Role of Stakeholders

How effective are stakeholders in influencing sustainable tourism development?

1. Governments and international organisations

a) governments establish policies, create plans and enforce regulations to manage tourism development

b) international organisations offer consultancy, financial assistance and raise public awareness

2. Businesses, local communities and tourists

a) businesses and local communities could seek advice from others and participate in decision making

b) tourists could develop genuine interest in tourist destination regions and interact responsibly

3. Challenges faced by stakeholders

a) stakeholders may have conflicting priorities and needs

b) stakeholders have differing amounts of control over resources and may view how sustainability is measured differently from other stakeholders

Here you will learn about the stakeholders who play a role in influencing sustainable tourism development, including:

 

How effective are governments In Influencing sustainable tourism development? 

 

 

Governments influence sustainable tourism development by: 

 

1. Establishing policies and creating plans. 

2. Enforcing regulations. 

 

 

1. Establishing policies and creating plans. 

▪         Governments can set up policies or plans that stakeholders may be required to adhere to. 

▪         These can help ensure minimal damage to the environment while maximising benefits to locals (e.g. channelling tourism revenue to set up and expand national parks and provide social services to locals). 

 

Example: 

In Sentosa, Singapore, the authorities bring together different stakeholders to develop a series of plans to enable the island to become more sustainable. These plans include: 

 

▪         Conserving Sentosa's rich heritage. 

▪         Protecting the island's biodiversity. 

▪         Achieving carbon-neutral status by 2030. 

 

2.            2.   Enforcing regulations. 

2.       Governments play a key role in enforcing regulations to ensure sustainable tourism development. 

▪                       

▪          These include enforcing regulations on the types of tourism activity and the number of tourists who can enter. 

▪          Enforcing regulations is critical to ensure that the policies and plans are adhered to.

 

 

▪                      Enforcing regulations is critical to ensure that the policies and plans are adhered to. 

Example: 

 

▪       In Bhutan. tourists can only enter the country by organising their trip with licensed tour operators. 

▪       They are tasked with ensuring tourists adhere to laws and regulations to minimise the negative impacts of tourism. such as ensuring tourists only trek on designated trails. 

 

 

          However, the effectiveness of the governments may be limited by 

 

1.             Poor enforcement. 

▪          In order for regulations to be effective, active enforcement is required.

▪          Governments which lack resources or political influence or face 

corruption, may not be able to ensure that regulations are adhered. 

This might hinder sustainable tourism development. 

 

2.            The decision to prioritise economic development. 

 

o     Some governments put economic development first. and may neglect the environmental and social dimensions of sustainability. This might hinder sustainable tourism development. 

 

Example: 

Every year, Mount Everest receives hundreds of tourists who wish to scale up the mountain, but poor enforcement of waste disposal leads to the mountain becoming increasingly polluted. 

 

Tighter regulations have not been imposed by the Nepali authorities. 

If lighter regulations were imposed by the Nepali authorities. the flow of tourists might be reduced, affecting the revenue received. 

 

  

 

 

 

How effective are international organisations in influencing sustainable tourism development? 

 

 

o     International organizations consist of governmental (IGOs) and non-governmental organizations (INGOs). 

 

o     They often have the knowledge, financial and technical expertise to provide assistance, and can influence sustainable tourism development by: 

 

1.            Offering consultancy lo countries on how sustainable tourism 

development can be achieved. 

2.            Providing financial assistance to different stakeholders. 

3.            Raising public awareness on how they can contribute to sustainable tourism

development. 

 

Example: 

In handicraft villages in Ha Toy Province, Vietnam, the United 

Nations World Tourism Organisation, an IGO, provided the following 

support: 

 

Consultancy and technical assistance: 

o    A marketing plan was developed with the villagers lo encourage independent travelers and tour operators to visit the villages. 

 

o    Locals received handicraft skills training for them to create handicrafts to be sold to tourists. 

 

 

Financial assistance:    .      

 

Financial aid is given to carry out small-scale  infrastructural improvement such as a public toilet and a village information board to support tourism development. 

 

Example: 

 

UNESCO has introduced the People Protecting Places programme which provides information for travellers on how to protect UNESCO World Heritage Sites as tourists. . 

 

Wadi AI-Hitan. Egypt saw large tourist arrivals which threatened the safety of highly delicate fossil remains. 

 

With the help of UNESCO. visitors were informed to stay on footpaths while walking to key sites.   . 

 

This helped to preserve the integrity and natural beauty of Wadi AI-Hitan. 

        However, the effectiveness of these may be limited by: 

 

1.          Lack of understanding of local contexts. 

2.          Lack of funding. 

 

1.      Lack of understanding of local contexts. 

▪             International organisations may comprise members from various countries and backgrounds. 

▪             They may have different perspectives regarding an issue and may not understand the local contexts of places they work with. 

▪             Locals may not support their actions. hindering sustainable tourism development. 

 

 

2.      Lack of funding. 

 

o     Many international organisations tend to be non-profit. It may be challenging when it comes to choosing projects to provide financial assistance for. 

o     Without funding. some plans may not be able to be implemented. hindering sustainable tourism development. 

 

 

How effective are businesses in Influencing sustainable tourism? 

 

Businesses have an incentive to pursue sustainable tourism as it can keep them profitable (e.g. by protecting the environment. Businesses can ensure that tourists will return allowing them to thrive.

 

They often have the financial resources to influence sustainable development

 

Businesses con influence sustainable tourism development_ by: 

1.            Seeking advice from other stakeholders regarding sustainable tourism practices. 

2.            Participating in decision-making for sustainable tourism development 

 

Example: 

Quicksilver Cruises in Australia specialises in tours of the Great Barrier Reef. 

It works with: 

·         The planning authorities to promote ecotourism. 

·         A research team of marine biologists to observe and monitor the marine ecosystem. which helps the planning authorities in managing the Great Barrier Reef. 

 

●     However, there are some limitations that businesses may face. such as: 

1. Compromising sustainable practices to survive. 

2. Differing understanding and ways of measuring sustainability. 

 

 

1. Compromising on sustainable practices to survive. 

 

Ultimately businesses may prioritise profits above sustainability, which can hinder sustainable tourism development by. for instance. polluting the environment or exploiting resources. 

 Differing understanding and ways of measuring sustainability. 

 

Different businesses may have a different understanding of sustainability and how to measure it. 

 

Businesses may end up greenwashing - marketing themselves as 'sustainable' when their practices may not be so. 

 

 How effective are locals in influencing sustainable tourism?

 

Locals con influence and promote sustainable tourism development by:  .       . 

●     Seeking advice from other stakeholders regarding sustainable tourism 

●     Participating in decision-making for sustainable tourism development. 

 

1.            Seeking advice from other stakeholders regarding sustainable tourism 

 

Locals may not have the necessary knowledge and experience. which other stakeholders such as governments, businesses and international organizations have to pursue sustainable tourism. 

 

By seeking advice from these stakeholders. Locals can adopt sustainable tourism practices that have already been tried and tested. This help to protect the environment and ensure that sustainable tourism con continue to grow and thrive. 

 

Example: 

In Singapore. locals con seek guidance from the National Environment Agency to pursue sustainable tourism practices such as waste management and recycling when hosting international events. meetings and conventions. 

 

 

 

Having local knowledge, the involvement of locals in decision making is critical. They can suggest ways to minimize - impacts of tourism such as protecting the flora & fauna in their local community.                

 

This can be done through community -based tourism which prioritizes the participation of local community and ensures that the benefits gained from tourism stay with the local community.

 

However, there are some limitations that locals may face:

 

●        Lack of financial or technical assistance  

Some locals may not have the information on how to apply for financial or technical assistance and therefore lack sufficient resources to carry out plans for sustainable tourism development.

 

▪          Prioritizing economic benefits over sustainability 

Some locals may pursue tourism practices that may not be sustainable as long as it brings higher income to support themselves and their families.


How effective are tourists In Influencing sustainable tourism?

 

Tourists can influence and promote sustainable tourism development by:  

 

▪          Developing a genuine interest in the tourist destination and seeking to enhance its environment. culture. and the economy. 

▪          Interacting responsibly with the environment and people when they travel. 

 

 

 

▪          Tourists can choose tours or services which prioritise sustainable tourism or channel their revenue toward environmental conservation efforts. 

 

Example: 

Al the Tiger Tops Elephant Comp in Nepal. an ethical elephant camp. elephants can walk around freely in the jungle with no routine imposed on them. This allows tourists to observe the elephants interacting in their natural state. 

 

The revenue generated by tourism is used for the conservation and upkeep of animals in the region such as tigers and elephants. It can also be used to invest in the education of local students. 

 

Tourists can also get involved in environmental conservation or community projects that benefit the tourist destination.

Example: 

 

o At the sea turtle volunteering conservation programme in Costa Rica. tourists can help core for injured sea turtles and patrol the beaches for sea turtles and their nests to protect them from poachers. 

 

 

 

Tourists can read up on the local practices and cultures, and be mindful of their attire or behaviour when travelling as a way to show respect to the local customs and cultures. 

 

Example: 

In Bali, Indonesia, tourists should be aware that they have to dress modestly when visiting religious sites. They can look after the environment when travelling such as not littering or vandalising the areas they visit. 

 

●                     However, there are some limitations that tourists may face, 

 

A.     Some sustainable tourism options may be out of their budget. 

B.    Lack of clear information. 

 

 

 

1.            Some sustainable tourism options may be out of their budget 

 

Some sustainable options may be more expensive due to the required to ensure the tourism experiences ore sustainable secosts 

 

 

2.   Lack of clear Information, which may confuse tourists on the sustainable options available. 

 

a. There are varied understandings of "sustainable tourism" and the ways of measuring it. 

 

b.    Tourists may be confused about whether a tourist business they 

engage with or their tourist practices are truly sustainable. 

 


 

 


Sustainability in Machu Picchu  https://youtu.be/0MBq26GZ--Y

Where is Machu Picchu?

What attracts people to Machu Picchu?

Why is it important to sustain tourism in Machu Picchu?

Who is responsible for sustainable tourism in Machu Picchu?

How can efforts be made for sustainable tourism?


Play the following game on ecotourism: http://www.eduweb.com/ecotourism/eco1.html 

After you have played the game, enter your  comment on the padlet  whether sustainable tourism can be achieved. 

Click on the pink circle with the word "Add" on the bottom left corner of the padlet wall and post with your name and class as title. 

An interesting case study of conservation of the coral reef where resort owner works with the local community in Tagaqe village.

https://ih-igcse-geography.wikispaces.com/2.4.%20Managing%20ecosystems


How is  tourism sustainability promoted in Fiji?
Why is it important to encourage sustainable tourism?