The dynamics of tourism and people's expectations The social dimension of sustainable tourism development The purpose of the Sommets du tourisme : analysing, conceptualising and putting into practice the concept of sustainable development in tourism The concept of sustainable development has its origin in the world of international politics. It is based on the assumption that economic growth, prosperity and environmental protection can all be compatible. Discussions on the ways to achieve this objective have to date tended to focus on the ecological aspects of the concept of sustainability. Indeed there has been a certain deficit in the conceptualisation and implementation of the economic and above all the social aspects of sustainable development. One of the objectives of the Sommets du tourisme Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Geneva is to provide examples of all aspects of sustainable development in the particular field of tourism. Tourism, a phenomenon typical of our modern leisure society, is currently enjoying exponential growth and is an appropriate field of analysis for the problems that arise with "sustainability". Having the leisure time to indulge in tourism is a rare state of being for most individual travellers. And they are usually well aware of the difference. Their behaviour on the way to the destination and on arrival is particularly characteristic. Their consumption in this state of grace can be tracked through the economic statistics. The buildings created especially for tourists, for utilisation that is concentrated in both space and time, are likewise of a highly visible nature and easy to identify. Tourism is thus a kind of laboratory which makes it is possible to understand the process of sustainable development, and increasingly also to influence it. First results : improving the ecological quality as well as the general sustainability of tourism growth The first Sommets du tourisme of 1999 were devoted to the ecological aspects of sustainable development in the area of tourism. It was shown for example that locations that are attractive for the purpose of tourism are often ecologically fragile. Tourism and the environment are thus closely intertwined. The management of difficult and complex ecological problems in relation to tourism travel and on-site tourism is thus one of the permanent challenges facing tourism development. In the conflict of interest between society's need for development and for conservation, priority must be given to saving the last natural beauty spots from the tourist hordes and bringing the "hypermobility" of modern tourism under control. Questions that arise in this context are whether or not it is feasible for the rest of the world to imitate the travel habits of the industrialised nations -- would the ecology of our "blue planet" be able to survive such a development ? Or would it further accelerate the irreversible process of entropy ? Of course as we all know there are inescapable socio-political reasons that make freedom to travel an inalienable right. Efforts are nonetheless being made to gradually reduce our consumption of essential resources as much as possible, while steadily reducing all forms of environmental pollution, above all in the interest of future generations, who should have the benefit of a wide range of development options. Putting this into practice will however require the full collaboration of all concerned parties at the local level in decisions relevant to development. The second Sommets du tourisme in 2000 took as its theme the clash of two fundamental objectives: tourism growth vs environmental protection. It was made very clear that both too much growth and too little growth are contradictory to the aims of sustainable development. Stabilising or reducing growth in heavily trafficked areas, although very desirable for purely ecological reasons, is hardly compatible with a market economy system. In conditions of competition on price at a global level it is not possible, when visitor numbers flatten or even begin to fall, to ensure the revenues companies need over the long term. At the same time insufficient tourism development would neither have an economic impact beneficial for the local population nor would it help with existing environmental problems, either in a local or a global context. The second summit recognised the consolidation of growth as one of the main problems of sustainable development in tourism. Another conclusion reached was that due to the volatility of demand in tourism there can be no such thing as guaranteed growth in this area. Only those who are able to offer attractive products on a cost-effective basis and to market them effectively can expect to succeed in the hotly contested world tourism market. Those unable to cash in on their products will be unable to attract investment capital or to pay attractive wages. They will either fall short of their employment and income objectives, or miss them entirely. The social aims of tourism : serving individual aspirations and social progress Steady growth and environmental protection are not goals in themselves. The idea of sustainable development only makes sense if the ultimate aim is to help the individual or society at large. What is considered socially sustainable is determined to a great extent by social norms and current concepts of social order in a pluralistic world. Recent years have seen the affirmation of important values stressing both individual human freedoms and solidarity amongst all peoples on the basis of equality. Human rights are being treated with much greater respect, and there are efforts to achieve more freedom in the social order and through market economy activities. The Association of the Sommets du tourisme de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Genève supports these efforts. In this context the international community is trying to put these same values into practice, and to translate poverty into prosperity through development. The idea is to promote the social emancipation of the less privileged members of society, enabling them to enjoy the greatest possible freedom with respect to self-determination and self-expression. It is here that tourism has a major role to play. Acting as a sort of "redistribution machine" tourism can help transfer the prosperity of the developed centres to the underdeveloped peripheral areas. At the same time the areas utilised for tourism enable visitors from the more industrial nations to experience a different kind of wealth, that of biodiversity. For the individual tourist, travel is one of the best ways to cast off, at least temporarily, the many constraints imposed by society and to enjoy a taste of freedom. Tourism thus makes a not insubstantial contribution to the development of the individual as well as to social progress in general. It is instrumental in the development of a higher standard of living in problem regions and as such is a tool of social advancement. These social functions of tourism are often little understood and almost never discussed. Specialists in the field are usually more interested in the impact of the tourist hordes on the local population.