Chapter 14 - Small Firms and the Principles of Sustainable Tourism: The Case of Cycle Tourism

Abstract

The issue of the long term sustainability of resources for tourism places a responsibility on public sector organisations and associated agencies to apply legislative frameworks and planning acumen to develop, promote and manage tourism within particular locations. Arguably, whilst small tourism firms might play a vital role in servicing the needs of tourists within diverse locations, what is not certain is how receptive they are to business practices underpinned by the principles of sustainable tourism (see Bramwell et al. 1996; Countryside Commission 1995; FNNPE 1993) particularly if they are servicing the “needs” of car based tourists. Therefore increasingly within the context of U.K. national parks there is a challenge for policy-makers and managers to ameliorate the environmental impacts of mass car based tourism and create diversified forms of tourism which develop opportunities for environmental and economic gains for host communities. In this respect Tolley & Turton (1995: 370) note that “if genuine sustainability is to be achieved, the bicycle — or something very like it — has to occupy a much more central role than the car in future transport policy.” Lumsdon (1995) argues that there are tangible sustainable tourism principles exemplified by cycle tourism, with associated small scale infrastructure development creating local and community based tourism opportunities. Moreover, it is an activity which is slow paced, has a low environmental impact and has the potential to attract high spending tourists (see also Cope et al. 1998; Sustrans 1995). However what is not certain is whether there is an emergence of small firms who are positively disposed to servicing the needs of cycle tourists as part of a wider commitment to promoting the principles of sustainable tourism.