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Tourism and sustainable development - Introduction to the first Summit

Prof. Dr Peter KELLER - Chairman of AIEST, Chief of Tourism Department, Economic Secretariat, Bern, Switzerland

 

 

Issues

Since the nations united for the world Rio de Janeiro summit to reflect on the crucial question of humanity's survival, numerous conferences have been held on sustainable development and tourism which is related to this is frequently raised and debated the world over. We can therefore asks ourselves why a new cycle of conferences, the Summits of Tourism, should offer anything new and different and thus contribute practically to the debate on sustainable development in tourism. We can also ask why it is that the towns of Chamonix Mont Blanc and Geneva appear to be the ideal setting for such reflection.

These questions have been answered to the best of our ability in the conceptual part of this first conference concerning the ecological aspect of sustainable development. We will only go back over them briefly as an introduction to the aims of the conference.

Observations

Globalisation has meant that civilised societies in developed countries are more interested in maintaining employment and with living standards that in environmental issues. The fear arising from the fact that 80 % of the world's population want their share of the cake upsets the well being and prosperity in developed countries, especially in Europe.

Furthermore, in these same countries, a great deal has happened over the last 30 years in terms of the passive protection of the environment. Catalytic converters mean that we can once again enjoy driving without feeling guilty. The third generation purification plants have enabled bathing to take place in most lakes and rivers. A great deal has been invested in machines used to regenerate both air and water.

It is only occasionally that urgent action is required from an environmental point of view. Some phenomena such as the hole in the ozone layer or the glasshouse effect, the consequences of which are highly dangerous, barely worry world populations and political leaders at all.

They are beyond our capacity of comprehension and planning. Hardly anybody is ready to change lifestyles.

Now everything that we have neglected becomes even more urgent.

Those people living in fragile ecosystems, such as the mountains or on islands, show more concern. They are able to understand the Maldives, there is concern for the continual global warming. In Chamonix, people can understand what happens when the glaciers retreat. The more outstanding the region is, the more strongly the impact of natural phenomena is felt. The natural catastrophes which took place at the beginning of this year, such as the avalanches and the flooding in the Alps, and which caused so many victims will not be forgotten.

Basic questions

There are therefore many good reasons to consider sustainable development. However, this concept, like the catalytic converter, has finally quietened minds and consciences. It allows the ecological, economic and social concerns to overcome their differences. It is founded on two beliefs : 1) that development possibilities exist for all humans and 2) that environmental problems can be solved.

There are those who think that sustainable development is a concept without value. During these Summits of Tourism we will not go to these extremes, but we will try, with constructive criticism and modesty, to question ourselves on the concept of sustainable development with regard to existing environmental problems and we are well aware that we cannot turn the clock back. We know that the law of entropy means that heat is lost over time. Human, especially economic, activities are not cyclic. Precious environmental resources are continually being lost forever.

Since man has launched himself into space, the earth has become the object of ecological management. One fact that became clear was that ecological cycles could be planned and managed. Although there is the belief that man is all-powerful, the desire to conduct and carry out complex ecological processes is rapidly confronted with its limitations.

Our planet cannot be managed in the same way as a company. The time required for formulating an ecological problem, correcting it, then assessing the results is often greater than the development period leading to an ecological crisis. It is not easy to find the right balance between the increasing cost of a "wait and see" policy and the decreasing cost of one advocating "trail and error".

However the outlook and our doubts must not give us reason for resignation. It is worth doing something right, even if the battle appears hopeless. With forethought, we can prevent life from becoming a living hell. There is a difference between a slight or distinct warming of the planet. Furthermore, because of measures for the protection of the environment, some room for manoeuvre exists, so that crises do not lead to the introduction of extreme ecological measures.

Primarily however, it is to preserve all that is beautiful and a respect for life that forces us not to damage the environment.

Reflecting civilisation

The example of tourism makes the concept of sustainable development easier to understand. This post modern phenomena makes us aware of the need to protect landscapes and the environment and gives it a deeper meaning. The visitor, whether on holiday or just passing through, is looking to personally experience nature and the landscape.

He wants a healthy environment, with no noise or atmospheric pollution. He wants to compensate for the ecological deficits of his daily existence.

Physical, psychological, intellectual and spiritual well being is of major importance in the tourist industry. This is why the visitor expects tourist regions to be intact. In which case, he sees the place that he visits as if he was looking in the mirror. Phenomena which are disturbing become even more so in a natural environment than in daily life.

There are discrepancies between visitor expectations and the reality of tourist regions. The number of visitors and the density of buildings are usually difficult to avoid. Therefore tourism becomes the reflection of the uniformity of our civilised world, our excessive mobility and the destruction of traditional landscapes. However it is not the only reason for the standardisation of the landscape and the loss of environmental quality.

Ecological management

For the new series of conferences, the mirror is Chamonix, in a valley which is part of the highest and most symbolic massif in the Alps.

Whilst it is true that the majesty of Mont-Blanc puts into the shade the conquest of civilisation as it impacts upon the environment, it is also true that this important place in Alpine tourism is particularly suitable for discussions concerning the application of sustainable development in tourism.

As in the Antarctic, tourist development in regions with difficult access and which are still in their natural state can be entirely planned and controlled. In somewhere like Chamonix, on the other hand, the interaction between urban civilisation and the tourist area is much greater. The urban side cannot be separated from nature. Moreover, greatness is not an obstacle to achieving sustainable growth.

Chamonix, this outstanding traditional alpine tourist site, has a long history. This highly specialised resort has, like other alpine resorts, come up against the limits of the quantitative development of tourism. The conflict between ecological imperatives and economic development can admittedly be solved in the short term by changing to qualitative growth. However, if tourist capacity is restricted, the end result is negative tourist growth. This is moreover, what we will be discussing at the Conference next year.

From an ecological point of view, the transformation of traditional tourist centres is required. This is why we will be discussing at these first Summits of Tourism, the crucial questions of landscapes and the environment. All over the world, the same questions are being asked, namely how can we protect these last natural areas close to or on the outskirts of the centres ? How can we better adapt the offers of tourist resorts and the tourist industry to the ecological cycle ? How can we manage the flow of visitors at the heart of nature ?

New culture

On the eve of the new millennium, talking about the ecological mutation of tourism may seem to be a pipe dream. Strong opposing forces are operating to put a stop to this path towards improved equilibrium. In developed countries, people are greedy to experience strong sensations ; we would be hard pressed to qualify their lifestyles as ecological. We always want to travel further and faster. The "law of dividends" forces tour operators to become more productive and increasingly industrial.

These new trends are perceptible in tourist resorts and it is difficult to stop their advance. However, the tourist, although anxious for strong sensations, is also open to new experiences. In the future the tourist will be more aware of the world in which nature, human contact, tradition and local identity are what matter most. He will no longer only look for what suits him best. Authenticity is also becoming increasing important.

We can therefore hope that tourism, because of the exceptional situation that it has created, will encourage the arrival of a culture which respects the environment and which will concern all players in the tourist process. The diversity of the "cultures" brought into contact by tourism, namely the tourists, the tour operators, the local population with its traditions and expectations, can lead to an explosion of opposing interests. However the overlapping of these diverse cultures and aspirations is also a good basis for experimenting with "ecocompatible" solutions.

 

Source

Keller, P., tourism and sustainable development, as a recognised concept which is difficult to implement and part of the discussions of the First Summit, Lausanne 1999