Achieving Sustainable Tourism Through Development Of Alternative Forms Of Tourism

Origin of sustainability and sustainable development

Discuss about the Sustainable Promotion of Homestay Tourism.

Concept pertaining to sustainability had its origins within environmentalism that became prominent in the era of the 1970’s. The idea in relation to sustainable development was brought out by International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources within the World Conservation Strategy. According to the Brundtland Commission Report, sustainable development can help in meeting the needs of that of the present age without compromising that of the future generations (Jovicic, 2016). It stated that sustainable development does not refer to any kind of fixed state but it is a dynamic process of change. This essay discusses how sustainable tourism can be achievable with the help of development of alternative forms of tourism. It expounds on the different kind of examples of alternative tourism within the developed and developing countries.

Different kinds of problems emerged in relation to mass tourism that led to the emergence of alternative options in that of the early 1980. Large-scale tourism was proving to be problematic that necessitated the demand of small-scale alternatives. The other options was put under the category of alternative tourism that acted as an alternative to that of mass tourism. Mass tourism and that of alternative tourism can be said to be contrasting ideal types. They became models pertaining to “bad” and that of “good” tourism. The mass tourism attraction can be said to be ‘contrived’ as opposed to alternative tourism that can be said to be ‘authentic’ (Forno & Garibaldi, 2015).  The mass tourism helps in fostering externally controlled operation whereas alternative tourism can help in offering high-leakage operations. Alternative tourism adheres to strong interpretation in relation to sustainability whereas mass tourism is perceived by supporters pertaining to adaptancy platform as having a weak version.

There are different kinds of anomalies that are present in Western environmental paradigm but the society is moving in the direction of an eco-centric green paradigm. Sustainable Development has evolved to become the main focus of tourism sector (Zeppel, 2006). All these developments point forward to the synthesis between Western environmental paradigm and that of green paradigm (Singh, 2017).  It is important to identify and monitor the indicators at the operation level in the event of one wanting to achieve sustainable tourism. It has however been found that the associated procedures are undermined on account of lack of understanding in relation to the complexity of tourism system.

The emergence of alternative tourism and its differences from mass tourism

The industry of mass tourism has treaded on an unsustainable path but it is now focussing on the arena of sustainable tourism on account of drastic growth in relation to green consumerism. It can however be found out that conventional tourism industry does not extend beyond that of facilitating structures in the different sectors. One can perceive the leadership of corporate innovators that points forward to shallow adherence that complements the ‘veneer’ environmentalists in the society. There are different kinds of practices like recycling along with linen reuse program that indicates that of paradigm nudge as compared to paradigm shift (Passafaro et al., 2017). It is owing to the fact that it can easily be accommodated within the dominant capitalist ideology. The code of practice is abundant but it can be deemed to be controversial. The high profile global eco level have enabled in attracting minimal participation in the present age. There is the dearth of any kind of accreditation body that can look after the tourism-related eco label (Young & Light, 2016).

Ecotourism has emerged to become a fast growing sector within the tourism industry. It grew up in the 1970’s within the boom of environmental movement that was taking action against negative impact pertaining to mass tourism. Environmental movement helped in recognizing the fact that nature was essential for the welfare of the human being. Science has confirmed in the present age that biodiversity is significant for the well-being along with survival of the human being. Nature- based tourism helped in providing the alternative to that of mass tourism that can help in earning of foreign exchange without the destruction of the natural resources (Sood, Chhabra & Andereck, 2017).  The developing countries like Jamaica, Lebanon and Malaysia have identified ecotourism to be a useful tool that can help in serving that of development goal. The ecotourism puts natural environment in the position of priority and thus ecotourism acts as a form of alternative tourism in the developing countries like Jamaica and Malaysia. Ecotourism can act as a strategy that can help in the preservation of the natural areas and promote the aspect of sustainable development in the developing countries like Mexico and Morocco. Ecotourism can be said to be nature-based and it does not have any kind of negative repurcussions in the environment and in the social sphere. According to the popular literature, ecotourism can be said to be non-consumptive in its use of resources and it can help in minimizing impact on the environment along with people. It can help in the creation of an ecological conscience (Sdrali et al., 2015). It lays emphasis on eco-centric values in perspective to nature. Ecotourism can help in uniting of conservation, communities along with sustainable travel. There are different kind of levels that can help in distinguishing between that of tourism activity along with nature. There are some activities that are dependent on that of nature, some are enhanced by that of nature and there are some experiences for whom the natural setting can be said to be incidental. Ecotourism thus helps in embracing “nature tourism” along with “wilderness tourism” (Rogerson, 2017).

The importance of monitoring indicators for achieving sustainable tourism

Cultural tourism emerged as response to that of mass tourism that has the objective of learning more regarding the monuments along with places of historical interest in the developing countries. Cultural tourism is emerging to become a large along with fast growing global tourism market. It has emerged to become an important phenomenon in that of the tourism industry in countries like Morocco and Vietnam. In the earlier era, culture was not related to that of tourism that was considered to be a leisure activity. Within Europe, a large part of the wealthy people used to view the holidays like a time for relaxation and only a small group of the people engaged with the cultural tours. This situation underwent change in the 20^th century when the tourists started to look for new kinds of experiences in their vacation time (MEEKER, Campbell & GRAY, 2016). There were different regions that started recognizing value pertaining to culture as a means that could generate tourism. In the present age, tourism along with culture can be said to be inseparable. Culture along with tourism can be said to have a relationship that is mutually beneficial that can help in strengthening competitiveness pertaining to a region. Culture can be said to be an important element in relation to tourism product that can help in creating distinctiveness within that of the global marketplace in countries like Malaysia and Vietnam. Tourism can prove to be an important means that can help in enhancing culture and create that of income (Mowforth & Munt, 2015).  It can help in strengthening the cultural heritage and cultural production.

There were two major approaches in relation to cultural tourism-“sites and monuments approach” and “high tourism”. The monuments approach focussed on the attractions that the cultural tourist could visit and it referred to product-based definition pertaining to culture. Cultural attractions are the physical cultural sites that is significant for the aspect of tourism. The second approach is that of the conceptual approach as it describes the motives and it can help in fastening meaning to that of cultural tourism activity.

The cultural tourists can learn about the products along with process pertaining to the other cultures. The tourists visit the destinations because they want to experience the lifestyle along with customs of people whom they visit. The people who move towards the cultural attractions that is different from their place of residence can help in the gathering of new information that can help in satisfying the cultural needs of an individual (Smith, 2015). All the cultural tourists cannot consume culture and they cannot satisfy their cultural needs.

The growth and shift towards sustainable tourism

There are some tourists that have superficial contact and there are others that have a profound impact. The five kinds of cultural tourists that emerged are that of the highly motivated cultural tourist, sightseeing tourist, casual cultural tourist, incidental cultural tourist and that of accidental cultural tourist. These five kinds of cultural tourists can be divided into that of two main groups: first group comprises of those tourists the main motivation of which is culture that they can consume. Second group refers to those tourists who think that culture acts as a complement or secondary (Richards, 2016).

Dynamic growth was perceived in the aspect of cultural tourism on account of the demand for the trips in relation to cultural attractions. The interest of the tourists rose both owing to distant culture along with that of local heritage. The increase in the number of educated people within the world and globalization has led to the growth of cultural tourism (Liu, 2003). Technology can help in supporting this kind of growth and internet has provided facility to the tourists so that they can create cultural tourism product. Travel, accommodation along with attractive content can be made into that of tailor-made package (Moscardo & Murphy, 2014). It can help in ignoring that of specialist cultural tour operator. Cultural tourist is undergoing a rapid transformation and the consumer is being changed into being a producer of cultural products along with experiences. Cultural tourists have gained more knowledge regarding the experiences that they have consumed as compared to the people who have supplied them (Throsby, 2016). It can thus help them in taking a lead in that of experience production. The kinds of experiences that they engage in has seen a shift from that of tangible to that of intangible tourism resources. This shows that there have been a transition from that of static attraction to a more interactive along with intangible experience. These experiences can be said to be associated to that of local culture and not that of the global one. The alternative products of tourism is inclusive of the eco villages along with eco lodges on Savaii and the Manono Islands. Finance is provided to the coastal villages so that they can built the beach huts and rent it out to that of the visitors. The Samoan eco-villages have their own village laws that can help in protection of the wildlife. It can help in retaining within the village customs and participate within that of community tourism project. Solomon islands focus on the aspect of dive tourism. The conservation NGO along with the government agencies have supported the village-based ecotourism that can help in the preservation of the tropical rainforest.

The emergence of ecotourism and cultural tourism as forms of alternative tourism

Cultural tourism has become more interactive in the present age and it should be repositioned so that it can become more creative. This kind of tourism can unravel new opportunities that can provide alternative source of revenue for the regions. There are many places that developed a unique image and followed the same kind of strategies that helped in making them look the same in front of the cultural tourists. The alternative form of tourism is related with knowledge along with skills in the new areas that are different from traditional cultural heritage (Passafaro et al., 2017). Creativity can be made use of within tourism in relation to tourism products along with experiences. It can help in the process of revitalization pertaining to the existing products and provide economic spin-off in relation to cultural development. These new ways pertaining to creativity can be made use of for acquiring uniqueness and evolve the aspect of “cultural tourism” so that it can become more creative (Forno & Garibaldi, 2015).

Sustainable Development can prove to be useful for meeting needs of the present time and it does not compromise the future generations. Mass tourism along with alternative tourism acts as contrasting ideal types. They have emerged to be models of “bad” and “good” tourism. Various anomalies are prevalent within Western environmental paradigm and society can be said to be moving towards eco-centric green paradigm. Nature tourism can act as an alternative for mass tourism which can prove to be useful for earning that of foreign exchange. Ecotourism has been put forward by the developing countries that can serve the developmental goal. Natural environment has been put forward by ecotourism and it has been relegated a prioritized position. Ecotourism can preserve the natural resources and promote sustainable development. Cultural tourism has emerged to become interactive in the current age and the repositioning of it can help it to become more creative. It can open different kinds of opportunities that can help in providing alternative source in relation to revenue. Alternative tourism is associated with knowledge and skills which proves to be different from that of traditional cultural heritage. Creativity can be used within tourism pertaining to tourism products and experiences.

References:

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