According to Lee et al. (2016), tourism industry is one of the most important emerging industries of the world and various other industries like hospitality, airlines and others are directly dependent on this industry for the process of their business operations. As per a report of the Unwto.org (2016), the net annual revenue generated by the tourism industry in 2016 was more than 7.6 trillion U.S. dollars besides the 2.3 trillion U.S. dollars that the industry helped its associated industries to earn. However, in the recent times it is seen that the industry is facing various kind issues like the risks on the score of terrorism, climate change and others besides the damage to nature that this industry and also the tourists cause to the environment and also the tourist destinations (Henderson, 2016).
The three pillars of sustainability, namely, the social, economic and the environment pillars can be used by the tourism industry not only to enhance its profitability but also to attain sustainability as well. The essay will analyze the tourism industry of Singapore through the three pillars of sustainability. The essay will begin by providing an overview of the concept of sustainability and also the Singaporean tourism industry. The essay will then analyze it on the basis of the economic, social and environment pillars of sustainability. The essay will also show the major concerns that the tourism industry of Singapore is facing currently related to these factors and will also propose measures for their mitigation.
Qureshi et al. (2017) are the viewpoint that sustainability is the process of attaining a harmonious balance among the various resources and the means which an organization has at its disposal and also utilize it in an effective manner. This not only ensures the long-term growth of the concerned organization but also helps it to earn a higher amount of profitability as well (Henderson, 2016). In addition to this, Cohen and Cohen (2015) hold the viewpoint that the organizations need to make a valuable proportion of contribution towards the planet and also the environment so as to ensure the continued growth of the planet. More importantly, the various organizations also need to take into effective consideration the pillars of sustainability like social, economic and environmental factors. The concept of sustainability becomes even more important from the perspective of the tourism industry because of its close association with the environment and the society of the nations in which the industry is operational (Henderson, 2016). Sustainable is the catch phrase of the modern times since the organizations related to this industry are not only required to help in the economic growth of the nation in which it is operational but also towards the social as well as the environmental growth of the nation as well (Qureshi et al., 2017). This concept becomes especially important from the perspective of the Singaporean tourism industry.
As opined Lee et al. (2016), the Singaporean tourism industry is one of the largest ones of the world and has attained unprecedented growth in the recent times. As per a report of the Unwto.org (2018), the Singaporean tourism industry for the year 2014 generated “S$23.6 billion”. More importantly, the tourism industry of the concerned is the 5th largest in the world in terms of the number of visitors (17.4 million in 2017) and the 2nd largest one in the continent of Asia (Visitsingapore.com, 2018). The low crime rate of the concerned nation and the effective management of the different tourist destinations of the nation have contributed in a substantial manner towards this success. Some of the most famous tourist destinations of the nation under discussion here are “Singapore Zoo, River Safari, Night Safari, Jurong Bird Park” and others (Lee et al., 2016).
According to Bhati and Pearce (2017), the tourism industry of Singapore not only forms the backbone of the economy of the nation but also contributes in a substantial manner towards the growth of other industries of the concerned nation as well. In this regard, it can be said that as per the economic pillar of sustainability, the organizations have an ethical as well as moral responsibility to contribute towards the economic growth of the nation (Cohen & Cohen, 2015). The Singaporean tourism industry when viewed through this lens would reveal insight details. As already mentioned the concerned industry in Singapore for the 2014 generated more than “S$23.6 billion”, which is equivalent to 8.9% of the entire GDP of the nation itself (Visitsingapore.com, 2018). In addition to this, the industry also generated 62.922 million jobs in the nation which is equivalent to more than 8% of the jobs of the nation and boosts of an impressive growth rate of 7.7% which is higher than the growth rate of the other industries of the nation (Visitsingapore.com, 2018). Moreover, the total number of international tourists that the nation received for the year 2017 was more than 17.4 million and this number is expected to increase by 15.6% for the coming years (Visitsingapore.com, 2018).
The organizations related to the tourism industry of the nations no doubt have contributed in a substantial manner however there are many organizations which do not report their actual revenues in an honest manner and thereby evade the taxes. More importantly, these organizations are using the resources of the nation but are not contributing towards the economic growth of the nation. The tax money which is being paid by these organizations is utilized for the development of the nation. This is a major cause of concern for the nation since it is slowing down the pace of their economic development. This concern or problem can be mitigated in an effective manner through the centralization of the tourism industry of the nation. This will offer the opportunity to the national government to directly regulate the business activities of this industry and have an effective idea about the financial transactions of the organizations related to the concerned industry.
As per the social pillar of sustainability, the organizations related to the tourism industry are required to contribute the society growth of Singapore. For example, it is seen that the nation of Singapore even in the 21st century is follows the culture of the Asian people who form the major part of the population of the nation (Pulido-Fernández, Andrades-Caldito & Sánchez-Rivero, 2015). Although the culture of Singapore is called the culture where “East meets West” yet the major influence is that of Asia (Lee et al., 2016). However, the growth of the tourism industry in the nation and the arrival of the tourists from the various quarters of the world like USA, Australia, Germany, Canada, France and others had helped the people of the nation to come out of the framework of the Asian culture. Cohen & Cohen (2015) are of the viewpoint that the major recipients of these societal benefits are the members of the local communities near the various tourist destinations of the nation. In addition to the financial benefits that are being provided by the growth of the tourism industry to the members of these local communities, they are also being able to reap the societal benefits as well through their close association with the various tourists. This has not only enriched the culture of these local communities but at the same time improved the societal norms and also the beliefs that these people hold. Furthermore, through their association with the various tourists, the people are not only able to overcome their inhibitions but at the same time the misconceptions that they had earlier regarding the Western culture as well (Sharma, 2015).
It is seen that because of the differences in cultural background between the tourists and the native Singaporean people a lot of unnecessary problems get created. This not only affects the travel experience of the tourists but at the same time affects the Singaporean society as well. More importantly, Qureshi et al. (2017) have stated that because of the influx of the western culture, the original Singaporean culture is losing its uniqueness and the people are just trying to emulate the westerners. This is a serious concern to the society and also the people of Singapore. In order to mitigate it, the tourism board of the nation can encourage the tourists to follow the Singaporean culture while in Singapore as far as possible. In addition to this, educating the people regarding the essence and value of the Singaporean culture and also taking the help of sustainable tourism is also likely to help in a substantial manner.
The environmental factors have emerged as one of the most important ones recently because of the various environment issues like climate change, global warming and others that the world is facing currently (Pulido-Fernández, Andrades-Caldito & Sánchez-Rivero, 2015). The various organizations are thus required to take initiatives which will not only help them to reduce the amount of damage that they cause to the environment but at the same time try to help in the conservation of it as well (Picard, 2015). This holds true for the tourism industry as well. However, it is often seen that some of the tourists in Singapore indulge in activities like wildlife sport and others which adversely affect the wildlife of the nation. In addition to this, the amount of pollution caused by these tourists in some of the protected wildlife sanctuaries is also adversely affecting the environment. Furthermore, the damage done by these tourists to the forests is also substantial. This is a major cause of concern for the nation since it directly affects the flora and the fona of the nation. More importantly, the airplanes used by these tourists for travelling from one destination to another also cause a lot of air pollution.
The Singaporean government can take various initiatives for the mitigation of this problem. For example, the nation can promote the usage of various historical buildings and similar kind of architectures to shift the focus of the tourists from the natural tourist attractions. In addition to this, the nation can offer various kinds of alternative transportation facilities to the tourists so as to deter the usage of airplanes and similar vehicles which cause a high level of air pollution. More importantly, the nation can take initiatives for the promotion of eco-tourism to contribute in a meaningful manner towards the environment.
To conclude, sustainability has become the current focus of the business world and for the effective utilization of this process the organizations are required to make contributions towards the environment, society and also the economy of a nation. The Singaporean tourism industry is an important one in this regard since it is seen that it follows the model of sustainable tourism which was proposed by the United Nations for the promotion of this industry. In this regard, it needs to be said that the concerned industry has made meaningful contributions not only towards the economic growth of Singapore but also towards the social growth of the nation. In addition to these, the concerned industry has also made substantial amount of contribution towards the improvement of the condition of the environment in the Singapore.
References
Bhati, A., & Pearce, P. (2017). Tourist attractions in Bangkok and Singapore; linking vandalism and setting characteristics. Tourism management, 63, 15-30. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517717301140
Cohen, E., & Cohen, S. A. (2015). A mobilities approach to tourism from emerging world regions. Current Issues in Tourism, 18(1), 11-43. Retrieved https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13683500.2014.898617
Henderson, J. C. (2016). Local and traditional or global and modern? Food and tourism in Singapore. Journal of Gastronomy and Tourism, 2(1), 55-68. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3727/216929716X14546365943494
Lee, S., Phau, I., Hughes, M., Li, Y. F., & Quintal, V. (2016). Heritage tourism in Singapore Chinatown: A perceived value approach to authenticity and satisfaction. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 33(7), 981-998. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10548408.2015.1075459
Pulido-Fernández, J. I., Andrades-Caldito, L., & Sánchez-Rivero, M. (2015). Is sustainable tourism an obstacle to the economic performance of the tourism industry? Evidence from an international empirical study. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23(1), 47-64. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09669582.2014.909447
Qureshi, M. I., Hassan, M. A., Hishan, S. S., Rasli, A. M., & Zaman, K. (2017). Dynamic linkages between sustainable tourism, energy, health and wealth: Evidence from top 80 international tourist destination cities in 37 countries. Journal of cleaner production, 158, 143-155. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652617309186
Unwto.org (2018). Tourism Statistics. [online]. Retrieved from https://www.e-unwto.org/loi/unwtotfb
Visitsingapore.com, (2018). Visit Singapore. [online]. Retrieved from https://www.visitsingapore.com/en/
Essay Writing Service Features
Our Experience
No matter how complex your assignment is, we can find the right professional for your specific task. Contact Essay is an essay writing company that hires only the smartest minds to help you with your projects. Our expertise allows us to provide students with high-quality academic writing, editing & proofreading services.
Free Features
Free revision policy
$10Free bibliography & reference
$8Free title page
$8Free formatting
$8How Our Essay Writing Service Works
First, you will need to complete an order form. It's not difficult but, in case there is anything you find not to be clear, you may always call us so that we can guide you through it. On the order form, you will need to include some basic information concerning your order: subject, topic, number of pages, etc. We also encourage our clients to upload any relevant information or sources that will help.
Complete the order form
Once we have all the information and instructions that we need, we select the most suitable writer for your assignment. While everything seems to be clear, the writer, who has complete knowledge of the subject, may need clarification from you. It is at that point that you would receive a call or email from us.
Writer’s assignment
As soon as the writer has finished, it will be delivered both to the website and to your email address so that you will not miss it. If your deadline is close at hand, we will place a call to you to make sure that you receive the paper on time.
Completing the order and download