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What is Sustainable Tourism?
Sustainable Tourism:
Sustainable tourism is a form of tourism that follows the principles of
sustainability.
Sustainable tourism, in its purest sense, is an industry committed to
making a low impact on the natural environment and local culture, while
helping to generate income and employment for locals.
Sustainable tourists can reduce the impact of tourism in many
ways, including:
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informing themselves of the culture, politics, and economy of the
communities visited;
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anticipating and respecting local cultures' expectations and
assumptions;
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contributing to intercultural understanding and tolerance;
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supporting the integrity of local cultures by favoring businesses
which conserve cultural heritage and traditional values;
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supporting local economies by purchasing local goods and
participating with small, local businesses;
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conserving resources by seeking out businesses that are
environmentally conscious, and by using the least possible amount of
non-renewable resources.
Increasingly, destinations and tourism operations are endorsing and
following "responsible tourism" as a pathway towards sustainable
tourism. Responsible tourism and sustainable tourism have an identical
goal, that of sustainable development. The pillars of responsible
tourism are therefore the same as those of sustainable tourism –
environmental integrity, social justice and economic development. The
major difference between the two is that, in responsible tourism,
individuals, organizations and businesses are asked to take
responsibility for their actions and the impacts of their actions.
Sustainable tourism development guidelines and management practices are
applicable to all forms of tourism in all types of destinations,
including mass tourism and the various niche tourism segments.
Sustainability principles refer to the environmental, economic and
socio-cultural aspects of tourism development, and a suitable balance
must be established between these three dimensions to guarantee its
long-term sustainability.
Thus, sustainable tourism should:
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Make
optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element
in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes
and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.
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Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities,
conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional
values, and contribute to inter-cultural understanding and
tolerance.
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Ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing
socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly
distributed, including stable employment and income-earning
opportunities and social services to host communities, and
contributing to poverty alleviation.
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Achieving
sustainable tourism is a continuous process and it requires constant
monitoring of impacts, introducing the necessary preventive and/or
corrective measures whenever necessary. Sustainable tourism should
also maintain a high level of tourist satisfaction and ensure a
meaningful experience to the tourists, raising their awareness about
sustainability issues and promoting sustainable tourism practices
amongst them."
Responsible Tourism Links:
Additional Links:
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