Travel and Tourism (9395) | Sustainable tourism in practice

AS Level Travel and Tourism (9395): Study Notes

Chapter 3.3: Sustainable Tourism in Practice

Welcome to Chapter 3.3! You've already learned about sustainable tourism (3.2) – the big idea of balancing economic growth, social well-being, and environmental protection. This chapter is where we look at how those brilliant ideas actually work on the ground. Think of it as moving from the planning stage to the action stage! Understanding these practical applications is vital for tackling those application-based exam questions.

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1. Ecotourism Products and Services (Syllabus 3.3a)

Ecotourism is a specific type of sustainable tourism. It focuses on travelling responsibly to natural areas, conserving the environment, and sustaining the well-being of the local people.

1.1 Eco-Tours and Packages

These are travel offerings explicitly designed to minimize impact and maximize education.

• Small Group Sizes: Tours are often limited to ensure minimal disturbance to the local environment and wildlife. (Imagine trying to spot rare birds with 50 people—it wouldn't work!)
• Educational Component: The tour often includes expert guides who educate tourists on conservation efforts, local ecology, and cultural heritage.
• Local Benefit: The tour operator commits to hiring local guides and buying local supplies, ensuring the money stays within the community.

1.2 Eco-Friendly Accommodation

This covers eco-resorts, eco-lodges, and eco-hotels. Their main goal is to blend into the environment and reduce their footprint.

• Design and Construction: Use of local, sustainable, or recycled materials (e.g., bamboo, reclaimed wood).
• Energy Management: Relying on renewable energy sources (solar panels, wind turbines) and using energy-saving appliances.
• Water Management: Installing rainwater harvesting systems and using greywater (recycled wastewater) for irrigation.
• Waste Management: Having robust systems for composting, minimizing packaging, and eliminating single-use plastics.

Did you know? Some eco-lodges are built on raised platforms or stilts to prevent damage to the forest floor and allow wildlife to pass underneath freely.

1.3 Ecotourism Activities

These are generally low-impact and centered on appreciation rather than consumption.

• Activities: Nature hiking, bird-watching, ethical wildlife viewing, and cultural interactions.
• Strict Rules: Activities usually follow strict codes of conduct (see below) to protect sensitive areas (e.g., mandated distances from wildlife, 'no-touching' rules).

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2. Responsible and Ethical Tourism (Syllabus 3.3b)

While ecotourism focuses on natural destinations, responsible tourism applies to all types of travel, ensuring both providers and tourists act ethically. Ethics is all about doing the right thing.

2.1 Key Ethical Behaviours and Practices

This is what tourists and providers need to do to be responsible:

• Respect for Environment: This includes minimizing carbon footprint, avoiding littering, and staying on marked paths to prevent soil erosion.
• Respect for Local Culture: Asking permission before taking photographs of people, dressing appropriately (especially when visiting religious sites), and learning basic local phrases.
• Supporting Local Economy: Buying genuine local crafts and products, and eating at independently owned restaurants rather than large international chains.

2.2 Following Codes of Conduct

A Code of Conduct is a set of formal or informal rules that tourists are asked to follow in a destination. They are essential for protecting sensitive sites.

• Tourist Example: In some marine environments, tourists are given a briefing about not touching coral or marine life before snorkeling.
• Provider Example: A safari operator might have a strict code requiring vehicles to stay a certain distance from endangered animal groups.

Quick Tip for memory: The mantra of ethical tourism is: "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints."

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3. Sustainably Managing Tourism Facilities (Syllabus 3.3c)

This section is about the day-to-day operations of tourism businesses (like hotels, restaurants, and resorts) and how they handle resources.

3.1 Reducing Over-Consumption and Waste

This means using less stuff in the first place.

• Energy Efficiency: Using low-energy LED lights, installing key card systems that turn off electricity when guests leave the room.
• Food Management: Reducing food waste by careful planning and smaller portion options; composting food scraps.
• Water Saving: Installing low-flow showerheads and toilets.
• Packaging: Purchasing ingredients and supplies in bulk to minimize packaging waste (fewer individual sachets, more large containers).

3.2 Reusing Resources

Giving resources a second life before throwing them away.

• Hotel Linen Schemes: The classic hotel card asking guests to reuse towels and bed linen rather than having them washed daily.
• Recycling Materials: Using glass bottles for water that can be sterilized and refilled instead of new plastic bottles.
• Creative Reuse (Upcycling): Using old tires to create playgrounds or turning spent cooking oil into bio-fuel.

3.3 Recycling Wastes

If materials cannot be reduced or reused, they must be sorted and recycled effectively.

• Effective Sorting: Providing clear, multi-bin separation systems for guests and staff (paper, plastic, glass, metal).
• Composting: Creating compost from kitchen waste to be used in resort gardens or local community farming projects.

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4. Impacts and Attitudes (Syllabus 3.3d)

It's important to evaluate the results of sustainable tourism initiatives and understand how different groups feel about them.

4.1 Impacts of Sustainable Tourism Developments (3.3d i)

When tourism is developed sustainably, the goal is to shift negative impacts into positive ones.

Economic Impacts (Positive)

• Retention of Visitor Spending: Using local suppliers and hiring local staff means less money "leaks" out of the destination economy.
• Investment in Local Communities: Tourism income is often channeled back into public services or social projects (e.g., building a new school or clinic).
• Job Creation: Creation of higher-skilled, often year-round, jobs in conservation, guiding, and management.

Environmental Impacts (Positive)

• Preservation and Conservation: Sustainable tourism provides funding and incentive to actively protect natural areas (e.g., funding anti-poaching units in a national park).
• Regeneration: Actively restoring damaged ecosystems (e.g., replanting mangroves or cleaning polluted beaches).
• Sustainable Practices: Establishing better infrastructure and building regulations that protect the landscape for the future.

Social Impacts (Positive)

• Protection of Local Culture: Traditional skills, crafts, and architecture are preserved and celebrated, as they become valuable tourist attractions.
• Community Involvement and Empowerment: Local people have a say in how tourism develops in their area, leading to better outcomes for everyone.
• Education and Awareness: Education programmes for both tourists (to be culturally sensitive) and locals (to gain skills).

4.2 Attitudes to Sustainable Tourism Development (3.3d ii)

Attitudes towards sustainability can vary wildly depending on who you ask:

Local People and Authorities

• Generally Positive: Locals often appreciate the protected environment, job opportunities, and improved infrastructure (roads, clean water) that sustainable projects bring.
• Potential Resistance: Resistance can occur if development is perceived as too slow, if land is seized, or if strict environmental rules restrict their traditional way of life (e.g., limits on fishing or wood collection).

Travel and Tourism Providers

• Specialist Providers (Eco-lodges): Highly positive, as sustainability is central to their brand and profitability.
• Mass Tourism Providers: Attitudes are mixed. While recognizing the marketing benefit and potential for long-term cost savings (e.g., lower energy bills), the initial investment in sustainable technology can be expensive and complex.

Tourists

• Growing Awareness: More tourists are actively seeking out sustainable options and are willing to pay a 'green premium'.
• Skepticism (Greenwashing): Many tourists are skeptical of companies claiming to be green without genuine proof (known as greenwashing). They require transparency and credible certifications.
• Cost Sensitivity: Although attitudes are improving, some tourists still prioritize price and convenience over environmental principles.