Tourism & sustainable development Thierry Baert
2 Sustainable development Integrated local development Tourism & local development Specificities of Tourism Towards sustainable tourism Specific threats for the area
3 Origin of sustainable development as a worldwide political concept : «Our Common Future» aka the Brundtland report to the UNO(1987) United Nations world commission on Environment and Development «Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs»
4 The traditional industrial economy Economy With its social-démocratic version compromises at national levels in - mainly - northern Europe (1880-1980) Economy Social Environment Social Environment Economy is dominating Social and environment issues are considered as constraints. the social dimension acquires some power and some autonomy
5 Toward sustainable development Economy Economy Social Environment Fair Sustainable Viable Social Liveable Environment A new sustainable compromise What spatial and temporal scales? And What political regulation?
6 Regulating interactions between economic, social and environmental matters Can this be operational/accepted? What kind of social and political coalitions are needed? What does it mean at local level?
7 Traditional local development thematic / silos approach Integrated local development Inter-departmental approach Cross-fertilization Easy to conceive, uneasy to implement as this means confrontation between various professional and cultural identities.
Traditional local development Hierarchical approach Specialised approach Integrated local development contractual approaches Multilevel agreements Easy to conceive, uneasy to implement as this means New relationships between levels of government/decentralisation 8
9 Traditional local development Fragmented areas Territorial competition Integrated local development Cooperation between local authorities? + networks Easy to conceive, uneasy to implement as this means Forgetting prejudices and defining common interests/developing trust
10 Traditional local development Institutions (economy and politic) People (social) From government To governance Integrated local development Place (environment) People and Gender (social) Place (environment) Institutions (economy and politic)
No single relevant level: multiscale integration Neighbourhood level City level Polycentric urban and rurban region level 11
Integrated local development is both a process and a product: local development plans/agenda 21 Public Diagnosis: Information/ Evidence, Challenges & sensibiisation opportunities Responsibilities Options and tasks And Strategies Availabl e ressour ces Implemen tation program me: time is another key dimension Monitoring & review
13 Tourism and integrated local development? Cross sector industry Cross territorial industry Tourism and directly related activities hotels heritage site airport hotels nature site Shopping area hotels beach hotels port
Tourism common strategy Tourism and integrated local development? Towards a Cross-institutions/multilevel policy? Tourism policy Tourism policy Tourism policy Tourism policy? Tourism policy
15 How is this applying to tourism? Institutions (economy and politic) People (social) From government To governance Place (environment) People and Gender (social) Place (environment) Institutions (economy and politic)
Mass international tourism is a Euro-mediterranean issue
unexpected consequences of attractiveness Posh «authentic» hollyday area Luxury accomodation Property market increase Quality decay Trendy exclusive place Clubs and tour operators Middle class family ressort Cheaper accomodation Mass tourism attraction Low cost flights Junk tourism destination
Sustainable tourism A traditionnal definition Sustainable tourism is a place, event or tourist attraction that is sustainable in three main areas, it meets the "Triple Bottom Line". To be sustainable, it must be economically, environmentally and socioculturally sustainable. Not many tourism ideas and places are, but they can meet the Line partially. Or again «Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs An alternative one Not only present needs vs future ones But also local needs vs tourists ones i.e. Actively contribute to integrated local development
sustainable tourism should: 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. Ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socioeconomic 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 UNEP United Nations Environment Program
Regional pick oils
Resilience Community resilience is the capacity of groups to withstand, recover from, and respond positively to crisis, disasters or adversity. This implies : Resistance the degree of disruption that can be accommodated without the community undergoing long term change. A highly resilient community can withstand considerable disruption before undergoing long-term change. Recovery the community s ability to pull through or bounce back to its predisaster state. A highly resilient community returns to its pre-disaster state, or moves beyond that, quicker than a less resilient community. Creativity the community s ability to build on learnings of a crisis or disaster, to gain an improved level of functioning and increased levels of resilience. A highly resilient community will adapt to its new circumstances and learn from the disaster experience. Freely adapted from the Australian government definition
Thank you for your attention Thierry Baert - tbaert@nordnet.fr