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Sustainable Development or Eco-Collapse: Lessons for Tourism and Development from Easter Island

Author

Listed:
  • Eugenio Figueroa B.

    (Department of Economics, University of Chile, Diagonal Paraguay 257, Office 1506, Santiago 8330015, Chile)

  • Elena S. Rotarou

    (Department of Economics, University of Chile, Diagonal Paraguay 257, Office 1506, Santiago 8330015, Chile)

Abstract

While tourism brings many benefits to islands, it can also cause negative effects, especially when tourism development is a disorganised process, with significant environmental impacts. This has been the case of Easter Island: the recent, uncontrolled growth in tourist numbers together with social and political tensions, are signs of a socioeconomic process pursuing development that has neglected the institutional, environmental, social, and economic imperatives of sustainability for tourism management. The study initially presents the environmental impacts of tourism growth, including waste disposal and management issues, problems with sewage system, threats to water quality, and biodiversity loss. Next, using data from in situ fieldwork, interviews and surveys, it focuses on residents’ perceptions regarding environmental consequences of the vast tourism growth, as well as on the serious governance issues that Easter Island is currently facing and that complicate even further its sustainable development. Overall, our results indicate that—while acknowledging the negative impacts that uncontrolled tourism development has brought to the island and the need for it to become more sustainable—residents are in favour of tourism since it is the island’s main source of income and employment. The paper draws lessons for islands involved in the “development-through-tourism” model regarding the difficulties these islands will face in attaining their goals if they are not able to build and implement cooperative agreements among stakeholders to properly manage the common-pool resources involved. This is a warning sign for islands that enthusiastically promote tourism without implementing sound sustainability criteria to guide the management of their tourism sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Eugenio Figueroa B. & Elena S. Rotarou, 2016. "Sustainable Development or Eco-Collapse: Lessons for Tourism and Development from Easter Island," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-26, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:11:p:1093-:d:81409
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Calbert H. Douglas, 2006. "Small island states and territories: sustainable development issues and strategies - challenges for changing islands in a changing world," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(2), pages 75-80.
    2. Delyse Springett & Delyse Springett, 2013. "Editorial: Critical Perspectives on Sustainable Development," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 21(2), pages 73-82, March.
    3. Riaz Shareef & Suheija Hoti & Michael McAleer, 2008. "The Economics of Small Island Tourism," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 12968.
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    Cited by:

    1. Anna Dłużewska & Andrea Giampiccoli, 2021. "Enhancing island tourism's local benefits: A proposed community‐based tourism‐oriented general model," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(1), pages 272-283, January.
    2. Agata Nicolosi & Valentina Rosa Laganà & Lorenzo Cortese & Donatella Privitera, 2018. "Using the Network and MCA on Tourist Attractions. The Case of Aeolian Islands, Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-17, November.
    3. David Conner & Amanda Falkner & Nathan Lantieri & Betsy McGavisk & Bridgette McShea, 2018. "Stakeholder Perceptions of Campus Sustainability Efforts: Lessons from Vermont," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-18, October.

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