1. Understanding the Concept of Sustainable Tourism Development
Dr. Janne J. Liburd
Center for Tourism, Innovation and Culture
University of Southern Denmark
Dr. Janne J. Liburd

2. Outline Conceptual origins Tourism and Sustainable Development
Critical reflections
Challenges and opportunities
Literature suggestions
Dr. Janne J. Liburd

3. Antecedents Western environmental movements
Linking environment to development
One decade, 3 UN commissions
Dr. Janne J. Liburd

4. World Commission on Environment and Development - The Brundtland Commission
Sustainable development as proposed in the 1987 Brundtland Report, Our Common Future, hinges on integrated environment/development challenges of “the global commons”
It is approached through economic growth, effective international cooperation, strategic long-term planning and maintenance of the resource and productivity base beyond narrow institutional and national concerns
Dr. Janne J. Liburd

5. Defining Sustainable Development
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (World Commission on the Environment and Development, 1987:43)
Old principle on limits to growth, balance or wise-use of finite, natural resources, pro-active conservation and stewardship
Dr. Janne J. Liburd

6. Interestingly…
Few development proposals, if any, have been met with similar enthusiastic support from government and non-government agencies, academic endorsement and evident public sympathy - at least in the First World
The widespread approval at multiple levels is easily established through the very generality of the concept
Gap: Theory versus practice
Dr. Janne J. Liburd

7. Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry
Several measures and objectives are specified for governments and the tourism industry worldwide
Agenda 21 recognises tourism as a model form of economic development that should improve the quality of life of the host community, provide a high quality of experience for the visitor, and maintain the quality of the environment on which both the host community and the visitor depend.
(World Travel and Tourism Council, the WTO and the Earth Council, 1995)
Dr. Janne J. Liburd

8. Feeling bad about mass-tourism?
Negative impacts well-documented
Visible need for ressource management and economic linkages
‘Eco’, ‘nature’, ‘sound’, ’alternative’, ‘rural’, ‘culture’, heritage’, ‘responsible’, ‘sound’, ‘green’, etc. small scale & green
Dr. Janne J. Liburd

9. Sustainable tourism development
"Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future”.
“Sustainable tourism is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life support systems” (UNWTO, 2001)
Dr. Janne J. Liburd

10. Critical reflections
Sustainable Tourism versus Sustainable tourism development
Is sustainable tourism development achievable?
Dr. Janne J. Liburd

11. Complex adaptive systems
A managerial philosophy: Transformation towards doing ’better’
Adaptive management of complex adaptive systems
Stakeholder participation – inter- and intra generational equity
Complex Adaptive Systems
(Gunderson et.al, 2005).
Dr. Janne J. Liburd

12. Challenges and opportunities
How can we make a business case for STD?
Role of CSR
How can consumers drive sustainable tourism development?
Role of social media, web 2.0
How can governments drive STD
Role of policy-making, governance?
Need for ongoing, critical analysis, case studies
June 2009

13. Review questions
What is the difference between sustainable development and sustainable tourism development?
Can sustainability be achieved?
What is a complex adaptive system?
What are some of the drivers of sustainable tourism development?
June 2009

14. Literature suggestions
Miller, G., Rathouse, K., Scarles, C., Holmes, K. and Tribe, J. (2010) Public understanding of sustainable tourism and leisure. Annals of Tourism Research Vol. 37 (3), 627–645.
Schellhorn, M. (2010) Development for whom? Social justice and the business of ecotourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism Vol. 18 (1), 115–135.
Jamal, T. and Watt, E.M. (2011) Climate Change Pedagogy and performative action: toward community-based destination governance. Journal of Sustainable Tourism vol. 19 (4-5),
Moscardo, G. (2007) Sustainable Tourism Innovation: Challenging basic assumptions. Tourism and Hospitality Research vol. 8 (1), 4-13.
Miller, G. and Twining-Ward, L. (2005) Monitoring for a sustainable tourism transition. CABI Publishing.
Carlsen, J. and Butler, R. (eds) (2010) Island Tourism: Sustainable perspectives. CABI Publishing.
Dr. Janne J. Liburd