Questioning Slow As Sustainable

Abstract

Although the authors of the lead-off article bring up some very valid points surrounding definitions that seem to be so much of the focus on tourism research, this author questions whether we are debating the right issues. First, this author questions what is the difference between sustainable tourism and ecologically sustainable development? This author believed that ecologically sustainable development was one of the pillars of sustainability: the balance of socio-cultural, environmental and economic factors for the long-term well being of contemporary and future generations? The authors of the lead-article asked much should sustainable tourism and sustainable development goals enter into the assessment of the future? This author believes the fundamental goals of the two are different? The question should not be how much but rather how? The issues that call for more sustainable forms of tourism and tourism development arose from the same concerns over general sustainable development over twenty years ago (Bramwell and Lane 1993; Eber 1992; Hall and Jenkins 1995). If the tourism industry is going to carry on into the future, then perhaps the question should be how to implement these goals more successfully rather than debating another definition which possibly outlines the same issue that the definition of sustainable tourism did originally? Since sustainable tourism development was first discussed, there has been an agreed-upon confusion about whose needs and what time frames should be considered (e.g., Butler 1993, 1998; Sharpley 2003). Today, however, there seems to be no debate that sustainable tourism is needed and the concepts of sustainable tourism are agreed upon:  Protect and conserve resources  Use a multi-stakeholder approach  Be environmentally responsible  Maintain the well-being and involvement of the local population or host community