What Is Sustainable Tourism?

As with other industrial sectors and fields of academic study, tourism research has also responded to the popularization of the concept of sustainable development in the wake of the World Commission on Environment and Development's Report, (WCED, 1987) Our Common Future. The first edition of a journal entirely devoted to the topic: "The Journal of Sustainable Tourism" was published in 1993 (Harris/Griffin/Williams, 2002, p. 3). Therefore the public understanding of sustainable tourism is only existent for the last 20 years.

A former research published in the "Annals for Tourism Research" for the UK government Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), on public understanding of sustainable tourism has shown the low level of awareness about the impacts of the tourism industry and appropriate response options (Miller, 2010, p.15). The research shows that the majority of the people seem to place a greater responsibility on the government to address the problem. One of the main findings is that people have to develop a sense of personal responsibility for the impacts developed by taking a holiday (Miller, 2010, p. 16). The majority of the people do not know how much impact their holiday has on the environment.

In general sustainable development is determined largely by what the stakeholders want it to be. There are a range of actors who have the right and ability to make changes to the tourism system and influence the process and consequences of development. These actors or stakeholders include tourists (domestic and foreign), tourist businesses (investors, developers, operators, shareholders, management, employees, public and private) the host community and their governments. These groups often have different interests in, and different perceptions of, tourism development. To be sustainable and successful, tourism development should involve various government departments, public and private sector companies, community groups and experts (Wahab/Pigram, 1998, p. 283). It only can be a success for both the environment and the tourism, if every stakeholder is committed. A clean, healthy and protected environment, apart from being inherently good for tourism, is also a key to its competitiveness. Increasingly, consumers of tourism are willing to pay more for a cleaner environment. Whether tourists are just lying on the beach, diving, whale watching, hiking, biking or visiting sites and attractions, the environment is the essence of most tourism products. It is the experience and enjoyment together with emotions that the tourism industry markets. Ecosystems, flora and fauna and cultural, historical, heritage, and arts sites are all important attractions for vacationers. Almost no other industry is as environmentally dependent as the tourism industry. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that we take the necessary steps to ensure the protection and enhancement of the natural built environment and cultural heritage through sustainable tourism management. (Edgell, 2006, p. 6) Someone has to take a look into the future and start being a role model and the majority will follow.

Tourism in the twenty-first century will be a major vehicle for fulfilling people's aspiration for a higher quality of life. Tourism also has the potential to be on of the most important stimulants for global improvement in the social, cultural, economic, political and ecological dimensions of future lifestyles. Key elements of tourism sustainability include meeting the needs of both visitors and host communities and protecting and enhancing the tourism attraction for the future as part of a national economic resource. The relationship between tourists, host communities, businesses, attractions and the environment is complex, interactive and symbiotic. (Edgell, 1990, p.15) Sustainable tourism means achieving growth in a manner that does not reduce the natural and built environment and preserves the culture,