IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i6p1789-d149605.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustainable Tourism in Sensitive Environments: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?

Author

Listed:
  • Richard Butler

    (Business School, University of Strathclyde, 199 Cathedral Street, Glasgow, Scotland G4 0QU, UK)

Abstract

Sustainable tourism has become a widely adopted term that has allowed many tourism developments to take place under its rubric that are less than sustainable and have been located in sensitive areas that have not all been suitable for such development. The paper reviews the origin and shortcomings of the concept and some of the implications of the resulting problems. It argues for a more critical review of so-called sustainable forms of tourism and for a focus to shift towards increasing the resilience of destinations, particularly those in sensitive areas, in order to shield them from the effects of inappropriate or excessive tourism development.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Butler, 2018. "Sustainable Tourism in Sensitive Environments: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-11, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:6:p:1789-:d:149605
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/6/1789/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/6/1789/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Colin Hunter, 2002. "Sustainable Tourism and the Touristic Ecological Footprint," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 7-20, March.
    2. Ruiz-Ballesteros, Esteban, 2011. "Social-ecological resilience and community-based tourism," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 655-666.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ahmad Salman & Mastura Jaafar & Diana Mohamad & Mana Khoshkam, 2023. "Understanding Multi-stakeholder Complexity & Developing a Causal Recipe (fsQCA) for achieving Sustainable Ecotourism," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(9), pages 10261-10284, September.
    2. Guiling Wang & Lei Ye, 2022. "Spatial-Temporal Pattern of Mismatch Degree of High-Quality Tourism Development and Its Formation Mechanism in Taihu Lake Basin, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-18, April.
    3. Agnieszka Niezgoda & Marek Nowacki, 2020. "Experiencing Nature: Physical Activity, Beauty and Tension in Tatra National Park—Analysis of TripAdvisor Reviews," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-15, January.
    4. Thomas Dax & Oliver Tamme, 2023. "Attractive Landscape Features as Drivers for Sustainable Mountain Tourism Experiences," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-16, June.
    5. Pilar Espeso-Molinero & María José Pastor-Alfonso, 2020. "Governance, Community Resilience, and Indigenous Tourism in Nahá, Mexico," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-20, July.
    6. Dirk H. R. Spennemann, 2021. "Groundwater, Graves and Golf: Layers of Heritage Tourism on a Fiji Resort Island," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-20, May.
    7. Marco Haid & Julia N. Albrecht, 2021. "Sustainable Tourism Product Development: An Application of Product Design Concepts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-16, July.
    8. Viken, Arvid & Höckert, Emily & Grimwood, Bryan S.R., 2021. "Cultural sensitivity: Engaging difference in tourism," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    9. Heidi Blair & Keith Bosak & Trace Gale, 2019. "Protected Areas, Tourism, and Rural Transition in Aysén, Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-22, December.
    10. Adam Burke, 2021. "The Crossroads of Ecotourism Dependency, Food Security and a Global Pandemic in Galápagos, Ecuador," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-18, November.
    11. Mandeep Mahendru & Vibha Arora & Ravi Chatterjee & Gagan Deep Sharma & Irum Shahzadi, 2024. "From Over-Tourism to Under-Tourism via COVID-19: Lessons for Sustainable Tourism Management," Evaluation Review, , vol. 48(1), pages 177-210, February.
    12. Deirdre Dragovich & Sunil Bajpai, 2022. "Managing Tourism and Environment—Trail Erosion, Thresholds of Potential Concern and Limits of Acceptable Change," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Franklin Torres-Bejarano & Luis C. González-Márquez & Beatriz Díaz-Solano & Ana C. Torregroza-Espinosa & Rubén Cantero-Rodelo, 2018. "Effects of beach tourists on bathing water and sand quality at Puerto Velero, Colombia," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 255-269, February.
    2. Ryan S. Naylor & Carter A. Hunt & Karl S. Zimmerer & B. Derrick Taff, 2021. "Emic Views of Community Resilience and Coastal Tourism Development," Societies, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-18, August.
    3. Yang, Eunjung & Kim, Jinwon & Pennington-Gray, Lori & Ash, Kevin, 2021. "Does tourism matter in measuring community resilience?," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    4. Bogdan-Constantin Ibanescu & Mihail Eva & Alexandra Gheorghiu, 2020. "Questioning the Role of Tourism as an Engine for Resilience: The Role of Accessibility and Economic Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-13, July.
    5. Lee K. Cerveny & Anna Miller & Scott Gende, 2020. "Sustainable Cruise Tourism in Marine World Heritage Sites," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-24, January.
    6. Ngoasong, Michael Z. & Kimbu, Albert N., 2016. "Informal microfinance institutions and development-led tourism entrepreneurship," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 430-439.
    7. Mayaka, Melphon & Croy, W. Glen & Wolfram Cox, Julie, 2019. "A dimensional approach to community-based tourism: Recognising and differentiating form and context," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 177-190.
    8. Yisong Wang & Jincheng Huang & Shiming Fang, 2019. "Sustainability Assessment of Natural Capital Based on the 3D Ecological Footprint Model: A Case Study of the Shennongjia National Park Pilot," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-17, February.
    9. David Matarrita-Cascante & Bernardo Trejos, 2013. "Community Resilience in Resource-Dependent Communities: A Comparative Case Study," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 45(6), pages 1387-1402, June.
    10. Jianping Zha & Rong Fan & Yao Yao & Lamei He & Yuanyuan Meng, 2021. "Framework for accounting for tourism carbon emissions in China: An industrial linkage perspective," Tourism Economics, , vol. 27(7), pages 1430-1460, November.
    11. Beccali, Marco & La Gennusa, Maria & Lo Coco, Leonardo & Rizzo, Gianfranco, 2009. "An empirical approach for ranking environmental and energy saving measures in the hotel sector," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 82-90.
    12. Ya Wang & Lihua Zhou, 2016. "Assessment of the Coordination Ability of Sustainable Social-Ecological Systems Development Based on a Set Pair Analysis: A Case Study in Yanchi County, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-20, August.
    13. Ferng, Jiun-Jiun, 2007. "Biophysical assessments in evaluating industrial development: An experience from Taiwan freshwater aquaculture," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(2-3), pages 427-434, August.
    14. Huihui Feng & Xingpeng Chen & Peter Heck & Hong Miao, 2014. "An Entropy-Perspective Study on the Sustainable Development Potential of Tourism Destination Ecosystem in Dunhuang, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(12), pages 1-27, December.
    15. Gao, Jing & Wu, Bihu, 2017. "Revitalizing traditional villages through rural tourism: A case study of Yuanjia Village, Shaanxi Province, China," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 223-233.
    16. Oliveira, Artur & Tassigny, Mônica & Pompeu, Randal & Gomes de Assis, Odéssia, 2017. "Sustainable Development in Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil, according to Tourism Professionals," Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, Cinturs - Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, University of Algarve, vol. 5(2), pages 100-114.
    17. Igor Trišić & Snežana Štetić & Donatella Privitera & Marko D. Petrović & Marija Maksin & Slavoljub Vujović & Zoran Jovanović & Marija Kalinić, 2021. "Perspectives on Sustainable Tourism Development in the Hotel Industry—A Case Study from Southern Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-15, May.
    18. Raffaele Lagravinese, 2013. "Rural tourism and ancient traditions: Evidence from Italian regions," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 28(6), pages 614-626, September.
    19. Filimonau, Viachaslau & Dickinson, Janet & Robbins, Derek & Reddy, Maharaj Vijay, 2013. "The role of ‘indirect’ greenhouse gas emissions in tourism: Assessing the hidden carbon impacts from a holiday package tour," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 78-91.
    20. Haisheng Hu & Keshuai Xu, 2022. "Visualizing the Development of Research on Tourism Resilience With Mixed Methods," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(3), pages 21582440221, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:6:p:1789-:d:149605. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.