Sustainable recreation and tourism: Making sense of diverse conceptualizations and management paradigms

Abstract

Sustainability in the context of visitor management in protected areas is a notion that is widely employed and variously defined. Most definitions of sustainable recreation/tourism employ variations of the three pillars (ecology, economy, social equity) introduced in the 1987 Brundtland Report. In a survey of 217 recreation and tourism professionals and researchers, respondents provided working definition of sustainable recreation or sustainable tourism . Qualitative responses were systematically coded and analyzed to unearth common themes. Results suggest that notions of sustainability vary based on geography and institutional affiliation, reminding us that sustainability is a fluid construct that can be deployed to achieve agency objectives or in response to internal or external forces. Definitions of sustainable recreation and tourism are becoming more multi-faceted, nuanced, and layered – moving away from a vantage point that privileges environmental objectives to a socio-ecological systems framework that recognizes the interconnected web of socio-cultural, local-global, institutional, and relational, processes. Managerial capacity and resource governance are of increasing relevance for sustainable development. The following key questions are crucial for the protected area management in the context of recreation and nature-based tourism: - How can it be designed to enhance healthy ecosystems and meet conservation goals? - How can it contribute to healthy communities and social institutions? - How can it enhance cultural revitalization and protection of cultural elements? - How can it contribute to poverty alleviation, equal job opportunities and a fair distribution of benefits? - How can it be conducted in a reasonable, cost effective and efficient way for management agencies? - How can it foster partnership and collective capacities? - How can it promote divers visitor experiences, visitor awareness and learning?