Big Picture of Sustainable Tourism, Indonesia are you interested?

This article written in November 2009 by myself as a summary analysis from Global Trends in Coastal Tourism by Martha Honey, Ph.D. and David Krantz, M.A. I thought it would be nice to give another perspective in how to see tourism business from environmental sight.

Chapter Five “Types of Tourism and Definitions”

Lately ‘sustainable tourism’ becomes a popular phrase for any tourism businesses. They will not forget to mention their business is sustainable even though no body knows is that really sustainable or not. Sustainable is conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources however in tourism industry sustainable tourism is linked to the concept of sustainable development as well as ecotourism.

Based on the Chapter 5 Types of Tourism and Definitions, there are four way to describe different sectors of tourism; by activity, location, accommodation, and impact of tourism to the community and environment. This critical analysis will talk about current condition of tourism industry especially marine tourism related to sustainable tourism and ecotourism. Before get into the main content, short history about how sustainable tourism hold a big market in the tourism industry and at the end author tries to conclude this analysis with prospect of sustainable tourism in the next five years especially in the developing countries.

Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism

Back to early 1960s when Hawaii becomes mass tourism market with high-density hotel, many restaurants along the main street, attractions where attract many travelers to experience, and so on. At that time, Hawaii was so popular as tourism destination for American and some of Asian people. Considering mass tourism like Hawaii, in 1970s the first concept of ecotourism has been developed in order to cover the impact from mass tourism with offering tourism model, which has lower impact to the environment. Later known as sustainable tourism as well.

Hence, what is ecotourism and what is sustainable tourism? Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people (The International Ecotourism Society). Sustainable tourism based on Agenda 21 for Travel and Tourism Industry is tourism that “meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future.

Entering 1990s ecotourism was a hot issue in the industry, media was published any latest news and innovation in the tourism industry. In 2002, United Nations (UN) declared the International Year of Ecotourism. Recognized by UN made ecotourism brought a fresh air to the environment and local people in the tourism destination. Tourism destination in the remote area felt that ecotourism brings new perspective for tourist from developed countries to experience their product even though they do not have tall building with air conditioning and smooth highway to drive there.

Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability has estimated that ecotourism is $540 billion market worldwide in 2005. Ecotourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in the tourism industry and is reality that more people in the world realized that footprint gives big bad impact to the environment and tourism which bring people to come and experience with the destination contributing big impact through the business. The worse case is if tourists do not know how to take care the environment on their trip.

Ecotourism comes up to educate tourist as well, and giving chance to the third world to explore their nature and wild-life as tourism product. Moreover, sustainable tourism taking positive factors from ecotourism and sustainable development to the sectors of mass tourism. Large chains hotel, restaurants, golf resort until ski resorts try to improve their program with adding sustainable development to reduce bad impact from their business. Government supports this program by issuing certification and regulation for businesses that reshape their program to be ‘greener’ and improves host community in the area of business.

Prospect of Sustainable Tourism in The Developing Countries

Through the growth of ecotourism and sustainable tourism, the demand of those typical tourism is getting high every year. People more concerned, media highlighted environment issue like global warming and house glass effect, country leaders met up and discussed about the environment issue, and many tourism companies and Non-Government Organization invested and funded for environment research in order to make innovation in solving this world environment issue.

Growing market and high demand for eco and sustainable tourism pushing developing countries to develop their tourism product and introducing their product to the international market. Realized that 90% of British tourist consider about the environment protection and more than 75% American travelers felt the important thing to travel without damaging environment. People of developed countries are target market for tourism in developing countries. They looking for natural environment, wild-life or cultural tourism which using local community as a commodity and those kind are not exist in their country.

Nowadays, most developing countries in Asia and Africa competing to promote their tourism product. The good point is tourism just not give contribution to the host country but also for the local host with give them job and chance to learn and upgrading thief life through the tourism. In next five years, if developing countries able to use and run eco and sustainable tourism properly, no wonder if illiteracy and hunger will be reduce and nature will be safe from the lack of human care.