on sustaining tourism as an economic activity (Hunter, 1995 ). Second, alternative paradigms have situated sustainable tourism in the context of wider sustainable development policies (Butler, 1991 ). One of the most comprehensive definitions of sustainable tourism echoes some of the language of the Brundtland Commission’s definition of sustainable development (WCED, 1987 ), emphasizing opportunities for the future while also integrating social and environmental concerns:

Sustainable tourism can be thought of as meeting the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future. Sustainable tourism development is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that we can fulfill economic, social and aesthetic needs while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems. (Inskeep, 1991 , p. 461)

Hunter argued that over the short and long terms, sustainable tourism development should

“meet the needs and wants of the local host community in terms of improved living standards and quality of life;

satisfy the demands of tourists and the tourism industry, and continue to attract them in order to meet the first aim; and

safeguard the environmental resource base for tourism, encompassing natural, built and cultural components, in order to achieve both of the preceding aims.” (Hunter, 1995 , p. 156)

Numerous other definitions have been documented, and the term itself has been subject to widespread critique (Buckley, 2012 ; Hunter, 1995 ; Liu, 2003 ). Nevertheless, there have been numerous calls to move beyond debate about a definition and to consider how it may best be implemented in practice (Garrod & Fyall, 1998 ; Liu, 2003 ). Cater ( 1993 ) identified three key criteria for sustainable tourism: (a) meeting the needs of the host population in terms of improved living standards both in the short and long terms; (b) satisfying the demands of a growing number of tourists; and (c) safeguarding the natural environment in order to achieve both of the preceding aims.

Some literature has acknowledged a vagueness of the concept of sustainable tourism, which has been used to advocate for fundamentally different strategies for tourism development that may exacerbate existing conflicts between conservation and development paradigms (Garrod & Fyall, 1998 ; Hunter, 1995 ; Liu, 2003 ; McKercher, 1993b ). Similar criticisms have been leveled at the concept of sustainable development, which has been described as an oxymoron with a wide range of meanings (Adams, 2009 ; Daly, 1990 ) and “defined in such a way as to be either morally repugnant or logically redundant” (Beckerman, 1994 , p. 192). Sharpley ( 2000 ) suggests that in the tourism literature, there has been “a consistent and fundamental failure to build a theoretical link between sustainable tourism and its parental paradigm,” sustainable development (p. 2). Hunter ( 1995 ) suggests that practical measures designed to operationalize sustainable tourism fail to address many of the critical issues that are central to the concept of sustainable development generally and may even actually counteract the fundamental requirements of sustainable development. He suggests that mainstream sustainable tourism development is concerned with protecting the immediate resource base that will sustain tourism development while ignoring concerns for the status of the wider tourism resource base, such as potential problems associated with air pollution, congestion, introduction of invasive species, and declining oil reserves. The dominant paradigm of sustainable tourism development has been described as introverted, tourism-centric, and in competition with other sectors for scarce resources (McKercher, 1993a ). Hunter ( 1995 , p. 156) proposes an alternative, “extraparochial” paradigm where sustainable tourism development is reconceptualized in terms of its contribution to overall sustainable development. Such a paradigm would reconsider the scope, scale, and sectoral context of tourism-related resource utilization issues.

“Sustainability,” “sustainable tourism,” and “sustainable development” are all well-established terms that have often been used loosely and interchangeably in the tourism literature (Liu, 2003 ). Nevertheless, the subject of sustainable tourism has been given considerable attention and has been the focus of numerous academic compilations and textbooks (Coccossis & Nijkamp, 1995 ; Hall & Lew, 1998 ; Stabler, 1997 ; Swarbrooke, 1999 ), and it calls for new approaches to sustainable tourism development (Bramwell & Lane, 1993 ; Garrod & Fyall, 1998 ; Hunter, 1995 ; Sharpley, 2000 ). The notion of sustainable tourism has been reconceptualized in the literature by several authors who provided alternative frameworks for tourism development (Buckley, 2012 ; Gössling, 2002 ; Hunter, 1995 ; Liu, 2003 ; McKercher, 1993b ; Sharpley, 2000 ).

Early research in sustainable tourism focused on the local environmental impacts of tourism, including energy use, water use, food consumption, and change in land use (Buckley, 2012 ; Butler, 1991 ; Gössling, 2002 ; Hunter & Green, 1995 ). Subsequent research has emphasized the global environmental impacts of tourism, such as greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity losses (Gössling, 2002 ; Gössling & Peeters, 2015 ; Lenzen et al., 2018 ). Additional research has emphasized the impacts of environmental change on tourism itself, including the impacts of climate change on tourist behavior (Gössling et al., 2012 ; Richardson & Loomis, 2004 ; Scott et al., 2012 ; Viner, 2006 ). Countries that are dependent on tourism for economic growth may be particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change (Richardson & Witkoswki, 2010 ).

The early focus on environmental issues in sustainable tourism has been broadened to include economic, social, and cultural issues as well as questions of power and equity in society (Bramwell & Lane, 1993 ; Sharpley, 2014 ), and some of these frameworks have integrated notions of social equity, prosperity, and cultural heritage values. Sustainable tourism is dependent on critical long-term considerations of the impacts; notions of equity; an appreciation of the importance of linkages (i.e., economic, social, and environmental); and the facilitation of cooperation and collaboration between different stakeholders (Elliott & Neirotti, 2008 ).

McKercher ( 1993b ) notes that tourism resources are typically part of the public domain or are intrinsically linked to the social fabric of the host community. As a result, many commonplace tourist activities such as sightseeing may be perceived as invasive by members of the host community. Many social impacts of tourism can be linked to the overuse of the resource base, increases in traffic congestion, rising land prices, urban sprawl, and changes in the social structure of host communities. Given the importance of tourist–resident interaction, sustainable tourism development depends in part on the support of the host community (Garau-Vadell et al., 2018 ).

Tourism planning involves the dual objectives of optimizing the well-being of local residents in host communities and minimizing the costs of tourism development (Sharpley, 2014 ). Tourism researchers have paid significant attention to examining the social impacts of tourism in general and to understanding host communities’ perceptions of tourism in particular. Studies of the social impacts of tourism development have examined the perceptions of local residents and the effects of tourism on social cohesion, traditional lifestyles, and the erosion of cultural heritage, particularly among Indigenous Peoples (Butler & Hinch, 2007 ; Deery et al., 2012 ; Mathieson & Wall, 1982 ; Sharpley, 2014 ; Whitford & Ruhanen, 2016 ).

Alternative Tourism and Sustainable Development

A wide body of published research is related to the role of tourism in sustainable development, and much of the literature involves case studies of particular types of tourism. Many such studies contrast types of alternative tourism with those of mass tourism, which has received sustained criticism for decades and is widely considered to be unsustainable (Cater, 1993 ; Conway & Timms, 2010 ; Fennell, 2020 ; Gursoy et al., 2010 ; Liu, 2003 ; Peeters, 2012 ; Zapata et al., 2011 ). Still, some tourism researchers have taken issue with the conclusion that mass tourism is inherently unsustainable (Sharpley, 2000 ; Weaver, 2007 ), and some have argued for developing pathways to “sustainable mass tourism” as “the desired and impending outcome for most destinations” (Weaver, 2012 , p. 1030). In integrating an ethical component to mass tourism development, Weaver ( 2014 , p. 131) suggests that the desirable outcome is “enlightened mass tourism.” Such suggestions have been contested in the literature and criticized for dubious assumptions about emergent norms of sustainability and support for growth, which are widely seen as contradictory (Peeters, 2012 ; Wheeller, 2007 ).

Models of responsible or alternative tourism development include ecotourism, community-based tourism, pro-poor tourism, slow tourism, green tourism, and heritage tourism, among others. Most models of alternative tourism development emphasize themes that aim to counteract the perceived negative impacts of conventional or mass tourism. As such, the objectives of these models of tourism development tend to focus on minimizing environmental impacts, supporting biodiversity conservation, empowering local communities, alleviating poverty, and engendering pleasant relationships between tourists and residents.

Approaches to alternative tourism development tend to overlap with themes of responsible tourism, and the two terms are frequently used interchangeably. Responsible tourism has been characterized in terms of numerous elements, including

ensuring that communities are involved in and benefit from tourism;

respecting local, natural, and cultural environments;

involving the local community in planning and decision-making;

using local resources sustainably;

behaving in ways that are sensitive to the host culture;

maintaining and encouraging natural, economic, and cultural diversity; and

assessing environmental, social, and economic impacts as a prerequisite to tourism development (Spenceley, 2012 ).

Hetzer ( 1965 ) identified four fundamental principles or perquisites for a more responsible form of tourism: (a) minimum environmental impact; (b) minimum impact on and maximum respect for host cultures; (c) maximum economic benefits to the host country; and (d) maximum leisure satisfaction to participating tourists.

The history of ecotourism is closely connected with the emergence of sustainable development, as it was born out of a concern for the conservation of biodiversity. Ecotourism is a form of tourism that aims to minimize local environmental impacts while bringing benefits to protected areas and the people living around those lands (Honey, 2008 ). Ecotourism represents a small segment of nature-based tourism, which is understood as tourism based on the natural attractions of an area, such as scenic areas and wildlife (Gössling, 1999 ). The ecotourism movement gained momentum in the 1990s, primarily in developing countries in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, and nearly all countries are now engaged in some form of ecotourism. In some communities, ecotourism is the primary economic activity and source of income and economic development.

The term “ecotourism” was coined by Hector Ceballos-Lascuráin and defined by him as “tourism that consists in travelling to relatively undisturbed or uncontaminated natural areas with the specific object of studying, admiring, and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals” (Ceballos-Lascuráin, 1987 , p. 13). In discussing ecotourism resources, he also made reference to “any existing cultural manifestations (both past and present) found in these areas” (Ceballos-Lascuráin, 1987 , p. 14). The basic precepts of ecotourism had been discussed long before the actual use of the term. Twenty years earlier, Hetzer ( 1965 ) referred to a form of tourism “based principally upon natural and archaeological resources such as caves, fossil sites (and) archaeological sites.” Thus, both natural resources and cultural resources were integrated into ecotourism frameworks from the earliest manifestations.

Costa Rica is well known for having successfully integrated ecotourism in its overall strategy for sustainable development, and numerous case studies of ecotourism in Costa Rica appear in the literature (Chase et al., 1998 ; Fennell & Eagles, 1990 ; Gray & Campbell, 2007 ; Hearne & Salinas, 2002 ). Ecotourism in Costa Rica has been seen as having supported the economic development of the country while promoting biodiversity conservation in its extensive network of protected areas. Chase et al. ( 1998 ) estimated the demand for ecotourism in a study of differential pricing of entrance fees at national parks in Costa Rica. The authors estimated elasticities associated with the own-price, cross-price, and income variables and found that the elasticities of demand were significantly different between three different national park sites. The results reveal the heterogeneity characterizing tourist behavior and park attractions and amenities. Hearne and Salinas ( 2002 ) used choice experiments to examine the preferences of domestic and foreign tourists in Costa Rica in an ecotourism site. Both sets of tourists demonstrated a preference for improved infrastructure, more information, and lower entrance fees. Foreign tourists demonstrated relatively stronger preferences for the inclusion of restrictions in the access to some trails.

Ecotourism has also been studied extensively in Kenya (Southgate, 2006 ), Malaysia (Lian Chan & Baum, 2007 ), Nepal (Baral et al., 2008 ), Peru (Stronza, 2007 ), and Taiwan (Lai & Nepal, 2006 ), among many other countries. Numerous case studies have demonstrated the potential for ecotourism to contribute to sustainable development by providing support for biodiversity conservation, local livelihoods, and regional development.

Community-Based Tourism

Community-based tourism (CBT) is a model of tourism development that emphasizes the development of local communities and allows for local residents to have substantial control over its development and management, and a major proportion of the benefits remain within the community. CBT emerged during the 1970s as a response to the negative impacts of the international mass tourism development model (Cater, 1993 ; Hall & Lew, 2009 ; Turner & Ash, 1975 ; Zapata et al., 2011 ).

Community-based tourism has been examined for its potential to contribute to poverty reduction. In a study of the viability of the CBT model to support socioeconomic development and poverty alleviation in Nicaragua, tourism was perceived by participants in the study to have an impact on employment creation in their communities (Zapata et al., 2011 ). Tourism was seen to have had positive impacts on strengthening local knowledge and skills, particularly on the integration of women to new roles in the labor market. One of the main perceived gains regarding the environment was the process of raising awareness regarding the conservation of natural resources. The small scale of CBT operations and low capacity to accommodate visitors was seen as a limitation of the model.

Spenceley ( 2012 ) compiled case studies of community-based tourism in countries in southern Africa, including Botswana, Madagascar, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In this volume, authors characterize community-based and nature-based tourism development projects in the region and demonstrate how community participation in planning and decision-making has generated benefits for local residents and supported conservation initiatives. They contend that responsible tourism practices are of particular importance in the region because of the rich biological diversity, abundant charismatic wildlife, and the critical need for local economic development and livelihood strategies.

In Kenya, CBT enterprises were not perceived to have made a significant impact on poverty reduction at an individual household level, in part because the model relied heavily on donor funding, reinforcing dependency and poverty (Manyara & Jones, 2007 ). The study identified several critical success factors for CBT enterprises, namely, awareness and sensitization, community empowerment, effective leadership, and community capacity building, which can inform appropriate tourism policy formulation in Kenya. The impacts of CBT on economic development and poverty reduction would be greatly enhanced if tourism initiatives were able to emphasize independence, address local community priorities, enhance community empowerment and transparency, discourage elitism, promote effective community leadership, and develop community capacity to operate their own enterprises more efficiently.

Pro-Poor Tourism

Pro-poor tourism is a model of tourism development that brings net benefits to people living in poverty (Ashley et al., 2001 ; Harrison, 2008 ). Although its theoretical foundations and development objectives overlap to some degree with those of community-based tourism and other models of AT, the key distinctive feature of pro-poor tourism is that it places poor people and poverty at the top of the agenda. By focusing on a very simple and incontrovertibly moral idea, namely, the net benefits of tourism to impoverished people, the concept has broad appeal to donors and international aid agencies. Harnessing the economic benefits of tourism for pro-poor growth means capitalizing on the advantages while reducing negative impacts to people living in poverty (Ashley et al., 2001 ). Pro-poor approaches to tourism development include increasing access of impoverished people to economic benefits; addressing negative social and environmental impacts associated with tourism; and focusing on policies, processes, and partnerships that seek to remove barriers to participation by people living in poverty. At the local level, pro-poor tourism can play a very significant role in livelihood security and poverty reduction (Ashley & Roe, 2002 ).

Rogerson ( 2011 ) argues that the growth of pro-poor tourism initiatives in South Africa suggests that the country has become a laboratory for the testing and evolution of new approaches toward sustainable development planning that potentially will have relevance for other countries in the developing world. A study of pro-poor tourism development initiatives in Laos identified a number of favorable conditions for pro-poor tourism development, including the fact that local people are open to tourism and motivated to participate (Suntikul et al., 2009 ). The authors also noted a lack of development in the linkages that could optimize the fulfilment of the pro-poor agenda, such as training or facilitation of local people’s participation in pro-poor tourism development at the grassroots level.

Critics of the model have argued that pro-poor tourism is based on an acceptance of the status quo of existing capitalism, that it is morally indiscriminate and theoretically imprecise, and that its practitioners are academically and commercially marginal (Harrison, 2008 ). As Chok et al. ( 2007 ) indicate, the focus “on poor people in the South reflects a strong anthropocentric view . . . and . . . environmental benefits are secondary to poor peoples’” benefits (p. 153).

Harrison ( 2008 ) argues that pro-poor tourism is not a distinctive approach to tourism as a development tool and that it may be easier to discuss what pro-poor tourism is not than what it is. He concludes that it is neither anticapitalist nor inconsistent with mainstream tourism on which it relies; it is neither a theory nor a model and is not a niche form of tourism. Further, he argues that it has no distinctive method and is not only about people living in poverty.

Slow Tourism

The concept of slow tourism has emerged as a model of sustainable tourism development, and as such, it lacks an exact definition. The concept of slow tourism traces its origin back to some institutionalized social movements such as “slow food” and “slow cities” that began in Italy in the 1990s and spread rapidly around the world (Fullagar et al., 2012 ; Oh et al., 2016 , p. 205). Advocates of slow tourism tend to emphasize slowness in terms of speed, mobility, and modes of transportation that generate less environmental pollution. They propose niche marketing for alternative forms of tourism that focus on quality upgrading rather than merely increasing the quantity of visitors via the established mass-tourism infrastructure (Conway & Timms, 2010 ).

In the context of the Caribbean region, slow tourism has been promoted as more culturally sensitive and authentic, as compared to the dominant mass tourism development model that is based on all-inclusive beach resorts dependent on foreign investment (Conway & Timms, 2010 ). Recognizing its value as an alternative marketing strategy, Conway and Timms ( 2010 ) make the case for rebranding alternative tourism in the Caribbean as a means of revitalizing the sector for the changing demands of tourists in the 21st century . They suggest that slow tourism is the antithesis of mass tourism, which “relies on increasing the quantity of tourists who move through the system with little regard to either the quality of the tourists’ experience or the benefits that accrue to the localities the tourist visits” (Conway & Timms, 2010 , p. 332). The authors draw on cases from Barbados, the Grenadines, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago to characterize models of slow tourism development in remote fishing villages and communities near nature preserves and sea turtle nesting sites.

Although there is a growing interest in the concept of slow tourism in the literature, there seems to be little agreement about the exact nature of slow tourism and whether it is a niche form of special interest tourism or whether it represents a more fundamental potential shift across the industry. Conway and Timms ( 2010 ) focus on the destination, advocating for slow tourism in terms of a promotional identity for an industry in need of rebranding. Caffyn ( 2012 , p. 77) discusses the implementation of slow tourism in terms of “encouraging visitors to make slower choices when planning and enjoying their holidays.” It is not clear whether slow tourism is a marketing strategy, a mindset, or a social movement, but the literature on slow tourism nearly always equates the term with sustainable tourism (Caffyn, 2012 ; Conway & Timms, 2010 ; Oh et al., 2016 ). Caffyn ( 2012 , p. 80) suggests that slow tourism could offer a “win–win,” which she describes as “a more sustainable form of tourism; keeping more of the economic benefits within the local community and destination; and delivering a more meaningful and satisfying experience.” Research on slow tourism is nascent, and thus the contribution of slow tourism to sustainable development is not well understood.

Impacts of Tourism Development

The role of tourism in sustainable development can be examined through an understanding of the economic, environmental, and social impacts of tourism. Tourism is a global phenomenon that involves travel, recreation, the consumption of food, overnight accommodations, entertainment, sightseeing, and other activities that simultaneously intersect the lives of local residents, businesses, and communities. The impacts of tourism involve benefits and costs to all groups, and some of these impacts cannot easily be measured. Nevertheless, they have been studied extensively in the literature, which provides some context for how these benefits and costs are distributed.

Economic Impacts of Tourism

The travel and tourism sector is one of the largest components of the global economy, and global tourism has increased exponentially since the end of the Second World War (UNWTO, 2020 ). The direct, indirect, and induced economic impact of global travel accounted for 8.9 trillion U.S. dollars in contribution to the global gross domestic product (GDP), or 10.3% of global GDP. The global travel and tourism sector supports approximately 330 million jobs, or 1 in 10 jobs around the world. From an economic perspective, tourism plays a significant role in sustainable development. In many developing countries, tourism has the potential to play a unique role in income generation and distribution relative to many other industries, in part because of its high multiplier effect and consumption of local goods and services. However, research on the economic impacts of tourism has shown that this potential has rarely been fully realized (Liu, 2003 ).

Numerous studies have examined the impact of tourism expenditure on GDP, income, employment, and public sector revenue. Narayan ( 2004 ) used a computable general equilibrium model to estimate the economic impact of tourism growth on the economy of Fiji. Tourism is Fiji’s largest industry, with average annual growth of 10–12%; and as a middle-income country, tourism is critical to Fiji’s economic development. The findings indicate that an increase in tourism expenditures was associated with an increase in GDP, an improvement in the country’s balance of payments, and an increase in real consumption and national welfare. Evidence suggests that the benefits of tourism expansion outweigh any export effects caused by an appreciation of the exchange rate and an increase in domestic prices and wages.

Seetanah ( 2011 ) examined the potential contribution of tourism to economic growth and development using panel data of 19 island economies around the world from 1990 to 2007 and revealed that tourism development is an important factor in explaining economic performance in the selected island economies. The results have policy implications for improving economic growth by harnessing the contribution of the tourism sector. Pratt ( 2015 ) modeled the economic impact of tourism for seven small island developing states in the Pacific, the Caribbean, and the Indian Ocean. In most states, the transportation sector was found to have above-average linkages to other sectors of the economy. The results revealed some advantages of economies of scale for maximizing the economic contribution of tourism.

Apergis and Payne ( 2012 ) examined the causal relationship between tourism and economic growth for a panel of nine Caribbean countries. The panel of Caribbean countries includes Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. The authors use a panel error correction model to reveal bidirectional causality between tourism and economic growth in both the short run and the long run. The presence of bidirectional causality reiterates the importance of the tourism sector in the generation of foreign exchange income and in financing the production of goods and services within these countries. Likewise, stable political institutions and adequate government policies to ensure the appropriate investment in physical and human capital will enhance economic growth. In turn, stable economic growth will provide the resources needed to develop the tourism infrastructure for the success of the countries’ tourism sector. Thus, policy makers should be cognizant of the interdependent relationship between tourism and economic growth in the design and implementation of economic policy. The mixed nature of these results suggest that the relationship between tourism and economic growth depends largely on the social and economic context as well as the role of tourism in the economy.

The economic benefits and costs of tourism are frequently distributed unevenly. An analysis of the impact of wildlife conservation policies in Zambia on household welfare found that households located near national parks earn higher levels of income from wage employment and self-employment than other rural households in the country, but they were also more likely to suffer crop losses related to wildlife conflicts (Richardson et al., 2012 ). The findings suggest that tourism development and wildlife conservation can contribute to pro-poor development, but they may be sustainable only if human–wildlife conflicts are minimized or compensated.

Environmental Impacts of Tourism

The environmental impacts of tourism are significant, ranging from local effects to contributions to global environmental change (Gössling & Peeters, 2015 ). Tourism is both dependent on water resources and a factor in global and local freshwater use. Tourists consume water for drinking, when showering and using the toilet, when participating in activities such as winter ski tourism (i.e., snowmaking), and when using swimming pools and spas. Fresh water is also needed to maintain hotel gardens and golf courses, and water use is embedded in tourism infrastructure development (e.g., accommodations, laundry, dining) and in food and fuel production. Direct water consumption in tourism is estimated to be approximately 350 liters (L) per guest night for accommodation; when indirect water use from food, energy, and transport are considered, total water use in tourism is estimated to be approximately 6,575 L per guest night, or 27,800 L per person per trip (Gössling & Peeters, 2015 ). In addition, tourism contributes to the pollution of oceans as well as lakes, rivers, and other freshwater systems (Gössling, 2002 ; Gössling et al., 2011 ).

The clearing and conversion of land is central for tourism development, and in many cases, the land used for tourism includes roads, airports, railways, accommodations, trails, pedestrian walks, shopping areas, parking areas, campgrounds, vacation homes, golf courses, marinas, ski resorts, and indirect land use for food production, disposal of solid wastes, and the treatment of wastewater (Gössling & Peeters, 2015 ). Global land use for accommodation is estimated to be approximately 42 m 2 per bed. Total global land use for tourism is estimated to be nearly 62,000 km 2 , or 11.7 m 2 per tourist; more than half of this estimate is represented by land use for traffic infrastructure.

Tourism and hospitality have direct and indirect links to nearly all aspects of food production, preparation, and consumption because of the quantities of food consumed in tourism contexts (Gössling et al., 2011 ). Food production has significant implications for sustainable development, given the growing global demand for food. The implications include land conversion, losses to biodiversity, changes in nutrient cycling, and contributions to greenhouse emissions that are associated with global climate change (Vitousek et al., 1997 ). Global food use for tourism is estimated to be approximately 39.4 megatons 1 (Mt), about 38% than the amount of food consumed at home. This equates to approximately 1,800 grams (g) of food consumed per tourist per day.

Although tourism has been promoted as a low-impact, nonextractive option for economic development, (Gössling, 2000 ), assessments reveal that such pursuits have a significant carbon footprint, as tourism is significantly more carbon intensive than other potential areas of economic development (Lenzen et al., 2018 ). Tourism is dependent on energy, and virtually all energy use in the tourism sector is derived from fossil fuels, which contribute to global greenhouse emissions that are associated with global climate change. Energy use for tourism has been estimated to be approximately 3,575 megajoules 2 (MJ) per trip, including energy for travel and accommodations (Gössling & Peeters, 2015 ). A previous estimate of global carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions from tourism provided values of 1.12 gigatons 3 (Gt) of CO 2 , amounting to about 3% of global CO 2 -equivalent (CO 2 e) emissions (Gössling & Peeters, 2015 ). However, these analyses do not cover the supply chains underpinning tourism and do not therefore represent true carbon footprints. A more complete analysis of the emissions from energy consumption necessary to sustain the tourism sector would include food and beverages, infrastructure construction and maintenance, retail, and financial services. Between 2009 and 2013 , tourism’s global carbon footprint is estimated to have increased from 3.9 to 4.5 GtCO 2 e, four times more than previously estimated, accounting for about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions (Lenzen et al., 2018 ). The majority of this footprint is exerted by and within high-income countries. The rising global demand for tourism is outstripping efforts at decarbonization of tourism operations and as a result is accelerating global carbon emissions.

Social Impacts of Tourism

The social impacts of tourism have been widely studied, with an emphasis on residents’ perceptions in the host community (Sharpley, 2014 ). Case studies include research conducted in Australia (Faulkner & Tideswell, 1997 ; Gursoy et al., 2010 ; Tovar & Lockwood, 2008 ), Belize (Diedrich & Garcia-Buades, 2008 ), China (Gu & Ryan, 2008 ), Fiji (King et al., 1993 ), Greece (Haralambopoulos & Pizam, 1996 ; Tsartas, 1992 ), Hungary (Rátz, 2000 ), Thailand (Huttasin, 2008 ), Turkey (Kuvan & Akan, 2005 ), the United Kingdom (Brunt & Courtney, 1999 ; Haley et al., 2005 ), and the United States (Andereck et al., 2005 ; Milman & Pizam, 1988 ), among others. The social impacts of tourism are difficult to measure, and most published studies are mainly concerned with the social impacts on the host communities rather than the impacts on the tourists themselves.

Studies of residents’ perceptions of tourism are typically conducted using household surveys. In most cases, residents recognize the economic dependence on tourism for income, and there is substantial evidence to suggest that working in or owning a business in tourism or a related industry is associated with more positive perceptions of tourism (Andereck et al., 2007 ). The perceived nature of negative effects is complex and often conveys a dislike of crowding, traffic congestion, and higher prices for basic needs (Deery et al., 2012 ). When the number of tourists far exceeds that of the resident population, negative attitudes toward tourism may manifest (Diedrich & Garcia-Buades, 2008 ). However, residents who recognize negative impacts may not necessarily oppose tourism development (King et al., 1993 ).

In some regions, little is known about the social and cultural impacts of tourism despite its dominance as an economic sector. Tourism is a rapidly growing sector in Cuba, and it is projected to grow at rates that exceed the average projected growth rates for the Caribbean and the world overall (Salinas et al., 2018 ). Still, even though there has been rapid tourism development in Cuba, there has been little research related to the environmental and sociocultural impacts of this tourism growth (Rutty & Richardson, 2019 ).

In some international tourism contexts, studies have found that residents are generally resentful toward tourism because it fuels inequality and exacerbates racist attitudes and discrimination (Cabezas, 2004 ; Jamal & Camargo, 2014 ; Mbaiwa, 2005 ). Other studies revealed similar narratives and recorded statements of exclusion and socioeconomic stratification (Sanchez & Adams, 2008 ). Local residents often must navigate the gaps in the racialized, gendered, and sexualized structures imposed by the global tourism industry and host-country governments (Cabezas, 2004 ).

However, during times of economic crisis, residents may develop a more permissive view as their perceptions of the costs of tourism development decrease (Garau-Vadell et al., 2018 ). This increased positive attitude is not based on an increase in the perception of positive impacts of tourism, but rather on a decrease in the perception of the negative impacts.

There is a growing body of research on Indigenous and Aboriginal tourism that emphasizes justice issues such as human rights and self-empowerment, control, and participation of traditional owners in comanagement of destinations (Jamal & Camargo, 2014 ; Ryan & Huyton, 2000 ; Whyte, 2010 ).

Sustainability of Tourism

A process or system is said to be sustainable to the extent that it is robust, resilient, and adaptive (Anderies et al., 2013 ). By most measures, the global tourism system does not meet these criteria for sustainability. Tourism is not robust in that it cannot resist threats and perturbations, such as economic shocks, public health pandemics, war, and other disruptions. Tourism is not resilient in that it does not easily recover from failures, such as natural disasters or civil unrest. Furthermore, tourism is not adaptive in that it is often unable to change in response to external conditions. One example that underscores the failure to meet all three criteria is the dependence of tourism on fossil fuels for transportation and energy, which are key inputs for tourism development. This dependence itself is not sustainable (Wheeller, 2007 ), and thus the sustainability of tourism is questionable.

Liu ( 2003 ) notes that research related to the role of tourism in sustainable development has emphasized supply-side concepts such as sustaining tourism resources and ignored the demand side, which is particularly vulnerable to social and economic shocks. Tourism is vulnerable to both localized and global shocks. Studies of the vulnerability of tourism to localized shocks include disaster vulnerability in coastal Thailand (Calgaro & Lloyd, 2008 ), bushfires in northeast Victoria in Australia (Cioccio & Michael, 2007 ), forest fires in British Columbia, Canada (Hystad & Keller, 2008 ); and outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom (Miller & Ritchie, 2003 ).

Like most other economic sectors, tourism is vulnerable to the impacts of earthquakes, particularly in areas where tourism infrastructure may not be resilient to such shocks. Numerous studies have examined the impacts of earthquake events on tourism, including studies of the aftermath of the 1997 earthquake in central Italy (Mazzocchi & Montini, 2001 ), the 1999 earthquake in Taiwan (Huan et al., 2004 ; Huang & Min, 2002 ), and the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in western Sichuan, China (Yang et al., 2011 ), among others.

Tourism is vulnerable to extreme weather events. Regional economic strength has been found to be associated with lower vulnerability to natural disasters. Kim and Marcoullier ( 2015 ) examined the vulnerability and resilience of 10 tourism-based regional economies that included U.S. national parks or protected seashores situated on the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean coastline that were affected by several hurricanes over a 26-year period. Regions with stronger economic characteristics prior to natural disasters were found to have lower disaster losses than regions with weaker economies.

Tourism is extremely sensitive to oil spills, whatever their origin, and the volume of oil released need not be large to generate significant economic losses (Cirer-Costa, 2015 ). Studies of the vulnerability of tourism to the localized shock of an oil spill include research on the impacts of oil spills in Alaska (Coddington, 2015 ), Brazil (Ribeiro et al., 2020 ), Spain (Castanedo et al., 2009 ), affected regions in the United States along the Gulf of Mexico (Pennington-Gray et al., 2011 ; Ritchie et al., 2013 ), and the Republic of Korea (Cheong, 2012 ), among others. Future research on the vulnerability of tourist destinations to oil spills should also incorporate freshwater environments, such as lakes, rivers, and streams, where the rupture of oil pipelines is more frequent.

Significant attention has been paid to assessing the vulnerability of tourist destinations to acts of terrorism and the impacts of terrorist attacks on regional tourist economies (Liu & Pratt, 2017 ). Such studies include analyses of the impacts of terrorist attacks on three European countries, Greece, Italy, and Austria (Enders et al., 1992 ); the impact of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States (Goodrich, 2002 ); terrorism and tourism in Nepal (Bhattarai et al., 2005 ); vulnerability of tourism livelihoods in Bali (Baker & Coulter, 2007 ); the impact of terrorism on tourist preferences for destinations in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands (Arana & León, 2008 ); the 2011 massacres in Olso and Utøya, Norway (Wolff & Larsen, 2014 ); terrorism and political violence in Tunisia (Lanouar & Goaied, 2019 ); and the impact of terrorism on European tourism (Corbet et al., 2019 ), among others. Pizam and Fleischer ( 2002 ) studied the impact of acts of terrorism on tourism demand in Israel between May 1991 and May 2001 , and they confirmed that the frequency of acts of terrorism had caused a larger decline in international tourist arrivals than the severity of these acts. Most of these are ex post studies, and future assessments of the underlying conditions of destinations could reveal a deeper understanding of the vulnerability of tourism to terrorism.

Tourism is vulnerable to economic crisis, both local economic shocks (Okumus & Karamustafa, 2005 ; Stylidis & Terzidou, 2014 ) and global economic crisis (Papatheodorou et al., 2010 ; Smeral, 2010 ). Okumus and Karamustafa ( 2005 ) evaluated the impact of the February 2001 economic crisis in Turkey on tourism, and they found that the tourism industry was poorly prepared for the economic crisis despite having suffered previous impacts related to the Gulf War in the early 1990s, terrorism in Turkey in the 1990s, the civil war in former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, an internal economic crisis in 1994 , and two earthquakes in the northwest region of Turkey in 1999 . In a study of the attitudes and perceptions of citizens of Greece, Stylidis and Terzidou ( 2014 ) found that economic crisis is associated with increased support for tourism development, particularly out of self-interest. Economic crisis diminishes residents’ concern for environmental issues. In a study of the behavior of European tourists amid an economic crisis, Eugenio-Martin and Campos-Soria ( 2014 ) found that the probability of households cutting back on travel expenditures depends largely on the climate and economic conditions of tourists’ home countries, and households that do reduce travel spending engage in tourism closer to home.

Becken and Lennox ( 2012 ) studied the implications of a long-term increase in oil prices for tourism in New Zealand, and they estimate that a doubling of oil prices is associated with a 1.7% decrease in real gross national disposable income and a 9% reduction in the real value of tourism exports. Chatziantoniou et al. ( 2013 ) investigated the relationship among oil price shocks, tourism variables, and economic indicators in four European Mediterranean countries and found that aggregate demand oil price shocks generated a lagged effect on tourism-generated income and economic growth. Kisswani et al. ( 2020 ) examined the asymmetric effect of oil prices on tourism receipts and the sensitive susceptibility of tourism to oil price changes using nonlinear analysis. The findings document a long-run asymmetrical effect for most countries, after incorporating the structural breaks, suggesting that governments and tourism businesses and organizations should interpret oil price fluctuations cautiously.

Finally, the sustainability of tourism has been shown to be vulnerable to the outbreak of infectious diseases, including the impact of the Ebola virus on tourism in sub-Saharan Africa (Maphanga & Henama, 2019 ; Novelli et al., 2018 ) and in the United States (Cahyanto et al., 2016 ). The literature also includes studies of the impact of swine flu on tourism demand in Brunei (Haque & Haque, 2018 ), Mexico (Monterrubio, 2010 ), and the United Kingdom (Page et al., 2012 ), among others. In addition, rapid assessments of the impacts of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 have documented severe disruptions and cessations of tourism because of unprecedented global travel restrictions and widespread restrictions on public gatherings (Gössling et al., 2020 ; Qiu et al., 2020 ; Sharma & Nicolau, 2020 ). Hotels, airlines, cruise lines, and car rentals have all experienced a significant decrease globally because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the shock to the industry is significant enough to warrant concerns about the long-term outlook (Sharma & Nicolau, 2020 ). Qiu et al. ( 2020 ) estimated the social costs of the pandemic to tourism in three cities in China (Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Wuhan), and they found that most respondents were willing to pay for risk reduction and action in responding to the pandemic crisis; there was no significant difference between residents’ willingness to pay in the three cities. Some research has emphasized how lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic can prepare global tourism for an economic transformation that is needed to mitigate the impacts of climate change (Brouder, 2020 ; Prideaux et al., 2020 ).

It is clear that tourism has contributed significantly to economic development globally, but its role in sustainable development is uncertain, contested, and potentially paradoxical. This is due, in part, to the contested nature of sustainable development itself. Tourism has been promoted as a low-impact, nonextractive option for economic development, particularly for developing countries (Gössling, 2000 ), and many countries have managed to increase their participation in the global economy through development of international tourism. Tourism development has been viewed as an important sector for investment to enhance economic growth, poverty alleviation, and food security, and the sector provides an alternative opportunity to large-scale development projects and extractive industries that contribute to emissions of pollutants and threaten biodiversity and cultural values. However, global evidence from research on the economic impacts of tourism has shown that this potential has rarely been realized (Liu, 2003 ).

The role of tourism in sustainable development has been studied extensively and with a variety of perspectives, including the conceptualization of alternative or responsible forms of tourism and the examination of economic, environmental, and social impacts of tourism development. The research has generally concluded that tourism development has contributed to sustainable development in some cases where it is demonstrated to have provided support for biodiversity conservation initiatives and livelihood development strategies. As an economic sector, tourism is considered to be labor intensive, providing opportunities for poor households to enhance their livelihood through the sale of goods and services to foreign tourists.

Nature-based tourism approaches such as ecotourism and community-based tourism have been successful at attracting tourists to parks and protected areas, and their spending provides financial support for biodiversity conservation, livelihoods, and economic growth in developing countries. Nevertheless, studies of the impacts of tourism development have documented negative environmental impacts locally in terms of land use, food and water consumption, and congestion, and globally in terms of the contribution of tourism to climate change through the emission of greenhouse gases related to transportation and other tourist activities. Studies of the social impacts of tourism have documented experiences of discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, race, sex, and national identity.

The sustainability of tourism as an economic sector has been examined in terms of its vulnerability to civil conflict, economic shocks, natural disasters, and public health pandemics. Most studies conclude that tourism may have positive impacts for regional development and environmental conservation, but there is evidence that tourism inherently generates negative environmental impacts, primarily through pollutions stemming from transportation. The regional benefits of tourism development must be considered alongside the global impacts of increased transportation and tourism participation. Global tourism has also been shown to be vulnerable to economic crises, oil price shocks, and global outbreaks of infectious diseases. Given that tourism is dependent on energy, the movement of people, and the consumption of resources, virtually all tourism activities have significant economic, environmental, and sustainable impacts. As such, the role of tourism in sustainable development is highly questionable. Future research on the role of tourism in sustainable development should focus on reducing the negative impacts of tourism development, both regionally and globally.

Sustainable tourism

Related sdgs, promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable ....

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Tourism is one of the world's fastest growing industries and an important source of foreign exchange and employment, while being closely linked to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of many countries, especially developing countries. Maritime or ocean-related tourism, as well as coastal tourism, are for example vital sectors of the economy in small island developing States (SIDS) and coastal least developed countries (LDCs) (see also: The Potential of the Blue Economy report as well as the Community of Ocean Action on sustainable blue economy).

The World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism as “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".

Based on General assembly resolution 70/193, 2017 was declared as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development SDG target 8.9, aims to “by 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”. The importance of sustainable tourism is also highlighted in SDG target 12.b. which aims to “develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”.

Tourism is also identified as one of the tools to “by 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries” as comprised in SDG target 14.7.

In the Rio+20 outcome document The Future We want, sustainable tourism is defined by paragraph 130 as a significant contributor “to the three dimensions of sustainable development” thanks to its close linkages to other sectors and its ability to create decent jobs and generate trade opportunities. Therefore, Member States recognize “the need to support sustainable tourism activities and relevant capacity-building that promote environmental awareness, conserve and protect the environment, respect wildlife, flora, biodiversity, ecosystems and cultural diversity, and improve the welfare and livelihoods of local communities by supporting their local economies and the human and natural environment as a whole. ” In paragraph 130, Member States also “call for enhanced support for sustainable tourism activities and relevant capacity-building in developing countries in order to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development”.

In paragraph 131, Member States “encourage the promotion of investment in sustainable tourism, including eco-tourism and cultural tourism, which may include creating small- and medium-sized enterprises and facilitating access to finance, including through microcredit initiatives for the poor, indigenous peoples and local communities in areas with high eco-tourism potential”. In this regard, Member States also “underline the importance of establishing, where necessary, appropriate guidelines and regulations in accordance with national priorities and legislation for promoting and supporting sustainable tourism”.

In 2002, the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg called for the promotion of sustainable tourism development, including non-consumptive and eco-tourism, in Chapter IV, paragraph 43 of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.

At the Johannesburg Summit, the launch of the “Sustainable Tourism – Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) initiative was announced. The initiative was inaugurated by the World Tourism Organization, in collaboration with UNCTAD, in order to develop sustainable tourism as a force for poverty alleviation.

The UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) last reviewed the issue of sustainable tourism in 2001, when it was acting as the Preparatory Committee for the Johannesburg Summit.

The importance of sustainable tourism was also mentioned in Agenda 21.

For more information and documents on this topic, please visit this link

UNWTO Annual Report 2015

2015 was a landmark year for the global community. In September, the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a universal agenda for planet and people. Among the 17 SDGs and 169 associated targets, tourism is explicitly featured in Goa...

UNWTO Annual Report 2016

In December 2015, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. This is a unique opportunity to devote a year to activities that promote the transformational power of tourism to help us reach a better future. This important cele...

Emerging Issues for Small Island Developing States

The 2012 UNEP Foresight Process on Emerging Global Environmental Issues primarily identified emerging environmental issues and possible solutions on a global scale and perspective. In 2013, UNEP carried out a similar exercise to identify priority emerging environmental issues that are of concern to ...

Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. It also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom, We recognize that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for su...

Towards Measuring the Economic Value of Wildlife Watching Tourism in Africa

Set against the backdrop of the ongoing poaching crisis driven by a dramatic increase in the illicit trade in wildlife products, this briefing paper intends to support the ongoing efforts of African governments and the broader international community in the fight against poaching. Specifically, this...

Status and Trends of Caribbean Coral Reefs: 1970-2012

Previous Caribbean assessments lumped data together into a single database regardless of geographic location, reef environment, depth, oceanographic conditions, etc. Data from shallow lagoons and back reef environments were combined with data from deep fore-reef environments and atolls. Geographic c...

15 Years of the UNWTO World Tourism Network on Child Protection: A Compilation of Good Practices

Although it is widely recognized that tourism is not the cause of child exploitation, it can aggravate the problem when parts of its infrastructure, such as transport networks and accommodation facilities, are exploited by child abusers for nefarious ends. Additionally, many other factors that contr...

Natural Resources Forum: Special Issue Tourism

The journal considers papers on all topics relevant to sustainable development. In addition, it dedicates series, issues and special sections to specific themes that are relevant to the current discussions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD)....

Thailand: Supporting Sustainable Development in Thailand: A Geographic Clusters Approach

Market forces and government policies, including the Tenth National Development Plan (2007-2012), are moving Thailand toward a more geographically specialized economy. There is a growing consensus that Thailand’s comparative and competitive advantages lie in amenity services that have high reliance...

Road Map on Building a Green Economy for Sustainable Development in Carriacou and Petite Martinique, Grenada

This publication is the product of an international study led by the Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) in cooperation with the Ministry of Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs and the Ministry of Environment, Foreig...

Natural Resources Forum, a United Nations Sustainable Development Journal (NRF)

  Natural Resources Forum, a United Nations Sustainable Development Journal, seeks to address gaps in current knowledge and stimulate relevant policy discussions, leading to the implementation of the sustainable development agenda and the achievement of the Sustainable...

UN Ocean Conference 2025

Our Ocean, Our Future, Our Responsibility “The ocean is fundamental to life on our planet and to our future. The ocean is an important source of the planet’s biodiversity and plays a vital role in the climate system and water cycle. The ocean provides a range of ecosystem services, supplies us with

UN Ocean Conference 2022

The UN Ocean Conference 2022, co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal, came at a critical time as the world was strengthening its efforts to mobilize, create and drive solutions to realize the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

58th Session of the Commission for Social Development – CSocD58

22nd general assembly of the united nations world tourism organization, world tourism day 2017 official celebration.

This year’s World Tourism Day, held on 27 September, will be focused on Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development. Celebrated in line with the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, the Day will be dedicated to exploring the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Deve

World Tourism Day 2016 Official Celebration

Accessible Tourism for all is about the creation of environments that can cater for the needs of all of us, whether we are traveling or staying at home. May that be due to a disability, even temporary, families with small children, or the ageing population, at some point in our lives, sooner or late

4th Global Summit on City Tourism

The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the Regional Council for Tourism of Marrakesh with support of the Government of Morroco are organizing the 4th Global Summit on City Tourism in Marrakesh, Morroco (9-10 December 2015). International experts in city tourism, representatives of city DMOs, of

2nd Euro-Asian Mountain Resorts Conference

The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and Ulsan Metropolitan City with support of the Government of the Republic of Korea are organizing the 2nd Euro-Asian Mountain Resorts Conference, in Ulsan, Republic of Korea (14 - 16 October 2015). Under the title “Paving the Way for a Bright Future for Mounta

21st General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization

Unwto regional conference enhancing brand africa - fostering tourism development.

Tourism is one of the Africa’s most promising sectors in terms of development, and represents a major opportunity to foster inclusive development, increase the region’s participation in the global economy and generate revenues for investment in other activities, including environmental preservation.

January 2017 International Year of Tourism In the context of the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the International Year aims to support a change in policies, business practices and consumer behavior towards a more sustainable tourism sector that can contribute to the SDGs.
January 2015 Targets 8.9, 12 b,14.7 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development commits Member States, through Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.9 to “devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”. The importance of sustainable tourism, as a driver for jobs creation and the promotion of local culture and products, is also highlighted in Sustainable Development Goal target 12.b. Tourism is also identified as one of the tools to “increase [by 2030] the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries”, through Sustainable Development Goals Target 14.7.
January 2012 Future We Want (Para 130-131) Sustainable tourism is defined as a significant contributor “to the three dimensions of sustainable development” thanks to its close linkages to other sectors and its ability to create decent jobs and generate trade opportunities. Therefore, Member States recognize “the need to support sustainable tourism activities and relevant capacity-building that promote environmental awareness, conserve and protect the environment, respect wildlife, flora, biodiversity, ecosystems and cultural diversity, and improve the welfare and livelihoods of local communities” as well as to “encourage the promotion of investment in sustainable tourism, including eco-tourism and cultural tourism, which may include creating small and medium sized enterprises and facilitating access to finance, including through microcredit initiatives for the poor, indigenous peoples and local communities in areas with high eco-tourism potential”.
January 2009 Roadmap for Recovery UNWTO announced in March 2009 the elaboration of a Roadmap for Recovery to be finalized by UNWTO’s General Assembly, based on seven action points. The Roadmap includes a set of 15 recommendations based on three interlocking action areas: resilience, stimulus, green economy aimed at supporting the tourism sector and the global economy.
January 2008 Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria The Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria represent the minimum requirements any tourism business should observe in order to ensure preservation and respect of the natural and cultural resources and make sure at the same time that tourism potential as tool for poverty alleviation is enforced. The Criteria are 41 and distributed into four different categories: 1) sustainability management, 2) social and economic 3) cultural 4) environmental.
January 2003 1st Int. Conf. on Climate Change and Tourism The conference was organized in order to gather tourism authorities, organizations, businesses and scientists to discuss on the impact that climate change can have on the tourist sector. The event took place from 9 till 11 April 2003 in Djerba, Tunisia.
January 2003 WTO becomes a UN specialized body By Resolution 453 (XV), the Assembly agreed on the transformation of the WTO into a United Nations specialized body. Such transformation was later ratified by the United Nations General Assembly with the adoption of Resolution A/RES/58/232.
January 2002 World Ecotourism Summit Held in May 2002, in Quebec City, Canada, the Summit represented the most important event in the framework of the International Year of Ecosystem. The Summit identified as main themes: ecotourism policy and planning, regulation of ecotourism, product development, marketing and promotion of ecotourism and monitoring costs and benefits of ecotourism.
January 1985 Tourism Bill of Rights and Tourist Code At the World Tourism Organization Sixth Assembly held in Sofia in 1985, the Tourism Bill of Rights and Tourist Code were adopted, setting out the rights and duties of tourists and host populations and formulating policies and action for implementation by states and the tourist industry.
January 1982 Acapulco Document Adopted in 1982, the Acapulco Document acknowledges the new dimension and role of tourism as a positive instrument towards the improvement of the quality of life for all peoples, as well as a significant force for peace and international understanding. The Acapulco Document also urges Member States to elaborate their policies, plans and programmes on tourism, in accordance with their national priorities and within the framework of the programme of work of the World Tourism Organization.

Tourists on tour

Tourism An opportunity for sustainable development

Tourism offers great opportunities for emerging economies and developing countries. It creates jobs, strengthens the local economy, contributes to local infrastructure development and can help to conserve the natural environment and cultural assets and traditions, and to reduce poverty and inequality. This can be achieved, in particular, if local people are able to benefit from the income opportunities arising from tourism.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought severe restrictions for global travel, especially for travel to countries in the Global South. In 2020, many countries saw a temporary standstill in the tourism sector. The sector's contribution to global GDP dropped by nearly half, and more than 60 million jobs were lost.

Germany is therefore using its development cooperation to help its partner countries cope with the crisis and achieve a sustainable recovery. More generally, it works towards fostering the sustainable development of tourism at destinations, and it fosters cooperation with the tourism industry, always pursuing the goal of using tourism projects in order to contribute to sustainable development in its partner countries.

Hotel employee in Rwanda

German activities COVID-19 Response Measures for Tourism Internal link

The BMZ has launched COVID-19 Response Measures for Tourism geared towards using the tourism sector to foster crisis management, recovery and resilience. Through that measures, it is responding to the challenges which the COVID-19 pandemic has created for tourism in its partner countries.

Recycling and circular economy at a hotel

German activities Cooperation with the tourism industry Internal link

In order to make tourism in developing countries and emerging economies more sustainable and more crisis-resilient, there needs to be close cooperation between the tourism industry, academia, and the development community. The BMZ therefore supports exchange and transfer of knowledge between the various stakeholders.

The BMZ 's approach Sustainability and responsibility in the tourism sector

Farmer in a greenhouse in South Africa

Sustainable tourism is based on a long-term perspective. It adheres to ethical principles and is geared towards social justice, respect for cultural differences, environmental responsibility, and economic benefits.

The BMZ supports projects and initiatives to foster the sustainable development of tourism in the countries of the Global South.

It considers tourism an important tool for development policy. In other words, tourism is used mainly as a lever for fostering local and regional economic development in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Activities focus, for example, on creating jobs and income, fostering human rights and gender equality, and protecting the natural environment, biodiversity and cultural assets and traditions within the tourism sector and beyond.

In order to achieve these goals, the BMZ is pursuing more than 100 projects in its partner countries that are related to tourism. Examples of projects can be found in the following countries and regions:

Logo: Tourism for SDGs

T4SDG Tourism for SDGs External link

Platform of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for exchange on the implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the tourism industry

Project examples

Hiking in southern Tunisia

Tunisia: Developing sustainable tourism options Internal link

The tourism sector is one of Tunisia's most important industries. However, tourism has so far concentrated mainly on the coastal regions. Through its development cooperation, Germany is supporting the development of tourism products in adjacent and economically less successful regions of the country.

At Goshavank Monastery in Tavush Province in north-eastern Armenia, audio guides are available for visitors.

Armenia: Innovative approaches to strengthen the private tourism industry Internal link

Armenia is not yet tapping its potential for tourism to the full. Germany is assisting the country in developing its tourism sector in a sustainable, forward-looking way.

Training for Desert Kayak Trail, Namibia

Southern Africa: Fostering cross-border nature tourism Internal link

In order to conserve biodiversity, the Southern African Development Community ( SADC ) supports the establishment of transboundary protected areas in the region and helps to develop programmes and strategies for their sustainable management.

Economic significance of tourism

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism had for decades been one of the fastest-growing industries. While the number of international tourist arrivals in 1950 was only 25 million, it had risen to 674 million by 2000 and to 1.5 billion by 2019. Domestic tourism has also become more and more important.

As the number of tourists has grown, so has the economic significance of tourism. In 2019, tourism accounted for about ten per cent of global GDP (gross domestic product). One in ten jobs worldwide is directly related to tourism.

Over the past few decades, the importance of tourist destinations in the Global South has risen continuously as well. While in 1995 the share of international arrivals in developing countries and emerging economies was only 26 per cent, it was already as much as 38 per cent by 2010. More than half of all Germans (52 per cent) have already visited an emerging or developing country.

Opportunities involved in tourism development

Tourism can contribute to sustainable development in a variety of sectors.

Economic growth . Tourism generates income and creates easily accessible training opportunities and jobs, as well as sales markets for services and local products.

Infrastructure . Revenue from tourism can be used to expand important transport, energy and other infrastructure, and for waste and wastewater management, for example.

Environmental protection and nature conservation . Tourism companies and local communities get involved in environmental protection once they realise that this will help preserve the basis for tourism.

Culture . Travelers are interested in local cultures. So tourism can contribute, among other things, towards protecting and reviving the cultural heritage and increasing the value which people attach to it.

Risks involved in tourism development

Uncontrolled growth of the tourism sector gives rise to a number of risks.

Environment . Uncontrolled growth of the tourism sector puts a strain on natural resources, for example through greatly increased demand for water and energy, increased volumes of waste, and damage to – or even the destruction of – ecosystems.

Human rights . If local people's right to have a say in local affairs is disregarded, or if social standards are not met, the development of tourism can lead to conflicts within the society of the destination country. For example, most workers in the tourism industry, especially women, have informal jobs with very limited career advancement opportunities. Tourism development can also lead to increased sexual exploitation of women and children, and increased child labour.

Economy . Economies that rely one-sidedly on tourism can become economically dependent on that single industry. Seasonal fluctuation of tourist flows can lead to insecure job and income situations.

Crowding-out effect . The construction of tourism infrastructure and the increase of prices in a given region as a result of tourism can crowd out local people from their home areas or local labour and other markets.

Tourism in Development Cooperation Publication of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit ( GIZ ), 2018 External link
COVID-19 Response Measures for Tourism For Crisis Response, Recovery and Resilience File type PDF | Date of status 07/2022 | File size 6 MB , Pages 44 Pages | Accessibility Accessible
Inclusion and Tourism. Analysis and practical approaches for development cooperation projects Publication of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit ( GIZ ), 2021 External link
The tourism value chain. Analysis and practical approaches for development cooperation projects Publication of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit ( GIZ ), 2020 External link
Destination management in developing and emerging countries. Handbook and guidelines for building sustainable destination management organizations Publication of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit ( GIZ ), 2019 External link
Global Report on Women in Tourism – Second Edition Publication of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), 2019 External link
Get started Risk analysis tool to identify human rights risks and integrate measures to protect human rights in operations and along the value chain | Roundtable Human Righs in Tourism External link
The Code Is your business child safe? External link

As at: 25/05/2022

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

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Tourism in the 2030 Agenda

The year 2015 has been a milestone for global development as governments have adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, along with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The bold agenda sets out a global framework to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and fix climate change until 2030. Building on the historic Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the ambitious set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 associated targets is people-centred, transformative, universal and integrated.

Harnessing tourism's benefits will be critical to achieving the sustainable development goals and implementing the post-2015 development agenda

Tourism has the potential to contribute, directly or indirectly, to all of the goals. In particular, it has been included as targets in Goals 8, 12 and 14 on inclusive and sustainable economic growth, sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and the sustainable use of oceans and marine resources, respectively.

Sustainable tourism is firmly positioned in the 2030 Agenda. Achieving this agenda, however, requires a clear implementation framework, adequate financing and investment in technology, infrastructure and human resources.

GOAL 1: NO POVERTY

GOAL 2: ZERO HUNGER

GOAL 3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

GOAL 4: QUALITY EDUCATION

GOAL 5: GENDER EQUALITY

GOAL 6: CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION

GOAL 7: AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY

GOAL 8: DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

GOAL 9: INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

GOAL 10: REDUCED INEQUALITIES

GOAL 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

GOAL 12: RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

GOAL 13: CLIMATE ACTION

GOAL 14: LIFE BELOW WATER

GOAL 15: LIFE ON LAND

GOAL 16: PEACE AND JUSTICE

GOAL 17: PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS

Encyclopedia of Tourism pp 1–3 Cite as

Developing country, tourism

Marina Novelli 3
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First Online: 01 January 2015

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The widespread view of tourism as a development tool in the developing world has received a wide range of coverage, both in the tourism and the development studies literature. Many agree on the potential role of tourism as a vehicle for economic growth, job creation, and poverty alleviation. While this remains credible, there is an increasing interest in investigating the underutilized opportunities of tourism and the arguments and paradoxes associated with its potential role in the developing world. Aspirations about wealth creation, growth, and redistribution are faced with a number of bottlenecks hindering development. The complexities created by the copresence of “hosts” and “guests,” of different wealth levels in the same physical places, make tourism an epitome for the unequal relationship between the developing world and the more affluent tourist-generating countries.

Development is a highly contested term that is often equated with economic growth. The concept of development as...

Poverty Alleviation
Foreign Exchange Earning
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Promote Gender Equality
Stakeholder Collaboration

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Brohman, J. 1996 New Directions in Tourism for Third World Development. Annals of Tourism Research 23:48-70.

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Chambers, R. 1997 Editorial. Responsible Wellbeing: A Personal Agenda for Development. World Development 25:1743-1754.

De Kadt, E. 1979 Tourism: Passport to Development? London: Oxford University Press.

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Holden, A., J. Sonne, and M. Novelli 2011 The Poor's Interpretations of the Role of Tourism in Poverty Reduction in Elmina, Ghana. Journal of Tourism Planning and Development 8:317-334.

Lea, J. 1988 Tourism and Development in the Third World. London: Routledge.

Mitchell, J., and C. Ashley 2009 Value Chain Analysis and Poverty Reduction at Scale. ODI Briefing Paper No. 49. London: Overseas Development Institute.

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Jafar Jafari

School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Honggen Xiao

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Novelli, M. (2014). Developing country, tourism. In: Jafari, J., Xiao, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Tourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_355-1

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What is the impact of tourism on development?

Image: Passengers walk across an air bridge as they disembark a flight at Changi Airport in Singapore. REUTERS/Vivek Prakash.

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Stay up to date:, travel and tourism.

Tourism is growing, and growing fast. After surpassing 1 billion international visitors in 2012, we are expecting 1.8 billion by 2030. Tourism is growing faster than the global economy and, for the first time, the statistics for 2015 are expected to show that there were more trips taken to the developing world than to the developed world. But what does this actually mean? Growth, on its own, is not enough. Destinations and their stakeholders are responsible for ensuring that growth is well-managed; that benefits are maximized; and that any negative externalities are minimized. This requires a continuous process of planning and management that evolves and that can be measured over time. For the World Bank Group, our clients and our development partners, this process of planning and management is a central interest. How can we help these processes to deliver more and better development impact? What kinds of interventions or types of assistance will deliver the best results? How do you define the best results – for whom? – and how do we measure them? Being able to demonstrate how the tourism sector contributes to the Bank Group’s twin goals of eliminating extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity is an imperative for all stakeholders. It’s relevant for national governments, sub-national state agencies, businesses (both multinationals and SMEs), multilateral development banks, NGOs, academics and think tanks. Moreover, it’s vital in helping guide future planning and development, gaining access to and applying for funding, and demonstrating progress to constituents at all levels.

Despite the great breadth and depth of existing impact information, however, serious concerns remain about the accuracy, complexity, gaps, comparability and sustainability of the types of the impact analyses that have been carried out. The Bank Group’s Sustainable Tourism Global Solutions Group recently convened a thought-leadership event in Washington to begin a preliminary discussion about how all stakeholders can come together to try and address some of the current shortcomings. During the “ Measuring for Impact in Touris m” event, we heard about a wide range of challenges for those working in this area and we began to map out the greatest gaps and issues. As Anabel Gonzalez, the Senior Director of the Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice, said at that conference: “We want to be better at monitoring and evaluating our impact, we want to learn from others, and we want to contribute more effectively to tourism development. I believe these are goals most of you will share. We invite you to join this discussion – and be frank, open and provocative.”The findings can be found in our report, “ Towards More Effective Impact Measurement in the Tourism Sector: Observations and Key Issues ,” which highlights a number of priorities. Some of those challenges concern the availability, quality and consistency of data; the high cost of impact measurement for SMEs; the proliferation of different systems; issues of attribution; quantifying notions of “value”; and the ability to communicate effectively to a wide range of audiences. Some key areas for immediate follow-up and further analysis were also identified. They include:

-Exploring the theory of change by examining more closely the proposition that, when tourism growth occurs, those living in extreme poverty benefit and by digging deeper into what tourism growth really means for the poor, especially in terms of employment.

-Assessing the impact value of different types of tourism.

-Assessing and developing the role of technology for data collection, impact measurement and communication.

-Evaluating the use of training for better communication – including assessing what has been tried and what has worked and considering how it could be scaled up.

-Analyzing the necessity and practicality of improving collaboration among various actors, and assessing the alignment of frameworks along with proposals for greater alignment.

-Developing ideas and proposals for the enhanced sharing and pooling of impact data.

-Developing ideas and proposals for greater inclusion of SMEs.

The Bank Group is committed to advancing this agenda . As an international organization heavily invested in the sector, with a deep motivation to deliver change for the world’s poorest people, we aim to take a leading role in a number of key areas. Other major stakeholders have also shown their support. Harvard University and the University of Sussex have asked to host follow-up events. Wyndham Hotels, the World Trade Organization, the United Nations Environment Program, the World Wildlife Fund and Sustainable Travel International have sought specific collaboration and partnership opportunities. The Bank Group will continue to convene meetings, promote dialogue, conduct research and publish relevant information – focusing our interventions on those areas where we’re well-placed to fulfill the twin goals of eliminating extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity.

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1 0000000404811396 https://isni.org/isni/0000000404811396 International Monetary Fund

The author considers the economics of the growth of world tourism and their implications for developing countries. In a later article, he will deal with some of the things these countries can do for themselves in this important economic field.

H. David Davis

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL to developing countries has increased rapidly in the last two decades. Whereas in 1950 there were only about 2.25 million international visitors to the developing countries, 1 by 1967 there were about 16 million such visitors. Receipts from these visitors (excluding payments for international travel) rose from $0.5 billion to about $3 billion over this period.

These increases have been part of a general boom in international travel. All international visits rose from 25 million in 1950 to 138 million in 1967, with total receipts rising from $2.1 billion to $14.1 billion.

By simple deduction, it is obvious that the lion’s share of the international travel trade has gone to Europe and North America, which by 1967 still received 90 per cent of all visits and nearly 80 per cent of all expenditures. On the other hand, the international travel trade of the developing countries has been growing at a somewhat faster rate than that of the developed countries, particularly in recent years.

The Major Markets

Most developing countries are at a long distance from the major international travel markets. International travelers from the 12 leading tourist-generating countries—the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Belgium-Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, and Austria—accounted for nearly 80 per cent of expenditures by all travelers in 1967 and over 75 per cent of all trips taken throughout the world in that year.

Even though most of the international travel from these countries is to the relatively nearby countries within their own respective two regions, and much of the remainder is between them across the North Atlantic, these countries also constitute the source of about two thirds of all international visits to the rest of the world. Furthermore, the 12 leading tourist generators are even more predominant as the source of long-distance travelers to developing countries, providing 90 per cent of all the visitors to these countries from further afield than from the other countries outside their respective regions.

The reasons why the developing world captures only a small proportion of the international travel trade and why, of the trade that it does capture, so much is from so relatively few countries are not difficult to discern. Incomes available for foreign travel are concentrated in a limited number of countries and, even in these, income distribution still limits the number of people who are able to spend the higher amounts required for transport to and from more distant points.

The exceptions perhaps tend to prove the rule. Some North African countries are closer to certain European markets than are other European countries, while some Caribbean islands are closer to parts of the United States than are other parts of the United States. And these are the very tourist destinations outside the European and North American regions which have shown early success in promoting their tourist trade.

Income Elasticity

There are a number of reasons why international receipts from foreign travel have been increasing at a rate of over 11 per cent a year (about 9 per cent at constant prices) or at more than twice the growth rate for national incomes. One of the main reasons appears to be that the demand for foreign travel has been very income elastic, particularly in the major tourist-generating countries. As national incomes increase, expenditures on foreign travel increase even faster.

There is some evidence—although more detailed research is required—that the national income elasticity of demand for foreign travel increases more rapidly after a certain per capita income has been attained. But, although theoretically there should be an upper per capita income level after which national income elasticity of demand would start to decline, no country seems to have reached that level yet. Aggregate demand for foreign travel within a single country is clearly affected by numerous factors, some of which, but not all, are related to national income elasticity. One of the more important is income distribution. Obviously, a skewed income distribution would tend to limit the proportion of the population with incomes above the level at which demand for foreign travel is financially possible.

Calculations show that, in recent years, as national incomes have risen by 10 per cent, expenditures on foreign travel have risen by 15 per cent (in economic terms, the world-wide average national income coefficient has been 1.5). But national income elasticity coefficients in some of the leading tourist-generating countries have been considerably higher than 1.5, which probably goes a long way to explain why total foreign travel expenditures have been growing at a rate faster than that derived simply from the average figure.

Price Elasticity

The other major factor affecting travel demand is cost, since there is evidence that such demand is also highly price elastic, particularly below a certain price level. The two major cost elements in a trip abroad are the transport charges and expenditures in the destination country. For long-distance traffic, air transport has become predominant, and average air transport costs have been declining. Since transport costs constitute a high proportion of the total cost of a trip, this trend is of great significance for long-distance travel.

While listed air fares on scheduled airlines have declined somewhat over the years, major price reductions have been selectively effected by means of special excursion, inclusive tour, and group rates—the so-called creative fares. These are designed to reach only that segment of the market, primarily the vacation travelers, which is highly price sensitive, while higher fares for nondiscretionary travel are maintained.

There has also been a rapid growth of air charter inclusive vacation travel; it is estimated that of all departures from Europe by air on vacations abroad, some 70 per cent are now by air charter. Because of high load factors and low overheads, radically reduced charges per passenger are possible on air charter flights.

Because of the spread of creative fares on scheduled airlines and the spectacular increase in air charter, average air fares per mile actually paid by individuals have been sharply reduced in recent years. Furthermore, in response to the stimulus of expanded traffic, particularly of organized groups, economies in hotel and other tourist operations at the destination have also brought down these costs.

Other Demand Factors

Other factors, some of which are interrelated both with one another and with income growth and price changes, have also influenced demand growth. Among the more important are demographic and sociological changes. Population increase in itself has boosted travel demand. Furthermore, changes in age distribution have increased the number of the more adventurous young people available for travel. Urbanization trends have probably stimulated the desires and the needs of city dwellers for “getting away from it all,” while the growth in paid holidays has made it possible. As a result, changing social habits—the expectation of a greater range of leisure activities in contrast to the enforced year-round sedentary life—have boosted travel demand. The whole process has been reinforced by more widespread education which has widened the horizons of many people, while the development of mass media has brought an increasing awareness of the world around us.

So far, all these factors have had their greatest impact in the advanced countries. This is why so much of the international travel market has been concentrated in so few countries. With rising economic standards elsewhere, the market will widen. In the meantime, most tourist destinations must look to the leading tourist-generating countries for an expansion in their respective travel markets. This is where travel promotion—yet another factor in demand growth—is likely to pay off the most and the quickest.

Travel Demand Curves

Citation: Finance & Development 5, 004; 10.5089/9781616352929.022.A007

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The Trend to Long-Distance Travel

While there is a whole range of factors which have all contributed to the increased propensity to travel, one must look primarily to the economic factors for an understanding of why an increasing proportion of the total traffic is able to take trips to the more distant destinations in the developing world.

The trend toward longer distance travel has been made possible by the conjuncture of rising incomes available for travel in the major tourist-generating countries and declining costs of air transport which constitute a heavy proportion of total costs of long-distance trips. This proposition can perhaps best be demonstrated in graphic form as in Figure I, in which two curves have been exaggerated for purposes of exposition.

Curve C 1 is a demand curve with a vertical coordinate, P, which indicates per capita expenditure on foreign trips (including transport), and a horizontal coordinate, N, which indicates the number of persons with income available for foreign trips. Any point on the curve indicates the number of people who will spend a given amount of money on foreign travel; the higher the amount the smaller is the number and vice versa. Furthermore, price elasticity varies, and above a certain point, X i reductions in P scarcely increase N, while below that point reductions in P have an increasingly greater impact on N.

Since the demand for foreign travel is also income elastic, expenditures on foreign travel rise as national income rises. The entire demand curve moves to the right. Curve C 2 is a demand curve after national incomes have risen and indicates that, at any given expenditure level, the number of persons spending that amount of money on foreign travel will be greater than in the previous situation indicated by Curve C 1 .

But national income elasticity also has an impact on price elasticity so that the other feature of C 2 is that the point at which downward reductions in P start having an increasingly marked effect on the value of N is higher than the equivalent point on Curve C 1 , as can be seen by comparing X 2 with X 1

Trips to most developing countries are of relatively high total cost because most of these countries are a long distance from their major markets and transport costs constitute a high proportion of that total. If the total cost of a trip to a particular country is relatively high, then the total number of persons having sufficient income to take such a trip is expectedly rather low. If total cost remains unchanged but incomes rise, then an additional number of persons will be able to afford such a trip, but the increased demand will be relatively modest.

If, at the same time as incomes rise, costs decline, then demand will increase by more than if costs had remained stable. The extent of the demand increase will depend on the degree to which costs decline. The demand increase will be particularly large if costs fall below the critical point at which price elasticity starts to rise sharply—a point which, it will be remembered, has been moved higher by the income changes themselves. In Figure I, if costs are reduced to P 2 , then the value of N 2 is a considerable proportionate increase over N 1 .

The growth potential for international visitor traffic is thus particularly good for those countries to which the total cost of the trip can be reduced from P 1 to P 2 while income elasticity is moving, and changing the shape of, the demand curve from C 1 to C 2 . This is more likely in countries where the present cost of the trip is not so far above the point where the conjuncture of income and price elasticities will have a major effect. Broadly speaking, these are the countries where air transport costs are already the more moderate and where they are likely to be further reduced. Thus, the closer of the developing countries are likely to benefit from reductions in air transport costs first. In fact, the tourism experience of the countries of North Africa and the Mediterranean area generally and of the Caribbean testify to this proposition.

It would be wise to underline what the foregoing demand analysis does and does not demonstrate. It indicates the number of people at a given point in time who will spend a certain amount of money on foreign travel. It does not indicate the distribution of that expenditure—whether it is for one or more trips. Thus, for those destinations to which a trip would require all such expenditure, the number of people represents the total market in which that destination is competing, both against other destinations in the same cost category and against all those destinations in lesser cost categories.

Furthermore, not all destinations in the same cost category have the same competitive advantages. Some countries seem more attractive to travelers than others. In this respect, the image is more potent than the reality. Whereas there are modern techniques for changing the image, they have limits and at least take time. There is also the question of accessibility and convenience. The travel trade is likely first to take advantage of existing travel routes and only turn to destinations “off the beaten path” if there are other overriding reasons for so doing.

While the cost of transportation constitutes a large proportion of the total cost of a trip to the relatively distant developing countries, costs at the destination also have an important influence on demand. Obviously, where the cost of transport to two destinations is virtually the same, a competitive advantage can be gained by the one where these other costs are lower. While much depends on general price levels, tourist prices as such can be kept within bounds by assuring that unit costs of investment do not impose undue capital burdens, by seeking efficient management and by assuring high labor productivity.

The Economic Importance of Tourism

The economic importance of the tourist sector rests in the first place on the fact that world demand for travel is growing considerably faster than that for merchandise exports. International tourist receipts between 1958 and 1967 rose by an annual average of 11.2 per cent, compared with 7.4 per cent for world exports. In many developing countries, the demand prospects for international tourism are considerably brighter than for their traditional exports. In this way, the international tourist trade contributes to national income in a manner usually of high priority in such countries, namely, by increasing foreign exchange earnings.

Furthermore, tourism is in itself relatively labor intensive and compares favorably with other economic activities as a generator of employment. In addition to direct employment in the tourist sector, the benefits of tourist development are diffused widely through the economy, affecting all parts of the service sector and construction, while considerable additional demand is generated for local products.

The expansion of the tourist sector can contribute relatively rapidly to the development process since, once the decision is taken, the gestation period of most tourist investment projects is relatively short.

Finally, tourism can often generate economic growth in countries or regions which, however much they offer to tourists, have little or nothing in the way of resources to offer to any one else. The sector can thus help to mitigate regional disequilibrium.

Although the development of tourism can bring a number of economic benefits, these are not in themselves an adequate justification for the allocation of scarce resources to the sector. In deciding how much priority should be given to it, the question has to be answered as to whether the relationship between all the economic costs of developing tourism and all the resultant economic benefits is as favorable as that for other activities which are equally feasible for a particular country and for which the demand outlook is equally favorable.

A major difficulty in this connection is to define what investment costs should be asci.bed to the development of tourism. Although not a sector in the strict economic sense, there is a collection of goods and services which are provided for visitors that an economy would not have to make available if there were no visitors. To provide such goods and services, investment is necessary. This includes investment in accommodations in hotels and elsewhere, restaurants, amusements, and allied enterprises, and infrastructure in addition—roads, ports, airports, railroads, electricity, water supply, sewage, and so forth. In all these instances, some investment would be necessary even without tourism, and the task is to define the additional investment made necessary by the advent of the visitor trade.

Once these difficult questions have been answered, the next step is to establish and implement a national tourist program—but that is another subject.

The “developing countries” are here taken as including all destinations outside Europe and North America. The International Union of Official Travel Organization (IUOTO) is the source of much of the statistical information in this article. However, recent changes in IUOTO’s regional classification have required some estimated adjustments.

Other Publishers

Asian development bank.

Unlocking the Economic Potential of the Tourism Industry Post-COVID-19: Proceedings of the ADB-Asian Think Tank Development Forum 2021
Leveraging Thematic Circuits for BIMSTEC Tourism Development
Developing Agriculture and Tourism for Inclusive Growth in the Lao People's Democratic Republic
Gender Equality Results Case Study: India - Infrastructure Development Investment Program for Tourism in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab
CAREC Tourism Strategy 2030
Can Vaccination Help Restart Tourism?
Reviving Tourism amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor Tourism Master Plan
Tourism as Services Export: Current State, Vulnerabilities, and Building Resilience
A Practical Guide to Concrete Pavement Technology for Developing Countries

Inter-American Development Bank

Argentina: Tourism Development Policy
Cluster Sustainable Tourism as a Development Strategy
Boosting Tourism's Contribution to Growth and Development: Analysis of Evidence
Tourism and Ecotourism Development in Guyana: Issues and Challenges and the Critical Path Forward
Trade Potential in Southern Cone Countries
Strategic Planning and Environmental and Social Management in Sustainable Tourism Development Projects: A Good Practice Study of the IDB-Supported Prodetur Program in Brazil
Competition in Public Utilities in Developing Countries
Financing Tourism Certification Programs
Sustainable Tourism in Belize
Practical Steps for Marketing Tourism Certification

International Labour Organization

Assessing green jobs potential in developing countries: A practitioner's guide
Developments and challenges in the hospitality and tourism sector. Report GDFHTS/2010
Global dialogue forum on new developments and challenges in the hospitality and tourism sector and their impact on employment, human resources development and industrial relations. Final report of the discussion. Report GDFHTS/2010/8
Globalization and informal jobs in developing countries
Women workers in multinational enterprises in developing countries

The World Bank

Country Economic Memorandum for Sao Tome and Principe - Background Note 11: What is the Potential and Hindrances for the Tourism Sector in Sao Tome and Principe?
Tourism for Development: Tourism Diagnostic Toolkit
Underutilized Potential: The Business Costs of Unreliable Infrastructure in Developing Countries
Tourism and the Sharing Economy: Policy and Potential of Sustainable Peer-to-Peer Accommodation
Tourism Sector in Panama: Regional Economic Impacts and the Potential to Benefit the Poor
Twenty Reasons Sustainable Tourism Counts for Development
Country Economic Memorandum for Sao Tome and Principe - Background Note 7: What are the Bottlenecks on Land Governance and How to Remove Them to Support Tourism and Agriculture Development?
The Voice of Travelers: Leveraging User-Generated Content for Tourism Development 2018
Slovakia Catching-up Regions: Unlocking the Endogenous Tourism Potential of Poloniny National Park and the Snina District of the Slovak Republic

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Integrated Automobiles for Latin America?
Poverty Amidst Wealth: Trends in the World’s Economy
Potentials for Tourism in Developing Countries
Monetary Evolution in the Caribbean
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Tourism: The Advantages, Disadvantages and How to Properly Travel

The Advantages

For developing countries, the advantages of tourism tend to be primarily monetary. A large scale tourism industry prevents larger, more harmful businesses from working off the land. Small tourist companies that reign on the land stops large capitalistic corporations from polluting the air or gentrifying people’s homes.

The tourism industry encompasses many different travel areas, which allows the majority of a country’s population to be employed . These employment places include hotels, car rental agencies, restaurants, tour companies, souvenir shops, and equipment shops, among others.

Profit earned from tourism can be reinvested into the country for better infrastructure, education, funding conservation efforts and creating more responsible ways of touring. Without tourism, many countries would not have the same level of access to education and infrastructure. Moreover, tourism allows hosts and visitors to share cultures and meet diverse groups of people. Through respectful interactions, a broader view of the world from both parties can be achieved. By reinvesting the money earned back into the country, tourism and its attractions can grow, creating a positive cycle for the country.

The Disadvantages

With the way the tourism industry is currently run, the disadvantages of tourism may greatly outweigh the advantages in a country. The first factor to take into consideration is environmental damage. When a country has a high tourist attraction, the number of people occupying a space increases immensely. As a result, the release of carbon monoxide gases can increase due to plane and car use affecting the country’s environment. Many countries with ancient ruins or natural attractions are also in danger of destruction or erosion with significant foot traffic and human interaction. Additionally, flora and fauna can decrease in areas or change their growth and migration patterns when there is an overflow of humans interact. Foot traffic and continuous touching can also slowly degrade the stability of ancient structures.

One of the advantages breached upon the sharing of cultures. While this is a great interaction of beliefs and customs, it can become destructive to a host country’s culture. One of the ways cultures can be disrespected is through the commercialization of countries’ cultures . When tourism booms, large industries swoop in and sell figures of the cultures’ icons or traditional wear, disrespecting the countries’ indigenous beliefs and can be harmful to the people living there. Moreover, poor behavior from tourists who don’t respect the spoken or unspoken codes of conduct held by indigenous peoples also undermines the sacred beliefs held within the country.

Also, for many countries, tourism is a seasonal occurrence. For people that work in the tourism industry, their jobs are only viable for a certain number of months, and after the season has ended, many are left without income. Many of these jobs also lack the benefits that other sector jobs supply. Tourism workers are often left without insurance or pension. Not to mention, foreign businesses tend to overtake the companies present in these countries, forcing small businesses to shut down. As a result, foreign businesses keep the majority of profits from tourism, while local businesses lose their income. This hurts small businesses and local economies.

As previously stated, the profit gained from tourism is often reinvested into the industry. However, with unequal infrastructure development, the tourism industry can inadvertently sustain itself without aiding a country’s other vital sectors. As such, many countries end up developing tourism hot spots while the rest of the country suffers. In these countries, there are visible socioeconomic gaps between the wealthy and the poor. Focusing mainly on the tourism industry and places of mass attraction leaves disadvantaged communities at risk of financial instability. Moreover, countries solely invested in tourism are vulnerable to quick economic falls as its working sectors are unevenly balanced. If a natural disaster, political unrest or unprecedented pandemic were to strike, the country would lose a massive income, causing an economic recession that some countries may significantly struggle to bounce back from.

Ways to Respectfully Travel

The most important step to being a respectful tourist is to be an educated tourist. Understanding and respecting the culture and the people of the country is vital. By not undermining tourism countries’ culture and beliefs, the people living there will be more welcoming to tourists, and cultures can flourish without fear of commercialization.

Being environmentally conscious is also important to the survival of these countries. Respecting a country’s land and structures preserve the countries’ beauty and keep the land clean and prepped for further development. Many countries are more environmentally strained, so reducing pollution or your carbon footprint in a foreign country can help ease the strain.

Supporting the small and local businesses found in these countries can help keep local communities employed and support the overall economy. As local businesses grow, more people will have the opportunity to be employed outside of the tourism sector, and the economy will be able to grow within itself.

By learning the advantages and disadvantages of tourism, and how one can improve the practice of traveling, the tourism industry will be able to change for the better and support the countries that host people from all over the world.

– Marlee Ingram Photo: Flickr

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Passing Thru Travel

Eco-Exploration: 12 Tips for Sustainable Travel in Developing Countries

Posted: March 1, 2024 | Last updated: March 1, 2024

<p><strong>Traveling to developing countries offers a unique opportunity to explore diverse cultures, landscapes, and traditions. However, it also comes with a responsibility to travel sustainably, ensuring that your journey positively impacts the local communities and environment. Sustainable travel in these regions involves choosing responsible travel practices and supporting local economies in a way that promotes conservation and cultural preservation. </strong><strong>This guide provides insights into how to travel sustainably in developing countries, highlighting activities and destinations that facilitate responsible tourism and contribute to meaningful travel experiences.</strong></p>

Traveling to developing countries offers a unique opportunity to explore diverse cultures, landscapes, and traditions. However, it also comes with a responsibility to travel sustainably, ensuring that your journey positively impacts the local communities and environment. Sustainable travel in these regions involves choosing responsible travel practices and supporting local economies in a way that promotes conservation and cultural preservation. This guide provides insights into how to travel sustainably in developing countries, highlighting activities and destinations that facilitate responsible tourism and contribute to meaningful travel experiences.

<p><span>Community-based tourism in developing countries offers a unique and immersive experience that directly benefits local communities. These projects allow travelers to engage with local cultures authentically and responsibly. They often include staying in homestays, participating in local festivals, and learning traditional crafts or cooking methods.</span></p> <p><span>This form of tourism ensures that the economic benefits are shared within the community, fostering sustainable development. It also offers a deeper understanding of local lifestyles and traditions, creating a more meaningful and enriching travel experience. By choosing community-based tourism, travelers can play a vital role in preserving local cultures and contributing to the well-being of communities.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Engage genuinely with the community members and be open to learning from their experiences and perspectives.</span></p>

1. Community-Based Tourism Projects

Community-based tourism in developing countries offers a unique and immersive experience that directly benefits local communities. These projects allow travelers to engage with local cultures authentically and responsibly. They often include staying in homestays, participating in local festivals, and learning traditional crafts or cooking methods.

This form of tourism ensures that the economic benefits are shared within the community, fostering sustainable development. It also offers a deeper understanding of local lifestyles and traditions, creating a more meaningful and enriching travel experience. By choosing community-based tourism, travelers can play a vital role in preserving local cultures and contributing to the well-being of communities.

Insider’s Tip: Engage genuinely with the community members and be open to learning from their experiences and perspectives.

<p><span>Eco-friendly accommodation rentals offer a sustainable alternative for city stays. These accommodations range from green-certified hotels to eco-conscious Airbnb rentals. They focus on reducing their environmental impact through using renewable energy sources, implementing water-saving measures, and providing eco-friendly amenities to guests.</span></p> <p><span>These places often feature recycled or upcycled decor, organic linens, and natural cleaning products. Choosing these accommodations ensures a comfortable stay and supports sustainable tourism practices within the city.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Look for rentals with green certifications or that list their sustainable practices in their descriptions.</span></p> <p><b>How To Get There: </b><span>Most eco-friendly accommodations are located within the city, accessible by public transportation, bike rentals, or even on foot, depending on their location.</span></p> <p><b>Best Time To Travel: </b><span>These accommodations are a great choice year-round; however, booking in advance is recommended, especially during peak travel seasons.</span></p>

2. Eco-Lodges and Sustainable Accommodations

Eco-lodges and sustainable accommodations in developing countries are part of a commitment to environmental stewardship and community support. These lodgings are designed to have minimal environmental impact, often utilizing renewable energy sources, water-saving techniques, and sustainable building materials. Many eco-lodges are integrated into the natural surroundings, offering unique experiences like waking up to the sounds of the jungle or overlooking a serene landscape.

Staying at these places reduces your travel’s ecological footprint and supports local economies and conservation efforts. These accommodations often offer educational experiences about sustainability and conservation, adding an enlightening aspect to your stay.

Insider’s Tip: Choose locally owned and operated accommodations to ensure that your stay contributes to the local economy.

<p><span>Voluntourism in developing countries can be a rewarding experience if approached responsibly and ethically. It’s crucial to select projects that genuinely need volunteers and where your skills can make a meaningful contribution. Long-term projects in areas like environmental conservation, education, and community development are often more impactful.</span></p> <p><span>Be wary of projects that may exploit vulnerable populations or create dependency. The key is to work with organizations that prioritize the needs of the local community and have transparent, ethical practices.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Thoroughly research the organization and the project to ensure that your efforts will have a long-term positive impact.</span></p>

3. Voluntourism With Caution

Voluntourism in developing countries can be a rewarding experience if approached responsibly and ethically. It’s crucial to select projects that genuinely need volunteers and where your skills can make a meaningful contribution. Long-term projects in areas like environmental conservation, education, and community development are often more impactful.

Be wary of projects that may exploit vulnerable populations or create dependency. The key is to work with organizations that prioritize the needs of the local community and have transparent, ethical practices.

Insider’s Tip: Thoroughly research the organization and the project to ensure that your efforts will have a long-term positive impact.

<p><span>Purchasing handicrafts from local artisans in developing countries directly supports the local economy and help preserve cultural heritage. These crafts are often made using traditional methods passed down through generations and reflect local culture and history. </span></p> <p><span>When you buy these products, you’re not just taking home a souvenir; you’re contributing to the livelihood of artisans and helping keep traditional crafts alive. Markets, cooperatives, and artisan workshops are great places to find authentic, handcrafted items.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Take time to learn about the craft and the story behind it, which often adds value to your purchase and enriches your understanding of the local culture.</span></p>

4. Supporting Local Artisans and Crafts

Purchasing handicrafts from local artisans in developing countries directly supports the local economy and help preserve cultural heritage. These crafts are often made using traditional methods passed down through generations and reflect local culture and history.

When you buy these products, you’re not just taking home a souvenir; you’re contributing to the livelihood of artisans and helping keep traditional crafts alive. Markets, cooperatives, and artisan workshops are great places to find authentic, handcrafted items.

Insider’s Tip: Take time to learn about the craft and the story behind it, which often adds value to your purchase and enriches your understanding of the local culture.

<p><span>Urban wildlife sanctuaries provide a haven for local flora and fauna and allow city residents to connect with nature without leaving the urban environment. These sanctuaries are important for preserving biodiversity and serve as crucial green spaces that contribute to the city’s ecological health. They often have walking trails, bird-watching areas, and educational signage, making them perfect for leisurely visits and nature education.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Bring binoculars for bird-watching and a camera to capture the natural beauty of these urban oases.</span></p> <p><b>How To Get There: </b><span>Often located on the outskirts of the city or in larger parks, these sanctuaries can be reached by public transport or a short drive.</span></p> <p><b>Best Time To Travel: </b><span>Early morning or late afternoon are the best times for wildlife spotting and cooler temperatures for walking.</span></p>

5. Responsible Wildlife Tours

Responsible wildlife tours in developing countries allow you to witness the majesty of wildlife in a way that respects their natural habitat and behavior. Choose tours and operators that adhere to ethical guidelines, such as maintaining a safe distance from animals, not interfering with their natural activities, and employing local guides with in-depth knowledge of the ecosystem.

These tours offer an incredible opportunity to see wildlife and contribute to conservation efforts, as many responsible tour operators support local wildlife protection initiatives.

Insider’s Tip: Opt for tours that contribute to conservation efforts or wildlife protection programs.

<p><span>Cultural exchange programs in developing countries offer an immersive way to experience local cultures and traditions. These programs can range from homestays and language exchanges to participating in traditional ceremonies or festivals.</span></p> <p><span>Through these exchanges, you gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the local culture, which can be one of the most rewarding aspects of travel. These programs often support local initiatives and provide a more authentic and respectful way to experience different cultures.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Be respectful and open-minded during these exchanges, as it is an opportunity to learn and share in a cross-cultural environment.</span></p>

6. Participating in Cultural Exchange Programs

Cultural exchange programs in developing countries offer an immersive way to experience local cultures and traditions. These programs can range from homestays and language exchanges to participating in traditional ceremonies or festivals.

Through these exchanges, you gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the local culture, which can be one of the most rewarding aspects of travel. These programs often support local initiatives and provide a more authentic and respectful way to experience different cultures.

Insider’s Tip: Be respectful and open-minded during these exchanges, as it is an opportunity to learn and share in a cross-cultural environment.

<p><span>Eco-friendly city tours in developing countries are a sustainable and enlightening way to explore urban environments. These tours often highlight green initiatives, historic sites, and local culture, offering insights into how cities adapt to and address sustainability challenges. Led by knowledgeable local guides, these tours can include walking, cycling, or using electric vehicles, minimizing environmental impact and providing an authentic perspective on the city.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Choose tours led by local guides who can provide authentic insights and recommendations for further sustainable activities in the city.</span></p>

7. Eco-Friendly City Tours

Eco-friendly city tours in developing countries are a sustainable and enlightening way to explore urban environments. These tours often highlight green initiatives, historic sites, and local culture, offering insights into how cities adapt to and address sustainability challenges. Led by knowledgeable local guides, these tours can include walking, cycling, or using electric vehicles, minimizing environmental impact and providing an authentic perspective on the city.

Insider’s Tip: Choose tours led by local guides who can provide authentic insights and recommendations for further sustainable activities in the city.

<p><span>Engaging with sustainable agriculture and local food projects in developing countries is an enriching way to experience local cultures while supporting ethical and sustainable practices. These initiatives often focus on preserving traditional farming techniques, utilizing organic methods, and promoting biodiversity.</span></p> <p><span>As a traveler, you can visit local farms to see sustainable agriculture, participate in farm-to-table experiences, or dine at restaurants that prioritize locally sourced and organic ingredients.</span></p> <p><span>These activities offer a deeper understanding of the region’s culinary heritage and the challenges small-scale farmers face. </span><span>By supporting these sustainable practices, you contribute to the local economy and encourage environmentally friendly farming methods.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Engage with farmers or chefs to learn about local farming practices and their challenges, which can be eye-opening and educational.</span></p>

8. Supporting Sustainable Agriculture and Local Food Projects

Engaging with sustainable agriculture and local food projects in developing countries is an enriching way to experience local cultures while supporting ethical and sustainable practices. These initiatives often focus on preserving traditional farming techniques, utilizing organic methods, and promoting biodiversity.

As a traveler, you can visit local farms to see sustainable agriculture, participate in farm-to-table experiences, or dine at restaurants that prioritize locally sourced and organic ingredients.

These activities offer a deeper understanding of the region’s culinary heritage and the challenges small-scale farmers face. By supporting these sustainable practices, you contribute to the local economy and encourage environmentally friendly farming methods.

Insider’s Tip: Engage with farmers or chefs to learn about local farming practices and their challenges, which can be eye-opening and educational.

<p><span>Participating in low-impact adventure activities in developing countries is a way to explore and enjoy natural landscapes without leaving a harmful footprint. Activities like hiking, kayaking, cycling, bird watching, and responsible wildlife safaris offer immersive experiences in nature while maintaining environmental balance. These activities are designed to minimize impact on the natural environment, allowing wildlife and natural habitats to thrive undisturbed.</span></p> <p><span>When participating in these activities, travelers can witness the beauty of untouched natural environments, contributing to their preservation. This responsible approach to adventure tourism ensures that the natural attractions remain pristine for future generations while offering the traveler an exhilarating experience.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Always follow Leave No Trace principles to minimize environmental impact during these activities.</span></p>

9. Low-Impact Adventure Activities

Participating in low-impact adventure activities in developing countries is a way to explore and enjoy natural landscapes without leaving a harmful footprint. Activities like hiking, kayaking, cycling, bird watching, and responsible wildlife safaris offer immersive experiences in nature while maintaining environmental balance. These activities are designed to minimize impact on the natural environment, allowing wildlife and natural habitats to thrive undisturbed.

When participating in these activities, travelers can witness the beauty of untouched natural environments, contributing to their preservation. This responsible approach to adventure tourism ensures that the natural attractions remain pristine for future generations while offering the traveler an exhilarating experience.

Insider’s Tip: Always follow Leave No Trace principles to minimize environmental impact during these activities.

<p><span>The Marinarium Snorkeling Cruise is an excursion that combines relaxation and adventure. The cruise takes visitors along the Punta Cana coastline to a marine park where they can snorkel among colorful fish and rays. The excursion typically includes a stop at a natural pool where guests can swim, relax, and enjoy tropical drinks.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Bring an underwater camera to capture the vibrant marine life during snorkeling.</span></p> <p><b>How To Get There: </b><span>The cruise usually includes pick-up and drop-off from hotels in Punta Cana.</span></p> <p><b>Best Time To Travel: </b><span>The waters are calmest and clearest from December to April, making it the best time for snorkeling.</span></p>

10. Sustainable Sea and Beach Experiences

Engaging in sustainable sea and beach experiences is crucial in preserving the delicate marine ecosystems of developing countries. Activities like eco-friendly snorkeling, sustainable diving practices, beach clean-ups, and educational coastal tours allow travelers to enjoy the marine world responsibly.

Operators of such activities often focus on protecting marine life, avoiding disruption to their natural habitats, and educating participants about marine conservation.

By choosing these experiences, travelers can enjoy the stunning beauty of the world’s oceans and beaches while actively contributing to their preservation. These responsible practices ensure that marine life is respected and that the oceans remain vibrant ecosystems full of life and beauty.

Insider’s Tip: Choose certified eco-friendly tour operators, especially for activities like snorkeling or diving, to ensure they follow environmentally responsible practices.

<p><span>Involvement in local environmental initiatives is a powerful way for travelers to contribute to the sustainability of developing countries. These initiatives may include reforestation projects, wildlife conservation efforts, community-led recycling programs, and environmental awareness campaigns.</span></p> <p><span>Participation in these initiatives helps address some of the pressing environmental challenges these countries face and offers a unique perspective on the local efforts being made to overcome them.</span></p> <p><span>Travelers can learn about the local ecology, contribute to meaningful projects, and positively impact the environment. This kind of active participation fosters a deeper connection with the destination and its people, making travel more meaningful and impactful.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Research initiatives that align with your interests and that have a proven track record of making a positive environmental impact.</span></p>

11. Participating in Local Environmental Initiatives

Involvement in local environmental initiatives is a powerful way for travelers to contribute to the sustainability of developing countries. These initiatives may include reforestation projects, wildlife conservation efforts, community-led recycling programs, and environmental awareness campaigns.

Participation in these initiatives helps address some of the pressing environmental challenges these countries face and offers a unique perspective on the local efforts being made to overcome them.

Travelers can learn about the local ecology, contribute to meaningful projects, and positively impact the environment. This kind of active participation fosters a deeper connection with the destination and its people, making travel more meaningful and impactful.

Insider’s Tip: Research initiatives that align with your interests and that have a proven track record of making a positive environmental impact.

<p><span>When camping, you’re a guest in the home of countless wildlife species, and respecting their space is crucial. Educate yourself about the wildlife you might encounter and how to coexist safely. This includes securing your food to avoid attracting animals to your campsite and understanding the appropriate behavior if you encounter wildlife.</span></p> <p><span>Observation is a joy, but it should always be from a safe and respectful distance – for your safety and the well-being of the animals. In bear country, for instance, bear-proof containers are essential for storing food, and knowing how to use bear spray can be vital. Always follow the guidelines provided by local authorities or park services.</span></p> <p><span>Remember, respecting wildlife is about preserving the natural order and ensuring that these wild creatures thrive in their natural habitat, unaltered by human interference.</span></p> <p><b>Insider’s Tip: </b><span>Carry bear spray in areas known for bear activity.</span></p>

12. Participating in Local Conservation Projects

Contributing to local conservation projects in developing countries offers an invaluable opportunity to support the preservation of biodiversity and natural habitats. These projects may involve habitat restoration, monitoring endangered species, and sustainable community development practices.

Participation not only aids in the vital work of conserving natural resources but also provides travelers with a profound understanding of the balance between human needs and environmental preservation. This engagement promotes a sense of global stewardship and offers a unique and enriching experience beyond traditional tourism.

Insider’s Tip: Research projects thoroughly to ensure they are ethical and have a proven track record of positive impact. Opt for projects that work closely with local communities and have transparent goals and methods.

<p><span>As you explore these eco-friendly cities, you’ll discover that sustainable living can seamlessly integrate into urban environments. These destinations offer beautiful green spaces and innovative environmental initiatives and inspire a vision of a sustainable future. Whether you’re cycling through Copenhagen, exploring the green laneways of Melbourne, or relaxing in a geothermal pool in Reykjavik, your journey through these green cities will leave you with a deeper appreciation for our planet and the efforts to protect it.</span></p> <p><span>More Articles Like This…</span></p> <p><a href="https://thegreenvoyage.com/barcelona-discover-the-top-10-beach-clubs/"><span>Barcelona: Discover the Top 10 Beach Clubs</span></a></p> <p><a href="https://thegreenvoyage.com/top-destination-cities-to-visit/"><span>2024 Global City Travel Guide – Your Passport to the World’s Top Destination Cities</span></a></p> <p><a href="https://thegreenvoyage.com/exploring-khao-yai-a-hidden-gem-of-thailand/"><span>Exploring Khao Yai 2024 – A Hidden Gem of Thailand</span></a></p> <p><span>The post <a href="https://passingthru.com/exploring-the-worlds-12-leading-eco-friendly-cities-urban-green-2024/">Exploring the World’s 12 Leading Eco-Friendly Cities – Urban Green 2024</a> republished on </span><a href="https://passingthru.com/"><span>Passing Thru</span></a><span> with permission from </span><a href="https://thegreenvoyage.com/"><span>The Green Voyage</span></a><span>.</span></p> <p><span>Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / goffkein.pro.</span></p> <p><span>For transparency, this content was partly developed with AI assistance and carefully curated by an experienced editor to be informative and ensure accuracy.</span></p>

The Bottom Line

Traveling sustainably in developing countries is an enriching and transformative experience beyond conventional tourism. It’s about forging meaningful connections with local communities, understanding and respecting different cultures, and contributing to positive change. As you embark on this journey, remember that your travel choices can profoundly impact you.

By being mindful and choosing responsibly, you enrich your travel experience and support the sustainable development of the destinations you visit. Embrace the beauty and diversity of these countries with respect and consideration, and let your journey leave a positive imprint on you and the places you explore. Safe travels, and may your adventures be as rewarding for the world as they are for you.

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Sri Lanka's Economy Shows Signs of Stabilization, but Poverty to Remain Elevated

COLOMBO, April 2, 2024 —Sri Lanka’s economy is projected to see moderate growth of 2.2% in 2024, showing signs of stabilization, following the severe economic downturn of 2022. But, the country still faces elevated poverty levels, income inequality, and labor market concerns, says the World Bank's latest bi-annual update.

Released today, the Sri Lanka Development Update, Bridge to Recovery, highlights that Sri Lanka saw declining inflation, higher revenues on the back of the implementation of new fiscal policies, and a current account surplus for the first time in nearly five decades, buoyed by increased remittances and a rebound in tourism.

However, poverty rates continued to rise for the fourth year in a row, with an estimated 25.9% of Sri Lankans living below the poverty line in 2023. Labor force participation has also seen a decline, particularly among women and in urban areas, exacerbated by the closure of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Households are grappling with multiple pressures from high prices, income losses, and under employment. This has led to households taking on debt to meet food requirements and maintain spending on health and education.

“Sri Lanka’s economy is on the road to recovery, but sustained efforts to mitigate the impact of the economic crisis on the poor and vulnerable are critical, alongside a continuation of the path of robust and credible structural reforms,” emphasized Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka . “This involves a two-pronged strategy: first, to maintain reforms that contribute to macroeconomic stability and second, to accelerate reforms to stimulate private investment and capital inflows, which are crucial for economic growth and poverty reduction.”

Looking forward, the report projects a modest pickup in growth of 2.5% in 2025, with a gradual increase in inflation and a small current account surplus. However, high debt service obligations are expected to exert pressure on fiscal balances. Poverty rates are anticipated to remain above 22% until 2026. Risks to the outlook remain, particularly related to inadequate debt restructuring, reversal of reforms, financial sector vulnerabilities, and the enduring impact of the crisis. The report emphasizes that strong reform implementation will be fundamental to fostering a resilient economy through continued macro-fiscal-financial stability, greater private sector investment, and addressing risks associated with state-owned enterprises.

The Sri Lanka Development Update is a companion piece to the South Asia Development Update , a twice-a-year World Bank report that examines economic developments and prospects in the South Asia region and analyzes policy challenges faced by countries. The April 2024 edition, Jobs for Resilience , projects South Asia to remain the fastest-growing region in the world, with growth projected to be 6.0% in 2024- driven mainly by robust growth in India and recoveries in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. But this strong outlook is deceptive, says the report. For most countries, growth is still below pre-pandemic levels and is reliant on public spending. At the same time, private investment growth has slowed sharply in all South Asian countries and the region is not creating enough jobs to keep pace with its rapidly increasing working-age population. The report recommends a range of policies to spur firm growth and boost employment as well as help lift growth and productivity and free up space for public investments in climate adaptation.

Source: World Bank, Poverty & Equity and Macroeconomics, Trade & Investment Global Practices. Emissions data sourced from CAIT and OECD.

Notes: e = estimate, f = forecast.

(a) Components of GDP by expenditure for 2020-2022 are estimates, as the data published on March 15, 2024, by authorities only included GDP by production.

(b) Calculations based on SAR-POV harmonization, using 2019-HIES. Actual data: 2019. Microsimulation that models sectoral GDP growth rates, inflation, remittances, employment, and cash transfers 2020-2022. Nowcast and forecast (2023-2026) use nominal GDP growth rates by sector and CPI inflation.

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Tourism in Developing Countries
Answering a Question: Is Tourism Good for Developing Countries?
Tourism in Developing Countries
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Tourism in Developing Countries
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COMMENTS

Tourism and Competitiveness
The tourism sector is an important foreign exchange earner and provides opportunities for developing countries to create productive and inclusive jobs, grow innovative firms, finance the conservation of natural and cultural assets, and increase economic empowerment, especially for women and youth, who comprise the majority of the tourism sector's workforce.
Role of Tourism in Sustainable Development
In developing countries, tourism development has been used as an important strategy for increasing economic growth, alleviating poverty, creating jobs, and improving food security. Many developing countries are in regions that are characterized by high levels of biological diversity, natural resources, and cultural heritage sites that attract ...
EU Guidebook on Sustainable Tourism for Development
Although developed countries remain both the major tourism destinations and source of international tourism, developing countries are reducing the gap. In recent decades there has been a substantial diversification in international tourism destinations, and many developing countries have registered phenomenal growth in tourist arrivals and ...
Sustainable tourism
Tourism is one of the world's fastest growing industries and an important source of foreign exchange and employment, while being closely linked to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of many countries, especially developing countries. Maritime or ocean-related tourism, as well as coastal tourism, are for example vital sectors of the economy in small island developing States ...
Full article: Tourism and Development Theory: Which Way Now?
Moreover, making two important observations, that: (i) in contrast to the traditional emphasis of development policies and processes on the developing world, tourism is utilised as a vehicle of development and regeneration in all countries of the world; and (ii) tourism globally is susceptible to a variety of political, economic, cultural and ...
Why Tourism?
The contribution of tourism to economic well-being depends on the quality and the ‎revenues of the tourism offer. UN Tourism assists destinations in their sustainable ‎positioning in ever more complex national and international markets. As the UN agency ‎dedicated to tourism, UN Tourism points out that particularly developing countries ...
Tourism
Tourism offers great opportunities for emerging economies and developing countries. It creates jobs, strengthens the local economy, contributes to local infrastructure development and can help to conserve the natural environment and cultural assets and traditions, and to reduce poverty and inequality.
Challenges of community participation in tourism planning in developing
The purpose of this study is to analyze the challenges faced by the community in participating in sustainable tourism in developing countries. The research was conducted using a systematic literature study on scientific articles indexed by Scopus from 2018-2022 with the theme of community participation in tourism planning.
Tourism in 2030 Agenda
Tourism is one of the driving forces of global economic growth and is considered an effective sector for achieving decent work1 and economic growth in developing countries, especially so for the least developed countries (LDC) and landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) - a recognition reflected explicitly in Target 8.9.
Developing country, tourism
Since the late 1990s, the importance of tourism for developing countries has led to the concept of pro-poor tourism as a strategy to engage the "poor," to guarantee a more equal distribution of the benefits resulting from tourism, and to alleviate poverty. In parallel with this, a growing number of studies on community-based tourism have ...
What is the impact of tourism on development?
Follow. Tourism is growing, and growing fast. After surpassing 1 billion international visitors in 2012, we are expecting 1.8 billion by 2030. Tourism is growing faster than the global economy and, for the first time, the statistics for 2015 are expected to show that there were more trips taken to the developing world than to the developed world.
Sustainable Tourism for Development Guidebook
The Guidebook's aim is to mainstream tourism by: - Enhancing understanding and commitment to sustainable tourism - Providing guidance to assess the tourism sector's importance, identifying opportunities for sustainable tourism development, planning actions, and enhancing sustainability of projects.
Creating Destinations for a Better Tomorrow: UN Development Aid for
Tourism is today considered as a crucial employment sector in many developing countries. In the growing field of historical tourism research, however, the relationships between tourism and development, and the role of international organizations, above all the UN, have been given little attention to date.
Developing Countries Could Target Tourism to Boost Economic Growth
Tourism is the only major sector in international trade in services in which developing countries have consistently had surpluses; the positive balance in their travel account has improved from US$6 billion in 1980 to US$62.2 billion in 1996. Developing countries today thus account for nearly 30 per cent of world tourism receipts.
Is Tourism Good for Developing Countries?
SEATTLE — Tourism is a popular and important industry in many developing regions around the world. Every year, millions of tourists flock to tropical beaches in impoverished countries such as Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Indonesia. But, is tourism good for developing countries? The short answer is yes.
PDF Tourism and developing countries
Tourism in many developing countries shows the tell-tale features of mass tourism ("hard tourism"); so- called "gentle tourism ''z often plays only a minor role. However, there are countries, such as Bhutan, 3 which * BAWl Consulting, Lasbek, Germany. tNTERECONOMICS, November/December 1996 ...
Potentials for Tourism in Developing Countries in: Finance ...
The Major Markets. Most developing countries are at a long distance from the major international travel markets. International travelers from the 12 leading tourist-generating countries—the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Belgium-Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, and Austria—accounted for nearly 80 per cent of expenditures by all ...
Tourism for Development
studies from developed and developing economies that demonstrate how sustainable tourism has been a factor for development. A total of 23 case studies were selected as exemplary practices ... SDG 10 - Reduce inequality within and among countries Tourism can be a powerful tool for reducing inequalities if it engages local populations and all ...
Tourism and economic growth: Multi-country evidence from mixed
The tourism sector is considered as more fragile for developing countries than their richer counterparts. This is because tourism institutions in developing countries are more vulnerable and less capable to cope with a crisis as stated by WTO and UNDP (2017). Developed countries in Europe and North America have better institutions and, hence ...
Tourism: The Advantages, Disadvantages and How to Properly Travel
The Advantages. For developing countries, the advantages of tourism tend to be primarily monetary. A large scale tourism industry prevents larger, more harmful businesses from working off the land. Small tourist companies that reign on the land stops large capitalistic corporations from polluting the air or gentrifying people's homes.
[PDF] Tourism in developing countries
Economics, Business. 1997. 73. The effect of tourism activity in developing countries has been a hotly debated topic for a number of decades. Opinions have fluctuated between the extremes of tourism as the catalyst for socio-economic development and tourism as the basis for neo-colonial exploitation and environmental and cultural decline.
2023 Edition International Tourism Highlights
developing countries • Tourism is a major source of foreign revenues and often the main export category for many developing countries, especially SIDS, creating much needed employment and opportunities for development. Sustains millions of livelihoods and small businesses
Community-Based Tourism in Developing Countries: A Framework for ...
Many developing countries have recognized the potential of their natural resources for the development of tourism. However, the policies designed to provide a framework for socially inclusive and ecologically sound tourism turn out to be weak in fostering community-based tourism (CBT). There is a spectrum of conditions that lead to success or failure of CBT initiatives that should be accounted ...
Eco-Exploration: 12 Tips for Sustainable Travel in Developing Countries
Community-based tourism in developing countries offers a unique and immersive experience that directly benefits local communities. These projects allow travelers to engage with local cultures ...
Sri Lanka's Economy Shows Signs of Stabilization, but Poverty to Remain
With 189 member countries, staff from more than 170 countries, and offices in over 130 locations, the World Bank Group is a unique global partnership: five institutions working for sustainable solutions that reduce poverty and build shared prosperity in developing countries.