INMA311 – INCENTIVES MANAGEMENT

UNIT 3: Three Dimensions of Sustainable Tourism

CHAPTER 3
Sustainable Tourism:
Three Dimensions of Sustainable Tourism: Environmental, Social and Economical

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this chapter, you will understand the following baseline concepts:
• Tourism Destinations and Attractions
• Dimensions of Sustainable Tourism: environmental, economic and social dimension and its
impacts
• Positive and Negative Impacts

TOURISM DESTINATIONS AND ATTRACTIONS

Typology of Visitor
➢ There are many types of tourists who have different demands of a destination. Tourist typologies
are descriptors of distinctive forms of tourist consumer behaviour. They reflect different
motivations, interests and styles of travel on the part of tourists.
➢ Most of the typologies attempt to group tourists according to their preferences in terms of
destinations, activities while on holiday, independent travel versus package holidays.
➢ The purpose of these typologies is to divide the tourists into the different groups in order to find
out what the specific tourist want.

ERIC COHEN (1972) MODEL

1. Organized mass tourist
- these are the least adventurous tourists. On buying their package holiday they remain
encapsulated in an ‘environmental bubble’, divorced from the host community as they
remain primarily in the hotel complex.
2. Individual mass tourist
- they are similar to organized mass tourists in that they utilize the facilities made available
by tour operator, but they have some control over their own itinerary.
- They may use the hotel as a base and hire a car for their own trips. However, many will
tend to visit the same places as the mass organized tourist in that they will visit the
‘sights’.
3. Explorer
- the explorer arranges his or her trip alone, and attempts to get off the beaten track. Yet
such tourists will still have recourse to comfortable tourist accommodation.
- However, much of their travel will be associated with a motivation to associate with the
local people, and they will often speak the language of the host community. Nonetheless,
the explorer retains many of the basic routines of his or own lifestyle.
4. Drifter
- the drifter will shun contact with the tourist and tourist establishments, and identify with
the host community. Drifters will live with the locals and adopt many of the practices of
that community.
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UNIT 3: Three Dimensions of Sustainable Tourism

- Income is generated by working with the community, but often through low-skilled work,
which creates a tendency to mix with the lower socioeconomic groups.

VALENE SMITH (1977) MODEL

1. Explorer - very limited numbers looking for discovery and involvement with local people
2. Elite - special individually tailored visits to exotic places
3. Off-beat - the desire to get away from the crowds
4. Unusual - the visit with peculiar objectives such as physical danger or isolation
5. Incipient mass - a steady flow travelling alone or in small organized groups using some shared
services
6. Mass: the general packaged tour market leading to tourist enclaves overseas
7. Charter: mass travel to relaxion destinations which incorporate as many standardized western
facilities as possible

VISITOR ATTRACTION TYPOLOGY

EXHIBITS CLASSIFICATION WITH REGARD TO VISITOR INTEREST

INMA311 – INCENTIVES MANAGEMENT
UNIT 3: Three Dimensions of Sustainable Tourism

MODEL OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SATISFACTION, PUSH and PULL MOTIVATIONS AND

DESTINATION LOYALTY

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF TOURISM

Positive Negative

Jobs are often seasonal (based on the time of year) and are
Jobs created
poorly paid

More money for the country Most money goes out of the area to big companies, not locals

Local traditions and customs are kept alive

because tourists enjoy traditional shows, e.g. Culture and traditions change as outsiders arrive
Flamenco dancing

Damage to the natural environment, e.g. footpath erosion

Money from tourists can be used to protect the
(the wearing a way of footpaths), litter, habitats destroyed to
natural landscape
build hotels

New facilities for the tourists also benefit locals,

Overcrowding and traffic jams
e.g. new roads

Prices increase in local shops as tourists are often wealthier

Greater demand for local food and crafts
than the local population
INMA311 – INCENTIVES MANAGEMENT
UNIT 3: Three Dimensions of Sustainable Tourism

THREE DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: ENVIRONMENTAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL

DIMENSION AND ITS IMPACTS

✓ Social & cultural impact signifies the impact which it creates in terms of social changes in the
lives of local people, improvements in infrastructure, lifestyle changes so on.
✓ The economic impact could have quantified in terms of monetary benefits and overall economic
development of the society.
✓ Environmental impact refers to the impact on nature and the surrounding areas.

IDENTIFY THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RETURNS TO THE DESTINATION COMMUNITY OF THE
INTRODUCTION OF TOURISM OPERATIONS

Whilst the impact tourism impacts and changes a community will differ depending on the nature and
size of tourism operations, there will be changes that take place, be them collectively as a community or
for individual persons.

Local indigenous communities

➢ ‘Local indigenous communities’ refers to any community that is in a tourism destination where
tourists visit and may include local communities and cultural sites that are:
• Individual homes or buildings
• Significant sites
• Galleries
• Cultural centers
• Ceremonies
• Activities
• Natural sites

Social issues

➢ Social significance relates to how a society deems something to be important in their lives. What
is deemed by the wider community today as important may be different from what our parents
and grandparents deemed to be of significance in their lives.
➢ Social trends are indicating society as a whole is yearning to explore, learn and appreciate what
the world has to offer, which can only be beneficial to tourism.

Social impacts of tourism

Tourism, like all industries and individual organizations being introduced in a region, can have an impact
on communities and the stakeholders mentioned above. These impacts may be positive, negative and
often both.

Whilst tourism is often a positive influence in all regions, the social and cultural impacts of tourism can
result in changes to a number of aspects in local community life including but not limited to:

• A better quality of life – better accommodation, employment

• Greater need for tourism products – people eats out more, holiday more and travel more
• Greater community pride
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UNIT 3: Three Dimensions of Sustainable Tourism

• Great understanding and appreciation of the world – through technology we are learning more
about the world which is building desire towards travel
• Increased appreciation of culture – people are being exposed to different cultures
• Greater understanding of other people – through multi-culturalism we are learning more about
people from different backgrounds
• Cultural empowerment and increased sense of pride as locals become ambassadors for tourism
in their region
• Opportunity to enhance the preservation of endangered or threatened aspects of the local
culture, customs and community
• Opportunity to make the wider community aware of the problems facing the community
• Revaluation of culture and traditions
• Patterns of behaviour
• Quality of life of the inhabitants or local people
• Facilities developed for tourism can benefit residents
• Employment prospects
• Strengthening communities
• Increased cultural understanding
• Locals and visitors exchange ideas
• Opportunity to share the culture and educate visitors
• Business opportunities and strategic alliances
• Public services, facilities and amenities
• Infrastructure development

Besides the many positive social impacts of tourism, unfortunately the development of tourism in a
region can also have negative impacts on a community. Some of these include, but not limited to:

• Due to the heavy traffic in the region, the infrastructure may not be able to cope up the
increased rush thus leading to overcrowding
• Poor sanitation which may further lead to diseases both to the tourists as well as local people.
• The intrusion of outsiders in the area may disturb the local culture and create unrest among the
people
• The local people may copy the lifestyles of tourists through the demonstration effect, and the
result could be the loss of native customs and traditions.
• Some people may enter into criminal activities to fetch easy money from tourists, which leads to
increased crime and anti-social activities and loss of moral and religious values.
• Modification or decimation of moral or cultural characteristics of a society
• Trivialisation or dilution of the culture
• Commercialisation of culture may not be an accurate portrayal of the culture
• Members of the local community become envious of the tourist lifestyle
• Increased social change
• Racial and ethnic tension
• Undesirable activities such as begging, gambling, prostitution
• Child protection and child sex trade concerns
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UNIT 3: Three Dimensions of Sustainable Tourism

Economic Issues

➢ The tourism industry has contributed to the economic growth of a country through factors like
industrialization, education, advanced technology, higher number of qualified professionals,
opening up of foreign markets, liberal trade policies and better advertising and strategic
marketing.
➢ Tourism can also benefit economies at regional and local levels, as money comes into urban and
rural areas, which in turn stimulates new business enterprises, higher markets and promotes a
more positive image of the area

Positive Impacts of Tourism

There are endless positive impacts that tourism can have on a community. Some of these include, but
not limited to:

• Growth of existing businesses

• Development of new businesses
• More jobs and employment opportunities
• A more sustainable economy
• Income redistribution
• Poverty alleviation
• Improved quality of life for people/families flowing from employment, economic growth and
stability
• Increased amount and variety of products, services and entertainment
• Greater investment in local infrastructure and public transport systems from governments
• Maintenance, growth and improvement in local facilities
• Facilitates civic involvement and pride
• Tax revenue for governments
• Enhanced public/international awareness of the country/location
• Economic diversification and general economic benefits to the local community
• Investment opportunities from the private sector in relation to businesses, real estate, and
infrastructure
• Improved health and training facilities
• Greater educational opportunities occur through additional schools and other educational
providers

NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF TOURISM

Besides the many positive impacts of tourism, unfortunately the development of tourism in a region can
also have negative impacts on a community. Some of these include, but not limited to:

• Impact of tourism on the social fabric of society

• Lack of local workers to fill the jobs which are generated
• Provision only of menial and low-paid jobs
• Seasonal employment only (in some areas)
• Increased number of people relocated for limited or seasonal work
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UNIT 3: Three Dimensions of Sustainable Tourism

• Shortage of labour in local industry

• Rises in prices
• Loss of a sense of community within the area
• Ultimate dependency on tourism and consequent need to accommodate whatever is required
regardless of the consequences
• Damage to the land and environment including additional pollution
• Over-development resulting in decreased amenity of the area
• Money leaving the area because businesses are owned by external operators
• Unacceptable level of use of/stress on community resources by tourists to the detriment of the
local community – over-crowding and traffic congestion
• Local attractions restricted to local communities
• Possible limited access to beaches and other areas set aside for tourists
• Increased cost of living for the members of the community
• Re-location and dislocation