A Journey Toward Sustainable Tourism

Abstract

This study focuses on the topic of the tourism industry, the necessity to promote sustainable tourism (ST) and best practices to achieve ST. In fact, tourism is one of the fastest-growing economic sectors in the world and according to World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), international tourist arrivals are expected to keep increasing. Tourism is promoted by all governments because it creates job opportunities and generates income for the countries. Based on a literature review, this paper gives an understanding of the tourism industry, its impact on the three following dimensions: economic, social and environmental, the concept of sustainable development, sustainability models and concrete best practices. Thanks to business experts’ interviews and tourists’ interview, it allows to understand not only the offer but also the demand dimensions of sustainability in the tourism industry. It is important to note that the paper represent mostly the Swiss perspective. I have been focusing on Swiss travelers, Swiss government, Swiss business experts and the United Nations. This paper will reply firstly to the following question “Why it is a necessity to turn tourism into sustainable tourism?”. Indeed, while the number of travellers is growing, there are crucial challenges related to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, economic leakages, resource management or the impact on local communities and cultural assets that need to be tackled. The tourism industry can also be viewed as a destructive force, associated with negative externalities such as the loss of natural landscapes, congestion, and environmental and cultural degradation. These problems are more likely to be exacerbated in the tourism companies where there is a lack of well-designed planning and non-effective management. Then this document will reply to the following question “How the tourism industry can turn into a more sustainable industry?”. Indeed, various sustainable tourism model will be studied. if the _ Céline Gabathuler tourism sector strategy and management are carefully thought-out, it can even help preserve the natural and cultural heritages, empower the host communities, generate trade opportunities that foster peace and intercultural understanding. This paper gives some best sustainable practices and concrete best actions toward sustainable development SD within tourism. It provides guidance based on both theoretical and empirical evidence. This paper also aims to spread awareness in the tourism industry and to all its stakeholders.