Embedded Files
How might tourism continue to develop sustainably?
1. Sustainable tourism production
a) when demands on ecosystem services do not exceed the supply of resources
b) when different stakeholders adopt a long-term, responsible and coordinated approach instead of short-term profit
2. Sustainable tourism consumption
a) when destination regions manage demand and tourism is consumed responsibly by tourists
b) when policies give local communities primary attention while considering needs of tourists
3. Equitable distribution of tourism benefits
a) effective tourism management to ensure benefits are enjoyed by all
b) minimising negative trade-offs within or between economic, social and environmental dimensions
Demands on ecosystem services do not exceed the supply of resources
Extensive development of hotels and tourist resorts can led to a depletion of water supplies.
In the long run, water supply may be depleted, negatively impacting the tourism industry, and rice farming which requires a lot of water. Rice farms are also tourist attractions, and if affected, tourists may be less keen to visit Bali.
Hence, this may hinder sustainable tourism development.
Koh Samui is a popular tourist destination in Thailand. Watch the video on Koh Samui's chronic water shortage.
How does tourism impact on water resource in Koh Samui?
What is Sustainable Tourism Development?
Sustainable tourism development occurs when tourism is produced and consumed sustainably and when there is distribution of benefits.
Tourism production refers to the use of natural cultural or man-made resources at a destination to develop tourism products.
Tourism consumption refers to the use of tourism products by tourists.
Different stakeholders work together and adopt responsible long-term approaches
In Sentosa, Singapore, the authorities bring together different stakeholders, comprising businesses, the authorities and locals to develop a series of long-term plans to enable the island to become more sustainable.
To achieve carbon-neutral status, the authorities are working together with businesses and locals to increase the use of locally-sourced produce, as well as adopting renewable energy solutions..
Tourists can ensure that tourism is consumed sustainably by making responsible choices about:
Tourists can choose to stay in hotels that embrace sustainability principles and be selective in the food they eat and places they visit.
They can also choose to purchase tour services and products from tour operators that have a low carbon footprint and prioritise local communities when employing staff.
Tourists can make responsible decisions about their use of energy, water and food. For instance, they can choose to switch off the lights and air conditioning when they are not in the hotel rooms and purchase locally-sourced produce rather than imported ones.
An example of a hotel which practice sustainability.
Destination regions should also manage demand by controlling access to or limiting the number of tourists to the destination region.so that the carrying capacity of the destination region is not exceeded, and therefore damage to environments is minimised.
For example, Maya Bay in the Phi Phi Islands, Thailand is a very popular tourist destination made famous by the movie “The Beach”.
This surge in popularity has placed the bay’s limited and finite resources under serious pressure. For example, fish stocks have declined significantly due to the destruction of the coral reef ecosystem brought about by pollution from boat engines, damage by anchors and trampling by tourists.
Faced with an unsustainable situation, the local authorities closed the beach completely in June 2018 to give the site a chance to recover.
The environment recovered tremendously after three years of closure. When Maya Bay reopened on 1 January 2022, corals and blacktip reef sharks were now able to grow and thrive as tourist boats are no longer allowed to enter the bay.
In order to continue protecting the ecosystem, the authorities have implemented new rules after Maya Bay reopened. These rules include:
A dock for tourist boats to reduce erosion and prevent direct damage to the beach
A limit on total visitors per day and a time limit on how long visitors can spend at the bay
All these strict measures ensure that tourism demands on the bay’s ecosystem services are managed. Tourists would also need to be responsible enough to adhere to these rules. This will help ensure sustainable tourism development where the ecosystem services of Maya Bay are protected, tourists enjoy the natural environment, and local communities continue to reap economic benefits.
Sustainable development of Tourism
1) Implementing effective tourism management to ensure the tourism benefits are enjoyed by all stakeholders
2) Minimising negative trade-offs within or between economic, social and environmental dimensions
Page updated
Report abuse