SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, A PRIORITY ISSUE
Tourism has substantial effects on the environment. It is thought to produce a large portion of greenhouse gases worldwide, about 5%. Transportation and lodging, along with consumption of “natural” spaces and landscapes, are particular causes of adverse effects. With tourism growing, pressure on the environment can only intensify.
Taking into account the sustainable development approach in tourism is necessary to ensure integrated management of territories, in harmony with the environment and communities, and to ensure the sustainability of resources as well as a better quality of life for everyone.
Sustainable development plays an essential role in the long-term economic, environmental and socio-cultural viability of destinations in addition to enabling tourism to contribute to certain global issues. Sustainable tourism is now central to many nations' tourism development policies. Major destinations have laid the groundwork for sustainable tourism by publishing studies or holding information days and workshops on topics related to sustainable tourism.
We can add that sustainable tourism also helps enhance a destination's image at the international level. A destination that fails to take account of the principles of sustainable development will soon become a place not to be visited.
The World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism as follows:
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
