Tourist activity has long been known as "the chimneyless industry," for the same reason and wrongly considered a non-polluting industry.
This has underestimated the impact environmental, social, cultural, economic, religious, etc., of this activity.
Sustainable Tourism
"Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities"
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT by OMT
Thus, sustainable tourism should:
Source:www.unwto.org
Make optimal use of environmental resources
that 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.
Sustainable tourism should also maintain a high level of tourist satisfaction and ensure a meaningful experience to the tourists, raising their awareness about sustainability issues and promoting sustainable tourism practices amongst them.
— Reference: Making Tourism More Sustainable - A Guide for Policy Makers, UNEP and UNWTO, 2005, p.11-12
