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Conclusions of the conference cycle 1999 - 2002 New paradigms for the sustainable
development of tourism : What are the results of the Chamonix Mont-Blanc / Geneva Conference cycle ?Prof. Peter KELLER - President of the Scientific Committee of the Tourism Summits - Tourism Service, Secretary of State for Economy, SECO, Bern, Switzerland
Introduction
The Mayor of Chamonix, M. Michel Charlet, did not launch the cycle of conferences of the Tourism Summits just for the pleasure of reflecting upon and debating the most disputed political concept of the last decade. Sustainable development is a permanent part of the order of the day at the biggest resort on the Alpine Arc. Like every other resort, Chamonix has to face up to the consequences of unforeseeable natural phenomena, or to problems inherent in development. But its international influence means that whatever touches upon the exploitation and protection of the Mont-Blanc Area raises an echo as if it was amplified by a resonating chamber.
Chamonix also lives with the uncertainty that ecological, economic, and social crises around the world arouse. By associating themselves with the city of Geneva, the Summits have always put into practice the slogan “think global, act local”. Nevertheless, without the personal support of Mr. Francesco Frangialli, General Secretary of the World Tourism Organisation, who has given us the honour of his presence at the four Summits, we would not have achieved the necessary international contacts.
It is with genuine gratitude that we thank the Secretary of State for Tourism, Mr. Léon Bertrand, and the Presidents of the Rhône-Alpes Region and the Haute Savoie “Département”, Madame Anne-Marie Comparini and Mr. Ernest Nycollin: without their institutional and financial support, the Summits would simply not have existed.
First Tourism Summits, 1999 : avoiding or reducing waste and pollution
The First Summits in 1999 broached the ecological aspects of sustainable development. It was seen that, viewed from space, the earth appears to be a little blue ball that you imagine could be managed like a company. This hope has even incited some to think that it is possible to reduce entropy and make life on earth everlasting. Now the ecological system is too complex. It is not possible to turn a chair back into a tree. (Figure 1)
The blue planet : It cannot be run like a company
The law of entropy is ruthess.
You cannot turn a chair back into a tree.
Nevertheless we should not fall into pessimism. It is better to become committed to sustainable development on a local and worldwide scale: even if it is very difficult to act in time and to avoid crises. Because it is necessary to optimise the cost of errors caused by ill thought-out actions and the cost of delay linked to apathetic behaviour : it is an enormous challenge for politics, as is shown by the example of the greenhouse effect and its repercussions on the snow cover at a ski resort. (Figure 2)
The challenge of environmental policy : Optimising political action
Reducing atmospheric pollution by civil aviation, to take one example, is still necessary. It is necessary to keep in mind that only a small percentage of the world population can afford to fly for tourist purposes. If the inhabitants of big countries like China and India were to travel like people in our countries, the need to control the toxicity of aeroplanes at high altitudes would become even more pressing. (Figure 3)
Reducing pollution : A necessity to control the exponential growth in tourism
The First Summits therefore laid stress on the ecological control of growth in tourism, which should start with preventative protection of the great natural spaces which still exist. Application of the principle of “the polluter pays”, already very widely extended in the tourist business, makes it possible to bring into harmony the ecological cycle and the economic cycle. Finally, it is possible to recycle the environment of existing tourist resorts, and to manage the flows of visitors better. (Figure 4)
The harmonisation of the economic and ecological cycles : The four principles of protection
2nd Tourism Summits, 2000 : contributing to a sustained qualitative growth
In 2000, the 2nd Tourism Summits drew attention to the contradictory objectives of tourist growth and the protection of the environment. It emerged that neither too hasty a growth rate nor too weak a growth rate point in the direction of the postulated sustainable development. A plea was made for qualitative growth defined as the increase in well-being per inhabitant or increase in the quality of life of residents. (Figure 5)
The need for qualitative growth : Increase added value and quality of life
Now, this objective is difficult to attain in the hypercompetitive context of a highly liberalised worldwide tourism market. In such a context, visitors’ tendency to spend is limited. It is impossible to guarantee over the long term the necessary revenues for the survival of companies if the number of visitors stagnates. The need to stay competitive at the level of prices hinders the capacity of companies to work in the direction of qualitative growth.
Nevertheless, tourism is considered to be a sector in full growth. It has been seen that this evaluation is generally based on figures which have been accumulated at a national or international level, and this reflects the expansion of the world market. But the myth of growth to some extent hides the day-to-day reality of tourism. To tell the truth, the bitter competition on the global level produces winners and losers. We were reminded that tourist demand is volatile, exposed as it is to a whole series of exogenous disruptive factors. A consolidation in growth in the traditional tourist regions was identified.The boom in the experience economy : A new opportunity for destination tourism
Nevertheless, tourist potential remains intact in the developed countries. Thanks to the increase in productivity induced by high technology, industry produces ever more with less labour, which permits households to spend ever more to satisfy their non-material well-being. Tourism forms a part of the new event-based economy of real-life experience, which is well set to becoming the 4th sector of the economy. (Figure 6)
Sustained growth : Key success factors
At the 2nd Summits we developed a model of growth which emphasises the creation of mechanisms for innovation, new forms of organisation to reach capital and labour markets, industrialisation of fragmented artisan structures, and of development of new products of high quality for the traditional markets, as well as diversification of risk by opening up new markets. (Figure 7)
3rd Summits, 2001 : Increasing well-being in the world and the quality of life of its residents
The 3rd Tourism Summits, in 2001, showed that the protection of the environment and sustained growth are not an end in themselves. These objectives only make sense insofar as they are placed at the service of humane tourism and the quality of life of those living in tourist regions.
The World Ethical Code for Tourists of the World Tourism Organisation, which has already been discussed at the original debate, proposes a new deontology with a view to the sustainable development of tourism. It invites the players to respect – in the sense of an ethic of responsibility – certain specific rules to humanise tourist dynamics. The debate showed that this new instrument does not lay down moral standards. In obedience to the principle of subsidiarity, it encourages but does not dictate.Tourism as an engine of development : The success of the emerging and developing countries
These new standards are important because the die is not yet cast in the field of tourism. Against all expectations, many countries in the process of development have been able to make money out of international tourism. They have succeeded – often with the aid of the international community – in developing and marketing attractions which are still relatively little known while offering products which are interesting in terms of both prices and quality. (Figure 8)
It is the emerging countries which are seeing the fastest and the strongest growth. The poor countries are not out of the game, if they have a certain degree of development which allows them to adapt to the demands for comfort and quality required by international tourism: the poorer countries also have their opportunity for development.
The dynamics of tourism also benefits traditional regions and resorts in the developed countries. Nevertheless, tourist sites are often no longer attractive for young residents. Depending on their geographical situation, they may suffer from the “pull effect” of the major conurbations, which tend to monopolise the capital and human resources production factors. Tourist sites become the backwoods for the urban conglomerations.The tourist exodus : Improving the attractiveness of tourist sites for their residents
It is therefore necessary to rejuvenate and diversify the economic structures of the sites to confront what might be called the “tourist exodus”. Service providers are obliged to improve their productivity, to rationalise, and to make profits in order to ensure interesting employment for the residents, and to be competitive in their markets. (Figure 9)
4th Tourism Summits, 2002 : Living in the global village and producing tourist dreams
The 4th Tourism Summits showed that the tourist phenomenon cannot be dissociated from its cultural context. In the era of globalisation, tourism is recognised as one of the forms of culture which permits the attenuation of the culture shock between visitors and residents. The tourist site may be considered today to be an authentic multicultural laboratory which absorbs cultural assets coming from the outside, reinforces local identity, and by doing so contributes to cultural diversity in the world. The motto chosen for the 4th Summits, comes from the Mexican writer Octavio Paz, still retains all its importance : “Every culture has its birth in mixing, encounters, shocks. On the contrary, it is isolation which leads civilisations to die”. (Tableau 10)
Intercultural dialogue : Local identity with multiple assets
We have moreover found that cultural richness is a guaranteed potential for humane tourism attracting visitors because of the different cultures that exist. From the economic point of view, it is not enough to possess cultural resources. They must have added value. We discussed the means of creating dreams to attract visitors with the imagination, design, promotion, and staging of products which encapsulate the local genius. Tourism is a dream factory, as is shown by the illumination of the town of Chamonix on the eve of the Christmas holiday. (Figure 11)
The round tables at Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
In the 4th Tourism Summits we have reached the climax of the cycle of conferences on sustainable development in the field of tourism. We broached the intangible aspects, in which it is necessary to hunt for the deeper motivation for travel. The visitor who appreciates the treasures of the past and seizes the opportunities of a multicultural world is bringing a new tourist culture to birth.
The future of the Tourism Summits
With the 4th Summits we have reached the stage of maturity in the cycle of conferences on sustainable development of tourism. Is it possible to rejuvenate the life cycle of this annual event? We believe that we can! Because it is not sufficient just to analyse all the aspects of sustainable tourism. It is necessary to reflect upon the way to highlight these principles in a world of tourism subject to profound structural changes. (Figure 12)
The Scientific Committee of the Tourism Summits propose to prepare the 2003 event on the theme “Managing change : the public-private partnership, the key success factor for sustainable development”. It should not be forgotten that tourism depends heavily on public assets such as the countryside, the infrastructure, social stability, or the museums. The State is therefore a co-producer in tourism.The Tourism Summits, 2003: At the end of their life-cycle ?
Nevertheless, it does not have the capacity to add value to its assets without the private operating sector. We would like, therefore, to set off on the search for optimal forms of innovation and cooperation in the public-private partnership. An indispensable component in the liberal society to which we aspire.
The cycle of conferences : The Chamonix Mont-Blanc Geneva Tourism Summits
