The
tourism industry shares the environments it uses with many
other economic sectors and with the residents of host communities.
All of these parties have a stake in the future of tourism
destinations. To deal with the changing impacts of tourism
on destinations, new approaches are required that address
the sensitivities of all users to proposals for change.
To answer the question, “How many tourists can be
accommodated,” will require improvements in the planning
process. The process requires clearer identification of
impacts and of limits, reflecting the sensitivity of different
attributes of the environment to different types and levels
of impact or use. The objective is to identify and sustain
those qualities which visitors and locals value in each
particular resort setting. The initial step involves collection
and examination of information on the attributes of the
resort site (characteristics of the biophysical and socioeconomic
environment, current and potential stresses, and demands
or expectations of users). Based on this information, options
for tourism development can be generated. Option generation
is followed by estimation of the effects of each option
on the destination and its users. This can lead to design
of tourism development plans that respect key sensitivities
and include many different “carrying capacities”
depending on which values of the tourists and the inhabitants
are negotiable and which are not. Through the use of tools
such as demand management, zoning, appropriate infrastructure
design, environmentally sound facility operation and maintenance,
monitoring, and site rehabilitation, the range of acceptable
options can be enlarged. The continuing direct involvement
of all affected communities in identifying key values and
sensitivities, as well as their participation in the choice
of development and management options, is critical to the
success of this process. Examples from several projects
illustrate the practical considerations in the application
of this approach.
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