SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: CONCEPT AND PRINCIPLE

What is sustainable tourism?

Sustainable tourism may be interpreted as a resource‐concerned tourism development ethic that considers all stakeholders’ needs, such as those of the public sector, voluntary organizations, the media, the tourism industry, host communities, and tourists and that takes into account the continuity of the resources, particularly in the environmental, social, cultural and economical aspects.

In other words, sustainable tourism consists in achieving a balance between the development of tourism on one side, and environmental, socio-cultural and economic sustainability on the other

The three principles: Environmental, Socio-Cultural and Economic Sustainability

Make optimal use of environmental resources which constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.

Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to inter-cultural understanding and tolerance.

Ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation