Building sustainable tourism destination and developing responsible

Building sustainable tourism destination and developing responsible tourism: conceptual framework, key issues and challenges Jennifer Kim Lian Chan Tourism Management , School of Business and Economics, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia ,Locked Bag 2073, 88999 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Chan, J.K.L (2010). Building sustainable tourism destination and developing responsible tourism: conceptual framework, key issues and challenges, Tourism Development Journal- An International Research Journal, vol 8(1), pp24-32, Institute of Vacational Tourism Studies, India. ( ISSN No : 09757376)

Building sustainable tourism destination and developing responsible tourism: conceptual framework, key issues and challenges Tourism and sustainable development has become a prominent key area of research and as an agenda of concern for different stakeholders within developed and developing countries. Extensive research work has been carried out; yet there seems to be no conclusive or acceptable holistic conceptual framework which identifies the key attributes and guides the sustainable tourism development of a particular destination. This conceptual paper focuses on building a sustainable tourism destination by addressing its key sustainable tourism attributes and considering the importance of developing responsible tourism. Subsequently, it proposes a sustainable conceptual framework which is built upon the general conceptual model of destination competitiveness by Ritchie and Crouch (2003). It outlines the key attributes, destination competitiveness as well as the principles and guidelines of sustainable tourism in considering developing sustainable tourism. Specifically, it draws on the need to develop responsible tourism products in order to sustain the tourism destination development, which has not been well understood by tourism suppliers due to the lack of market information. The key attributes in sustainable tourism development arise from the understanding of the key influential factors – namely, supporting factors and resources, core resources and attractions, destination management and planning as well as the relevant amplifying determinants. The proposed conceptual framework, together with the said key attributes and responsible tourism, offer a more holistic perspective in the understanding of building sustainable tourism development. It serves as an important general guideline for building sustainable tourism destination, or as a useful tool for individuals or state governments in implementing or improving the status of sustainability of a tourism destination, and as a useful framework for any individual or country in the wide implementation of sustainable tourism development in a particular destination. It is of considerable significance for the state government in making sustainable tourism development-related decisions, for the building of a sustainable tourism destination, and for developing responsible tourism that is widely accepted by the market. It draws attention to the determinants of successful sustainable tourism destination planning and development, and suggests integrating sustainability into the strategic planning of a tourist destination, as these two are nexuses. Key issues and challenges faced in developing

sustainable tourism include communication gaps between communities, states and parties which affect tourism growth, neglect of community participation at the early stage, lack of support and coordination efforts towards sustainable destination development and lack of entrepreneurial initiative guidance by the government and non-government sectors. The validation of the said framework and responsible tourism serves as an important avenue for future research. Key words: sustainable tourism development; responsible tourism; sustainable tourism conceptual framework; tourism destination; destination planning and development

Introduction Tourism is a worldwide phenomenon that has the highest and deepest aspirations of all people and is sensitive to its natural, cultural and environmental factors. It is a complex social system that operates within a micro and macro environment that is considering competitive and sustainability (Mathew, 2009). Predominantly, tourism is regarded as a positive contribution to urban development (European Commission, Tourism Unit, 2000). It is an important element of socioeconomic and political development in many countries, and it is ambivalent whether tourism contributes positively to socio-economic and cultural achievement and also to the degradation of the environment and the loss of local identity. Sustainability is becoming a significant concept of tourism destination and has increasingly added to destination competitiveness (Mathew, 2009). Arguably, the development of tourism destination must be guided by effective and efficient management with a focus on sustainability on both the destination and the consumer base. It is critical that future tourism destination development plans be compatible with not only market needs, but also with human and environment integrity to maintain its economic viability (Hassan, 2000). Over the years, sustainable tourism development has become a prominent key area of research and as an agenda of concern for different stakeholders within developed and developing countries (Soteriou and Coccossis, 2010). Similarly, increasing evidence shows that a need for an integrated approach to tourism planning and management is required to achieve sustainable tourism; to develop a type of tourism that meets economic expectations and environmental requirements, and respects not only the social and physical structure of destinations, but also the local population (World Conference on Sustainable Tourism, 1995). Likewise, the sense of priority to protect and reinforce the human dignity of both local communities and tourists is widely documented in most tourism development literature. In order to achieve sustainable tourism development, it is necessary to establish effective alliances among the principal actors in the field of tourism so as to fulfil the hope of a tourism that is more responsible towards our common heritage (World Conference on Sustainable Tourism, 1995). Indeed, the concept of sustainability is often perceived as a resource development and management philosophy is permeating all levels of policy and practices relating to tourism at all levels. Globally, sustainable tourism development is subject to a range of factors that are increasing in complexity. These factors - economy, environmental, political and social - are presumed have a strong influential and independent effect on tourism development, yet the said factors are, at the same time, interrelated. Hence, it is argued that sustainable tourism management of the

natural and physical environment must co-exist with economic, socio-cultural, and health and safety objectives of localities and nations. In the same vein, literature has acknowledged the importance of sustainable tourism development for any tourism destination (Soteriou and Coccossis, 2010; Crouch and Ritchie, 2006; Dwyer and Kim, 2003). This is due to the limited resources available in both developing and developed countries. In addition, there is a changing demand from the tourists whereby new market segments have shown interest in knowing other cultures, having closer ties and peace among peoples, and creating a conscience of culture and lifestyle diversity. As a result, sustainable development has become a prominent key area of research and agenda of concern for different stakeholders. Likewise, it has gained extensive attention amongst academic researchers, practitioners and non–

governmental agencies worldwide; however, the question of sustainability of a tourism destination is rarely raised or adequately addressed. Simply, varied definitions of sustainable development exist in literature and practices (Soteriou and Coccossis, 2010), and sustainability is a multidimensional concept, complex and situational (Mathew, 2009) which encompasses not just environmental protection but extends to economic development, social equity and ecological effects. Hence, developing a sustainable tourism destination is a complex and subjective matter. Likewise, the sustainable experience involves an amalgam of individuals, tourism product offerings, experiences and resources that combine to form a total sustainable experience of the area visited. A tourism destination is predominantly known for the advantages which attract a visiting tourist, and the ensuing attraction will create destination competitiveness. However, sustainable tourism development is also equally important. There has been extensive attention given by academic researchers, practitioners and non–governmental agencies worldwide to sustainable tourism. Despite the extensive research work previously carried out, there appears to be no conclusive or acceptable holistic conceptual framework to guide the understanding of the key attributes for the sustainable tourism development of a particular destination, nor a conceptual framework which outlines the various influential factors which affect the sustainability of a tourism destination in the long term (Mathew, 2009). Therefore, this paper aims to propose a conceptual framework for guiding the development of a sustainable tourism destination from a holistic perspective approach. It takes into consideration the general key elements of a particular tourist destination, namely destination competitiveness and the relevant key attributes, the practice of principles of sustainable tourism (codes and guidelines) as well as the concept of responsible tourism. Subsequently, a link is drawn to the competitive and sustainability model by Ritchie and Crouch (2003). In addition, key issues and challenges faced in building and developing a sustainable tourism destination are presented, together with recommendations for both academicians and practitioners. Concept of Sustainable Tourism Development, Destination Competitiveness and Responsible Tourism It is well-recognized that successful sustainable tourism development while remaining competitive is a universal goal for any tourism destination in both developed and developing countries. However, there is no single approach to achieve this. Simply, there is still a lack of a conceptual framework that can provide guidelines to tourism destination development. Each tourism destination has its own uniqueness in terms of resources, policy and development as well as different views from the respective stakeholders. The views, attitudes and preferences of residents and stakeholders, arguably, differ from destination to destination according to context and situation. Fundamentally, building and developing a sustainable tourism destination requires gaining a conceptual understanding of sustainable tourism and its relationships and linkages to destination competitiveness, sustainable principles and codes of practices as well as responsible tourism. Sustainable tourism and responsible tourism are multi-dimensional concepts which include environmental protection, economic development, social equity and ecological effects; they are complex, subjective and situational (World Conference of Sustainable Tourism, 1995). It can also be seen as a guided process and global

management of resources to ensure their viability, and the preservation of natural and cultural capital. It is also a powerful instrument for the development of a sustainable and integrated strategy which takes into account the natural, cultural and human environments. Subsequently, sustainable tourism enriches and improves the quality of life at each destination. In summary, sustainable tourism refers to the sustainable use of resources based on tourism-quality criteria, the principles of sustainable development at the tourist destination, and codes of conduct to achieve sustainability (Gonzales, 1996). Sustainable tourism has specific frameworks for positive and preventive actions; there are monitoring and exchange experiences as well as the promotion of awareness among all parties involved in the tourism industry worldwide. It is widely adopted by international organizations and governments of both developed and developing countries; however it often faces strong criticism due to lack of precision and implementation difficulties (Tao and Wall, 2009). The presence of conceptual and practical difficulties are also documented by Wall (1993; 2002) and the World Tourism Organization (1996). In order to develop a sustainable tourist destination, and for it to remain competitive and sustainable, it is pertinent to gain insight into the concept of sustainable and responsible tourism from a more holistic perspective, in addition to the assessment of destination competitiveness attributes and the key tourism destination components. Indeed, sustainability is part of destination competitiveness and is considered as an important driver for competitiveness (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2010). Evidently, tourism growth needs to balance economic development with social, cultural and environmental goals. This is reflected in the tourism destination competitiveness and sustainable model by Ritchie and Crouch (2003), which details the five key components of a tourist destination which influence destination competitiveness and sustainability (Figure 1). These five key elements are vital in formulating the conceptual model of sustainable tourism development and building a sustainable tourist destination. Accordingly, tourism destination development must not only be sustainable economically and ecologically, but also socially, culturally as well as politically (Gonzales, 1996). Indeed, competitiveness of a destination largely depends upon how well the destination achieves its competitive edge through its existing key attributes. In sustainable tourism development, it is vital to identify the competitive determinants and indicators, and to assess the level of destination sustainability and its key influencing attributes. The implementation of destination competitiveness and sustainability can then be achieved through developing and marketing responsible tourism by focusing on the needs and wants of responsible tourists. Destination competitiveness and competitive edge is a main concern for any tourism development. Clearly, tourism destination competitiveness arises from many factors, which include, among others, natural environment and geographic location, climate, scenery, man-made attractions, tourism infrastructure and supporting facilities. Broadly, destination competitiveness can be defined as “the ability of a destination to maintain its market position and market share and to improve upon them through time” or the provision of “overall attractiveness and quality experiences that are equal or better than those of the alternative destination for specific markets“ (Ritchie and Crouch, 2003, p.61-65. ); or the “destination’s ability to create and integrate value-added products that sustain its resources while maintaining market position relative to competitors”

(OECD, 2010, p. 63). In short, competitive tourism implies that a destination must provide overall attractiveness and quality experiences that are equal or better than those of the alternative destinations for that particular market (Poon, 1993; Ritchie and Crouch, 1993; 2003). Mathew (2009) presents a model for sustainability destination competitiveness. Accordingly, the model presents various key influential factors having a long term effect on the destination. The key success drivers for sustainability include inputs, sustainable process, leverage/operations, destination marketing and sustainable services. Enright and Newton (2005) regard tourism specific factors and generic business factors as two categories of competitiveness factors. From the review of the model of sustainability destination competitiveness, it is evident that the key influential factors of sustainable tourism destination are similar except for the level of categorization. Nevertheless, the destination competitiveness determinants may vary with respect to markets and the context of the individual tourism destination. Most studies link competitiveness to the ability of the tourist destination to deliver goods and services relating to the tourists’ overall experiences and that destination competitiveness is associated with its tourism infrastructure, quality and skills of its workforce and its natural attractions (Paskaleva-Shapira, 2007). Navickas and Malakauskatie (2009) developed a model of competitiveness and sustainable development of tourist destination by modifying the model by Dwyer and Kim (2003). The authors presented that basic resources, additional resources, tourist destination attractiveness, administration of the tourist destination, tourist destination policy, planning and development, tourist markets and quality of life are key influential factors to develop a sustainable tourist destination and its competitiveness. The notion of sustainable development and sustainable tourism has been widely researched and referenced. Arguably, there appears to be conceptual deficiencies within the existing framework, which has not been proven to be a good and adequate guide for a more productive and efficient manner of sustainable development (Tao and Wall, 2009). This is due to the fact that sustainable tourism development is multi-faceted and is culturally, economically and environmentally sensitive. The adoption of the sustainable tourism development concept offers a way forward for a tourism destination, but it must be understood in the broader economic, environment and cultural context in which it takes place.

Principles of Sustainable Tourism Development The principles of sustainable tourism development are widely understood in many ways. The key elements of sustainable tourism planning, development and operations is presented in Figure 2. In general, the key common components found in the principles include: broadbased community-inputs and community control of tourism development; quality employment for community residents, local businesses and the tourism sector; and a code of practice established for tourism at all levels - national, regional, and local - based on internationally accepted standards. Guidelines should be developed for tourism operations, the assessment, and monitoring of impacts; education and training programmes should be ensured to improve and manage heritage and natural resources (Jamieson and Noble, 2000). Thus, sustainable tourism development refers to a guided process which envisages the global management of resources to ensure their viability, enabling natural and cultural capital and protected areas to be preserved. It integrates with the natural, cultural and human environments and considers its effects on the cultural heritage and traditional elements, activities and the dynamics of each local community. It is a powerful instrument of development and a sustainable development strategy. The quality criterion in sustainable tourism takes into account both the preservation of the tourist destination and the capacity to satisfy tourists. Furthermore, sustainable tourism development requires a joint effort with the local communities which are well-informed on the principles of sustainable development. It is based on the diversity of opportunities offered by the local economy, and should be fully integrated into and contribute positively to the local economic development. More importantly, all options for tourism development must effectively serve to improve the quality of life of all people and enrich the socio-cultural element of each destination. A range of activities and actions taken are aimed at integrating sustainable development into tourism planning. It is evident that in order for sustainable tourism planning, development and operations to be successful, a tourist destination must meet three critical conditions. Firstly, tourism development must meet the respective economic expectations and environmental requirements, as well as respects the social and physical structure of destinations and the local population. Secondly, the priority for sustainable tourism is to protect and reinforce the human dignity of both local communities and tourists. Finally, the concept of responsible tourism emphasizes the ethical and social responsibility of both tourists and the local community. Hence, this concept is deemed to be relevant and necessary for the long sustainability of tourism development

Responsible Tourism Broadly, responsible tourism is defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people” (Crest, 2010) and is grounded in environmental and social principles and good practices consisting of strong ethical values. Thus, it is not a new tourism market segment, but rather a niche one. The current existing responsible tourism product segments include nature-based tourism, cultural tourism (with community-based tourism), volunteer tourism and educational tourism, backpackers and youth, adventure tourism and high-end tourism, all of which practise strong ethical and social responsible concepts. Predominantly, common practices of responsible tour operators include resource-saving initiatives at destination facilities and for activities. It tends to offer opportunities for outreach and philanthropy in small group sizes and encourage carbon offsetting. Operators partner with the local community, NGOs as well as the local partners (for lodging and transport), suppliers and visitors. They employ local people and offer fair wages. Focus is placed on cultural and environmental education and respecting/preserving/showcasing the authentic elements of local culture. In simple terms, the responsible travellers are socially and environmentally-conscious persons who support environmental conservation; they are less materialistic and tend to stay longer and spend more to give back to the destinations visited. They also seek a high level of interaction and participation with the local people and activities, learn about nature and the social culture, tend to seek authentic personal experiences, have a desire for self discovery and growth (creativity), and are exposed to unique and compelling experiences (CREST, 2010). There is a growing trend of consumer demand for products that are seen as “organic”, “sustainable”, “environmentally friendly” or “green” and a search for green experiences. Responsible tour operators tend to provide a chance for tourists to give back – this could be in the form of financial support for local projects, or volunteer opportunities. The study by CREST (2010) presents several factors which influence the international trends within the responsible tourism market. Firstly, there are responsible travel service providers selling responsible tourism products in North America and Europe. The current global economic depression has given rise to more affordable travel options. There is also a generational shift towards youth travellers. Lifestyle trends are now favouring responsible travel; increased urbanization leads to the need to connect/reconnect with nature, leading to an emergence of experiential tourism. This implies that the responsible tourism trend is moving towards the concept of escapism/fantasy. Also, travellers concerned over global warming may fly less or avoid air travel altogether by vacationing close to home as opposed to flying to long-haul destinations. Hence, in terms of developing and marketing responsible tourism, the responsible operators need to focus on the purchasing behaviour of responsible tourists. Tour operators also need to pay attention to the product segments and characteristics of the products, the position and price in the market, the promotional strategies used in each segment as well as the distribution channels used to reach the market.

Proposed Holistic Conceptual Framework for Sustainable Tourism Destination Tourism destination development needs to focus on a systematic examination of unique comparative advantages that provide a unique long term appeal to the target travel segments; sustaining the longevity of a given destination requires the understanding of market demand and emerging market trends such as responsible tourism. Thus, having a conceptual framework that brings together all the important elements to form a more holistic and useful guide for developing sustainable tourism development is deemed relevant and vital. Such a conceptual framework is presented in Figure 3. This framework linking the three important concepts together – key attributes destination competitiveness determinants and responsible tourism and ensuring the principles of sustainable tourism development ( codes and guidelines) are in place and are well monitored and enforced. This generic conceptual framework can be useful for building and developing sustainable tourism destination for various stakeholders at the state, national and international levels. It takes into account all the general key elements needed to support the development of tourism sustainability. Key issues and Challenges Faced in Developing a Sustainable Tourism Destination This paper shares several critical issues and challenges with regards to sustainability development. This includes understanding the sustainability level of a tourist destination and identifying its key attributes, implementing destination competitiveness and sustainability and finally the marketing of responsible tourism to the relevant market segments. The key issues and challenges faced in building and developing sustainable tourism destination at both the local and/or national levels, as pointed out by Mathew (2009), include the communication gaps which exist between communities and states; the lack of community participation at an early stage; and the frequent non-involvement of communities at the planning level. There is also a lack of support and coordination amongst the various government and non–government agencies. Often, there is a lack of or limited entrepreneurial initiative guidance provided by the respective government agencies involved in sustainable tourism development. At the global level, there is an increasing complexity within the economy, environmental, political and social contexts. These challenges can be categorized into three levels in the sustainable tourism destination conceptual framework, as pointed out by Ritchie and Crouch (2003): (a) integrated destination management and planning which deals with the destination system, value, vision, positioning, branding, development, monitoring/evaluation and audit; (b) supporting factors and resources, core resources and attractions (key attractions, infrastructure, accessibility, facilitating resources, hospitality, enterprise and political will); and (c) finally amplifying determinants which include the factors of location, security/safety, cost/value, awareness/image, carrying capacity and interdependencies.

Conclusion, Contribution and Moving Forward In conclusion, this paper fills the literature gap by proposing a more acceptable holistic conceptual framework for sustainable tourism destination. It presents the key influential factors that affect sustainable tourism development; and highlights the need to have a conceptual understanding of sustainable tourism development, responsible tourism as well as the destination competitiveness of a tourist destination. Subsequently, it proposes a general conceptual framework for building and developing sustainable tourism destination which takes into consideration: a) destination key attributes and the destination competitiveness components; b) the principles of sustainable tourism codes and guidelines; c) promotion of responsible tourism grounded in environmental and social principles with ethical values and social responsibility. Indeed, it brings together the main elements of sustainable tourism development and destination competitiveness (resource endowments and deployment) and responsible tourism as key determinants for sustainable tourism destination in addition to the five elements (support factors and resources, core resources and attractions, destination management, policy, planning and development and qualifying and amplifying determinants) as outlined in the general conceptual model of destination competitiveness by Ritchie and Crouch (2003). One needs to recognize that sustainable tourism development is multifaceted and there is no “one size fits all” tourist destination. One needs to look into the existing system and create destination competitiveness via its key destination attributes for that particular destination. Although sustainable tourism development is widely discussed, referenced and documented, its conceptual framework still suffers from deficiencies and there is a lack of good practice guides to help the practitioners and academicians. This paper argues that building sustainable tourism destination is a universal goal for any tourism destination and is important for tourism development. Review of literature shows no conclusive or acceptable holistic conceptual framework to guide the sustainable tourism development of a particular destination. Thus, the proposed conceptual framework, together with the said key attributes and responsible tourism, offer a more holistic perspective in the understanding of building sustainable tourism development. It serves as an important general guideline or as a useful tool for individuals or state governments in implementing or improving the sustainability status of a tourism destination; it is also a useful framework for any individual or country in the wide implementation of sustainable tourism development at a particular destination. It has considerable significance for the state government when making sustainable tourism development-related decisions, for the building of a sustainable tourism destination, and for developing responsible tourism that is widely accepted by the market. It draws attention to the determinants of successful sustainable tourism destination planning and development, and suggests the integration of sustainability into the strategic planning of a tourist destination, as these two are nexuses. Key issues and challenges faced in developing sustainable tourism include communication gaps between communities, states and parties which affect tourism growth, neglect of community participation at the early stage, lack of support and coordination efforts towards sustainable destination development and the lack of entrepreneurial initiative guidance by the government and non-government sectors.

When developing a sustainable tourism destination, there is no simple formula that can be followed. Simply, there are different views, attitudes and preferences – the societal prosperity, quality of life, and the situation and resources available may dictate, constrain or shape tourism development (Crouch, 2006). Thus, it is suggested that the way forward for sustainable tourism development is to understand sustainable tourism development in the broader economic, cultural and local-specific context in which it takes place. This means that both academicians and practitioners can take a proactive approach to understand and identify the key attributes leading to sustainable and competitive development in a more holistic manner. The practitioners, policy makers and industry need to gain a full understanding of: the importance of having a sustainable conceptual framework or model that can guide in the management of a sustainable and competitive individual tourism destination; the key attributes leading to the sustainable and competitive development of a tourism destination; and promoting responsible tourism as a tool for tourism development which takes into account ethical, social and environmental responsibility in a more holistic manner. Therefore, the proposed conceptual framework can serve as a generic holistic framework to guide the tourism destination towards sustainable development and ensure that all stakeholders benefit accordingly. Further research may be undertaken to validate the proposed conceptual framework for sustainable tourism development. Another research avenue may involve comparative studies for different tourism destinations worldwide, which may generate more holistic findings.

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Figure 1. Conceptual Model of Destination Competitiveness by Ritchie and Crouch (2003) Qualifying & amplifying determinants determinants Destination policy, planning and development

Destination Management

Core Resources and attractors

Supporting factors and Resources

Figure 2. Key Elements in Sustainable Tourism Planning, Development and Operations (Source: Globe ’90 Conference, Tourism Stream, Action Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Development. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) Careful assessment, monitoring, respond to changes careful assessment , monitoring respond to changes careful assessment , monitoring Integrated environmental, respond to changes social & economic planning analyses

cross-sectoral and integratedSustainable principles/ethi cal, code of practices

Protection & appropriate economic uses /guidelines Sustainable tourism development and operation

Uses/guidelin es

Distribute fairly benefits and costs

Local people –undertake leadership

Education, training information, research and communicatio n

Changing the attitude & behaviors of locals & tourists foreigners

Figure 3. Conceptual Framework: Building and Developing Sustainable Tourism Development Destination

Competitive and sustainability model Ritchie and Crouch (2003)

Destination Key attributes

Principles of sustainable tourism/codes/guideli nes

Responsible Tourism

Destination Competitiveness