REVIEWER IN SUSTAINABLE TOURISM Gambling- also known as gaming in the tourism circle consists of

units engaged mainly in providing gambling services, such as

Module 6: Tourism Impacts on Culture and Society casinos, bookmaker-betting facilities on racetracks, bingo halls,
video gaming terminals, lottery agencies, and off-track betting
Culture and Its Components
agencies.
 To understand how tourism plays in different cultural milieus, we
Tourism plays a part in practically all stages of a cultural cycle,
must begin with a discussion on what culture is. In its 2009
which are:
Framework for Cultural Statistics (FCS), the United Nations
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (2001) defined 1. Creation: the originating and authoring of ideas and
culture as the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual content (e.g., tour guides interpretation of cultural sites);
and emotional features of society or a social group, that 2. Production: the reproducible cultural forms (e.g.,
encompasses, not only art and literature but lifestyles, ways of festivals), as well as the specialist tools, infrastructure,
living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs (UNESCO and processes used in their realization (e.g., the design of
2009). floats);
 Culture has potential impacts on the economic and social 3. Dissemination: the bringing of generally mass-produced
development of countries (UNESCO 2009). First, cultural assets cultural products to consumers and exhibitors
can support sustainable local development, through their 4. Exhibition/ Reception/Transmission: the place of
economic impact as cultural industries and their contribution to consumption and the provision of live and/or unmediated
social and cultural revitalization. cultural experiences to audiences by granting or selling
access to consume/ participate in time-based cultural
Under the UNESCO FCS, there are tangible and intangible cultural
activities (e.g., festival organization and production,
heritages. Under the tangible cultural heritage category, there
opera houses, theaters, museums).
are six domains, namely:
Drivers of Impacts of Tourism on Culture
1. cultural and natural heritage;
2. performance and celebration; Culture is diffused across countries by tourists, who act as agents
3. visual arts and crafts; of Cultural change. International tourism brings in new foods,
4. books and press technologies fashion, Sports, entertainment, language, religion,
5. audio-visual and interactive media; and and many other aspects of our daily lives. Foreign food, such as
6. design and creative services. sashimi, ramen, kimchi, samgyeopsul, pizza, curry, chicken
masala, and shawarma has become quite popular with Filipinos.
Tourism is a medium for the transmission, as well as the
They were brought to our country either by tourists, OFWs, or
transformation of these cultural domains.
entrepreneurs to serve the expatriate community.
The following aspects of culture are significantly affected by
Types of Impacts
tourism development:
Impacts may be real or objective or perceived. An objective
 Cultural and natural heritage: artifacts, monuments, and groups
impact may be measured with objective data, such as changes in
of buildings and sites that have symbolic, historic, artistic,
crime incidents as reported to the police. Positive Impacts of
aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological, scientific, and social
Tourism on Culture and Society Higgins-Desbiolles (2006)
significance.
asserted that tourism should be seen in terms of its power as a
 Cultural landscapes, which have combined natural and human
social force.
works and express a long and intimate relationship between
people and their natural environment (UNESCO 2007). An  Emotional Well-being of Residents - Tourism contributes
example is the Cordillera Rice Terraces. to the emotional well-being of residents. Residents develop
 Intangible Cultural Heritage, Tourism also affects intangible an increased sense of emotional well-being when they can
cultural heritage. The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding meet tourists from many countries to learn about their
of Intangible Cultural Heritage (UNESCO 2003) defines intangible cultures.
cultural heritage (ICH) as the practices, representations,  Cultural Preservation - Tourism also helps keep culture
expressions, knowledge, skills as well as the instruments, objects, alive by preserving traditional art forms, maintaining
artifacts, and cultural spaces associated therewith-that cultural identity, and transmitting beliefs and rituals to the
communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognized next generation (Chen 2000 in Kim et al. 2013). Var and Kim
as part of their cultural heritage (Art. 2). (1989) noted that tourism helps revitalize traditional arts
and crafts.
Recreation- is defined as an activity undertaken for pleasure or
 Education - Travel experiences broaden our understanding
relaxation that diverts, amuses, or stimulates (UNESCO 2009). It
of ourselves and others. As the saying goes, there is no
includes gambling, amusement, and theme parks.
education quite like the experience of travel. During the
Grand Tour era in England, travel served as a conduit for
transporting knowledge about other countries as
 aristocrats regaled their friends with stories of their travel attachment, and social carrying capacity (Faulkner & Tideswell
and shared watercolor paintings of places they visited. 1997).
 Better Quality of Life - Tourism helps improve the quality of life
in destinations when services are provided or improved Module 7: Tourism Impact Assessment
(Matarrita-Cascante 2009; Deery 2012; Faulkner & Tideswell Tourism development entails change. These changes could be
1997). Improvement in community life could be brought about positive or negative, short-term or permanent.
by the provision of further education, potable drinking water,
sports facilities, cellular phone network, electricity, Importance of Tourism Impact Assessment- Tourism impact
infrastructure, entertainment, and shopping facilities, among
 Tourism Impact assessment is important for several reasons.
others (Deery et al. 2012)
 First, it forces planners and developers to foresee what could go
 Empowerment - Tourism can empower formerly disenfranchised
wrong and take precautions to prevent such unfortunate
stakeholders, such as the poor, women, and indigenous people.
consequences from happening.
Negative Impacts of Tourism on Culture and Society  Another reason is that it compels the parties involved in tourism
Stunted Cultural Development - Unfortunately, tourism can also development to participate in a consultative process to iron out
cause native cultures to wither and die through acculturation, kinks before the actual implementation of a project.
commodification, and homogenization. It has been observed that  For example, failure to thoroughly consider all pertinent issues
tourism sometimes leads to the loss of unique cultural practices, could be very costly in terms of time and resources.
including folkloric dances, local festivities, traditional foods,  An oversight of pertinent laws regarding height restrictions in
music, and dances (Matarrita-Cascante 2009). heritage sites could result in delays or even stoppage of a multi-
million building when the structure has already been
The commodification of Culture - Tourism can lead to the
constructed.
commodification of culture. Commodification or
commercialization (Burns & Holden 1995 in Brunt &  By assessing the potential impacts, planners and developers
Courtney 1999) is the process where cultural elements are would be able to identify actions that could prevent or mitigate
presented for the mass consumption of tourists. the impacts.
Moral Decadence - The presence of outsiders has been linked to  They could choose to abort the project, relocate the project, or
increased incidence of prostitution, crime, drug abuse, and take' mitigation measures to minimize the adverse impacts.
alcoholism (Teye et al. 2002; Brunt & Courtney 1999; Tosun 2002
Basic Considerations in Tourism Impact Assessment
in Andereck, Valentine, Knopf, & Vogt 2005). Poor countries tend
to attract many sex tourists who take advantage of the desperate  At the conceptualization stage of a tourism project, it is
situation of local people (Gössling, Schumacher, Morelle, Berger, imperative to consider several factors. Failure to do so may
Heck 2004). result in legal suits, financial loss, and image problems.
Displacement - Social displacement is another unwanted effect These factors include the following:
of tourism. Outside investors buy some property from the locals;
locals, sometimes, have to relocate because they sold their land 1. Constitution and existing laws
to investors. 2. Land use plans and spatial planning
3. Zoning laws, zones of tourism value
Community Stress - Tourism creates inconvenience and stress 4. Regulations on tourism investments, tourism enterprise
due to crowding and congestion When tourists come in droves, zones, and
the result is long queues and waiting times loss of access to 5. tourism enterprises
public areas, traffic congestion, and competition for parking 6. Building code (various permits, standards for various types
spaces (Deery et al. 2012). or structures)
7. Business registration requirements
Dependence - Many tour operators fund humanitarian projects
8. Requirement for public consultation
and schools as part of their corporate social responsibility (Hein
9. Foreign equity laws
2015). However, Hein (2015) noted that this practice has
10. Protected area laws
negative consequences. Communities throughout the Third
11. Minimum wage laws
World tend to rely on tours for income generation and
12. Labor laws
development, which creates a cyclical dependency on foreign
13. Environmental laws
cash flow and mobilization.
14. Tourism policy act
Determinants of Socio-Cultural Impacts - Whether tourism 15. Critical habitat areas
produces positive or negative outcomes are determined by a 16. Buffer zones
host of factors. These factors include the balance between
Tourism Impact Assessment Tools
people’s perceived benefits and costs (Ap 1992), the cultural
distance/affinity between the tourists and the locals, the stage in Triple Bottom Line Approach
the tourism product life cycle (Butler 1980; Doxey 1975), place
 The triple bottom line (TBL) approach encompasses the 2. sustainable tourism management in tourism enterprises,
economic, social, and environmental impacts of tourism 3. Customer satisfaction, and
(Lundberg 2011). 4. information and communication.
 TBL started as a philosophy on how companies should
incorporate sustainability and their environmental advocacy in
planning but has evolved into an accounting tool considering not
just the financial bottom line (i.e., financial result) but also the Economic Value Core Indicators
environmental and social impacts of the company.
 This set of indicators tracks the contribution of tourism to the
economy of the destination.
  The core indicators of economic value are (1) tourism flow
Tourism (volume and value) at destination, (2) tourism enterprise(s)
performance) quantity and quality of employment, (4) safety and
health, and (5) tourism supply chain.
1. The performance of tourism enterprises as indicated by the
average length of stay of tourists in terms of nights and
Carrying Capacity Assessment (TCCA) is used to identify and occupancy rates of accommodation facilities is another core
implement limits to the number of visitors to specific indicator of economic sustainability.
destinations or attractions. 2. Employment generation is one of the most desired effects of
 Its limitation lies in the difficulty in quantifying capacities due to tourism for most governments. Besides the sheer volume of jobs
factors such as technology and the type of tourists that come to created, the jobs must also be of good quality.
a destination. 3. Safety and health are measured by the percentage of
establishments that underwent fire safety checks in the previous
Lundberg (2011) enumerated the various types of carrying
year.
capacity
4. Tourism supply chain analyzes the integration of tourism
1. Physical CC - determines the level or physical impacts that are businesses with local producers and suppliers of tourism-related
acceptable at a destination, which may all be tangible resources goods and services. Local procurement helps decrease leakages
just the capacity, namely, how many people can be at a and increases the multiplier effect of tourism
destination without affecting the quality.
Social and Cultural Impact Core Indicator
2. Perceptual CC looks at the situation from the tourist's point of
view, related to how they perceive the quality of the destination. The core indicators of social and cultural impact are:
3. Social or Sociocultural CC focuses on the social and cultural
changes due to tourism increase. 1. community/ social impact as measured by the visitor-
4. Economic CC is the destination's possibility to cater to demand to-resident ratio,
without crowding out other local economic activities. 2. gender equality as measured by the ratio between men
5. Political or Administrative CC- concerned with how the local and women in the tourism labor force,
political, and administrative bodies can cope with tourism and to 3. accessibility for persons with disability, and
what extent it is needed to put limits on tourism inflow. 4. protecting and enhancing cultural heritage, local
identity, and assets
European Tourism Indicator System
Environmental Impact Core Indicators
 The European Tourism Indicator System is an assessment tool
for monitoring, managing, and enhancing tourism destination The core indicators of environmental impact are;
sustainability. 1. reducing transport impact,
 The System is comprised of a set of Indicators, a Toolkit, and a 2. tourism impact on climate change,
Dataset. 3. solid waste management,
 The System consists of 27 core and 40 optional indicators, which 4. sewage treatment,
can be adopted voluntarily and utilized or integrated into whole 5. water management,
or in part into existing destination monitoring systems. 6. energy use, landscape, and biodiversity protection,
 The System is based on the principles of destination 7. light and noise management, and
responsibility, ownership, and shared decision-making (DG 8. Bathing water quality.
Enterprise and Industry 2013).
Boston Consulting Group's Sustainable Economic Development
Core Indicators Assessment - Best known for its growth-share matrix, Boston
Destination Management Core Indicators  (BCG) has developed Sustainable Economic Development
The destination management core indicators are: Consulting Assessment Group, income into the overall well-
being of its population. SEDA uses a composite index made up of
1. sustainable tourism public policy, ten different dimensions of social and economic development:
 1. Income or wealth (GDP per capita) Assessing Jobs in Tourism
2. Level of employment (employment and unemployment
levels) In addition to merely counting the direct and indirect number of
3. Income equality (income disparities across the population) tourism-related jobs, there should also be an assessment of the
4. Economic stability (inflation and volatility of GDP growth quality of such jobs. The quality of jobs may be assessed using
5. Economic stability (inflation and volatility of GDP growth the decent work framework established by the International
Labor Organization.
Sustainable Livelihoods Approach
Module 8: Responsible Tourism
 The sustainable livelihoods (SL) approach analyzes the impact of
tourism development on a community in terms of its Sustainability is an appealing concept in tourism development
contribution to building Capabilities, assets (natural, economic, but it has been criticized for being impractical. Its main
financial, human, and social capital, and activities required for a deficiency is the failure to identify the specific tasks that each
means of living (Lundberg 2011). stakeholder group must do to attain them.

Philippine Environmental Impact Assessment System Global Code of Ethics

 Environmental Impact Assessment (ETA) is defined by the At the international level, the UN World Tourism Organization
Department of Environment and the Natural Resources (UNWTO is at the forefront of the responsible tourism
Environmental Management Bureau as: movement. The UNWTO adopted the Global Code of Ethics for
Tourism in 1999, which is a comprehensive set of principles
 "a process that involves predicting and evaluating the likely
designed to guide the actions of the government the private
impacts of a project (including cumulative impacts) on the
sector, communities, and tourists alike to maximize tourism
environment during construction, commissioning, operation, and
benefits and minimize its costs on destinations. The Code ten
abandonment.
Principle applies to the economic, social, cultural, and
The following list of indicators that can be used for assessing the environmental dimensions of tourism:
impact of tourism development was constructed from a
Article 1: Tourism contribution to mutual understanding and
literature review of documents by the United Nations
respect between people and societies
Environmental Programme

Economic Indicators  Article 1 underscores the necessity of ethical values, tolerance,

and respect for diversity as the foundation for responsible
1. Tourism revenues tourism. It advocates mutual respect practices and customs by
2. Average tourist expenditure tourists and host Communities.
3. Taxes from tourism  Article 1 also emphasizes the responsibility of public authorities
4. Number of registered tourism-related business to provide Security for tourists and visitors and their belongings.
5. Inflation/ price index in tourist areas 1ourists are admonished to abide by local laws. Before their visit,
6. Infrastructure to manage and minimize solid and liquid wastes tourists should research the destination, noting the health and
7. Water quality index security risks that they may encounter to behave to minimize
8. Air quality index those risks.
9. Percent of the population exposed to pollution
10. Amount of water consumed and percentage of leakage Article 2: Tourism as a vehicle for individual and collective
fulfillment
Socio-cultural Indicators
 Article 2 recognizes the value of tourism for self-education,
1. Decent livelihood opportunities; the number of locals selling mutual tolerance, and learning about human and cultural
products to tourists or supplying stores diversity. As such, travel for religion, health, education, and
2. Number of tourism businesses operated and managed by local cultural or linguistic exchanges are encouraged, as well as the
people's organizations and cooperatives inclusion into educational curricula value of tourism. Moreover,
3. Number of private tourism businesses employing local people this article states that tourism should respect the equality of
4. Poverty incidence in tourist areas men and women and promote human rights, particularly those
5. Extent of local linkages Extent of local employment of the most vulnerable groups, such as children, the elderly, the
handicapped, and indigenous peoples. It also forbids the sexual
Institutional Indicators
exploitation of human beings.
1. Presence of tourism master plans which incorporate sustainable
Article 3: Tourism, a factor of sustainable development
principles
2. Number of sites with sustainable tourism master plans  Article 3 stresses the role of all stakeholders in sustainable
3. Presence of inter-agency coordination and cooperation tourism development, and the prioritization of forms of tourism
4. Presence of land use and zoning plans development that helps conserve the environment. To minimize
the negative impacts of tourism, tourism flows must be
 programmed in both time and space, tourism infrastructure is  This article talks about the rights and duties of tourism workers
appropriately designed, and the carrying capacity of sites is and entrepreneurs, including multinational companies. Tourism
observed. workers must by the fundamental rights guaranteed by their
state’s origin and countries, taking note of the specific
Article 4: Tourism, a user of the cultural heritage of mankind
constraints brought about by the characteristics of tourism, such
and contributor to its enhancement
as seasonality, tourism global dimension, and flexibility often
 This article underscores the need to craft policies and activities required of them by the nature of their work. Salaried and Semi-
that will preserve artistic, archaeological, historical, and cultural employed workers in the tourism industry have the right and the
sites for the benefit of present and future generations, including duty to acquire appropriate initial and continuous training,
the use of financial resources derived from visits to such sites for adequate social protection, job and security.
their upkeep, safeguard, development, and embellishment, and Article 10: implementation of the principles of the Global Code
the promotion of traditional crafts and folklore. of Ethics for Tourism
Article 5: Tourism, a beneficial activity for host countries and
 This article discusses how the Code could be implemented. This
communities
involves cooperation between the public and private
 Article 5 highlights the importance of enabling local populations stakeholders in tourism development, the recognition of the role
to share equitably in the benefits of tourism they generate, of international institutions, particularly the WTO, and non-
especially in terms of direct and indirect jobs resulting from governmental organizations involved in tourism promotion and
them. Tourism policies should help raise their standard of living development, protection of human rights, environment or
and tourism planning and development should integrate them health; and the need for stakeholders to demonstrate their
into the local economic and social fabric. Locals must be intention to return any disputes concerning the application or
prioritized in the hiring. interpretation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism to the
World Committee on Tourism Ethics.
Article 6: Obligations of stakeholders in tourism development
Sustainable Tourism Indicators
 Article 6 discusses the responsibilities of tourism professionals,
public authorities, and the media. On the part of tourism The UNWTO has also been at the forefront of sustainable
professionals, they must provide objective and honest tourism indicator development. In 1996, the agency published “A
information to tourists about the destinations, contractual Practical Guide for the Development and Application of
clauses involved in the provision of their services, and financial Indicators of Sustainable Tourism” which identified a set of core
compensation payable by them in case of unilateral breach of indicators of sustainable tourism development. The indicators
contract. They should also inform their clients about security and cover (1) site protection, (2) stress, (3) use intensity, (4) social
safety issues and ensure the tourist’s access to insurance and impact, (5) development control, (6) waste management, (7)
assistance. Tourism professionals should also enable tourists to planning process, (8) critical ecosystems, (9) consumer
practice their religions during their travels. satisfaction, and (10) local satisfaction. Site protection is based
on International Union for the Conservation of Nature (TUCN)
Article 7: Right to tourism index.

 This article emphasizes the right to tourism for all people which The Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria for Destinations of the
should be promoted. This universal right must be regarded as Global Sustainable Tourism Council covers the following
the corollary of the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable (GstcounCl.org)
limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay, as
guaranteed by Article 24 of the Universal Declaration of Human Section A: Demonstrate sustainable destination management
Rights and Article 7.d of the International Covenant on  This section identifies the need for a multi-year sustainable
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Social tourism, family, destination strategy, a destination management organization, a
youth, student, senior tourism, and tourism for people with monitoring and reporting system, tourism seasonality
disabilities should be encouraged and facilitated. management, climate change adaptation strategies, updating the
Article 8: Liberty of tourist movements publicly available inventory of tourism assets and attractions,
Planning regulations that include impact assessment, sustainable
 Article 8 discusses the rights of tourists. According to the article, land use design, construction, and demolition, accessibility in
people should have the liberty to travel within their countries sites and facilities for all including persons with disabilities and
and to other countries by Article 13 of the Universal Declaration others who have specific access requirements.
of Human Rights, subject to international and national laws.
Section B: Maximize economic benefits to the host community
and minimize negative impacts

Article 9: Rights of the workers and entrepreneurs in the  This section covers economic monitoring and reporting of the
tourism industry direct and indirect contribution of tourism to the destinations,
 economy, equal local career opportunities and development,  This section requires that hotels and tour operators actively
public participation, monitoring and reporting of local support initiatives for local infrastructure and social community
community aspirations, concerns, and satisfaction with development; give local residents equal employment
destination management, local access to natural and cultural opportunity to be hired and trained, including management
sites, tourism awareness and education programs, prevention of positions; purchase local services and goods following fair-trade
commercial, sexual, or any other form of exploitation and principles; offer the means for local small entrepreneurs to
harassment of anyone, support for community initiatives, develop and sell sustainable products that are based on the area
support for local entrepreneurs and fair trade of food and nature, history, and culture develop a documented code of
beverages, crafts, performance arts, agricultural products, etc. conduct for activities in indigenous and local communities with
the collaboration and consent of the affected community; have
Section C: Maximize benefits to communities, visitors, and
implemented a policy against commercial, sexual, or any other
culture; minimize negative impacts
form of exploitation and harassment; offer equal employment
 This section covers provisions for attraction protection, visitor opportunities to women, local minorities, and others, while
management, visitor behavior guidelines at sensitive sites, restraining child labor; respect the rights of employees and are
cultural heritage protection governing the proper sale, trade, paid at least a living wage; do not jeopardize the provision of
display, or gifting of historical and archaeological artifacts, and basic services to neighboring communities; and ensure that
site interpretation of natural and cultural sites which was tourism activity does not adversely affect local access to
developed with community collaboration, and communicated in livelihoods, rights-of-way, transport, and housing.
languages pertinent to visitors, protection of intellectual Section C. Maximize benefits to cultural heritage and minimize
property rights of communities and individuals. negative impacts
Section D: Maximize benefits to the environment and minimize
 Under this section, hotels and tour operators should follow
negative impacts
established guidelines or codes of behavior for visits to culturally
 This section focuses on ways to address environmental risks, or historically sensitive sites, do not sell, trade, or display
protection of sensitive environments (habitats, species, and historical and archeological artifacts unless permitted by law;
ecosystems, and preventing the introduction of invasive species), Section D. Maximize benefits to the environment and minimize
wildlife protection standards for the harvest, or capture, display, negative impacts
and sale of wild plants and animals, greenhouse gas emissions
measurement, monitoring, minimization, public reporting, and  Hotels and tour operators must observe guidelines on conserving
mitigation for tourism enterprises, energy conservation and resources by purchasing policies that favor locally appropriate
reducing reliance on fossil fuels, water management, water and ecologically sustainable products, and purchasing, and using
security, water quality, wastewater management (siting, disposable and consumable goods in a measured fashion.
treatment, reuse or release), solid waste reduction, reuse and
recycling, light and noise pollution abatement, and low-impact A review of the literature produced a substantial number of
transportation (e.g., walking and cycling) indicators that may be used for monitoring sustainable tourism
development (Cruz 2003).
Global Sustainable Tourism Council Criteria for Hotels and Tour
Operators Economic Indicators

Section A. Demonstrate effective sustainable management 1. Tourism revenues

2. Average tourist expenditure
 This section covers long-term sustainability management system 3. Taxes from tourism (direct and indirect taxes paid by
compliance with all applicable local to international legislation businesses and workers in tourism)
and regulations (eg, health, safety, labor, and environmental 4. Number of registered tourism-related business
aspects, Personnel's Periodic guidance and training 5. Inflation/ price index in tourist areas
regarding their roles and responsibilities to environmental,
social, cultural, economic, quality, health, and safety issues Environmental Indicators
customer satisfaction, accurate and complete promotional 1. Presence of infrastructure to manage and minimize solid
materials, planning design Construction, renovation, operation, and liquid wastes
and demolition Or buildings and infrastructure which are 2. Water quality index for fresh water and marine/beach
compliant with zoning requirements, respect the natural and water
cultural heritage surroundings, uses locally appropriate 3. Air quality index
Sustainable practices and materials and provides access to 4. Percent of the population exposed to noise and light
persons with special needs pollution
Section B. Maximize social and economic benefits to the local 5. Percent of the population exposed to foul odors
community and minimize negative impacts Socio-Cultural Indicators
1. (Decent) livelihood opportunities; the number of locals 4. The elimination of discrimination in respect of employment
selling products to tourists or supplying stores and occupation.
2. Number of tourism businesses operated and managed by
local people organizations and cooperatives Environment
3. Number of private tourism businesses employing local 1. Businesses should support a precautionary approach to
people environmental challenges
4. Poverty incidence and alleviation in tourist areas (calorie 2. Undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental
intake, income levels, number of children attending school responsibility and
in tourism destinations, Self-rated poverty (Mangahas 3. Encourage the development and diffusion of
1999), percentage of the population living on less than environmentally friendly technologies.
PPP$1 a day number of informal settlers (squatters),
percent of underweight children, the unemployment rate Anti-Corruption
5. Local linkages as indicated by the percentage of inputs,
1. Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms,
including souvenirs and handicrafts, obtained from within
including extortion and bribery.
the local economy or x distance from the tourism project.
Promoting Responsible Tourism at the National Level
Institutional indicators
Since the adoption of a sustainable paradigm into national
1. Presence of tourism master plans which incorporate
development processes, countries have committed to Agenda 21
sustainable principles
principles. Cruz (2003) identified several aspects of sustainability
2. Number of sites with sustainable tourism master plans
that have been adopted by the national tourism organizations in
3. Presence of inter-agency coordination and cooperation
the ASEAN. These are:
4. Presence of land use and zoning plans
5. Percentage of establishments or LGUs adhering to  Integrating the principles of sustainability into national
environmental impact assessment system and institution tourism planning such as the requirement for public
6. Presence of environment monitoring system (EMS) and consultation before the approval of tourism development
funding 7 EIAS and EMS required for all business plans, and maximizing linkages within the tourism value
registrations chain to promote inclusive growth,
 Developing tourism products that are generally
environment-friendly, and pro-poor, such as ecotourism
Module 9: The UN Global Compact and agritourism;
 Promoting "holiday economics" which is the practice of
The UN Global Compact is a set of principles that enable celebrating a public holiday on the nearest Friday or
companies to operate within a culture of integrity, enabling Monday, thereby inducing travel on the long weekends
them to uphold their basic environmental and social  Promoting domestic tourism, which is effective at
responsibilities and attain long-term viability. It is a spreading tourism income in rural areas Incorporating
Comprehensive ten principles derived from the Universal sustainable principles into accreditation standards for
Declaration of Human Rights, the International Labor tourism establishments, such as environmental practices
Organization's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights and support for persons with disability;
at Work, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development,
and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. These Environmental Evaluation, Compliance, and Monitoring
principles are as follows:
 Part of the sustainable tourism efforts is the conduct of an
Human Rights environmental impact assessment before the construction
of tourism establishments. The Joint DENR-DOT
1. Businesses should support and respect the protection of
Memorandum Circular 98-02 (Guidelines for Ecotourism
internationally proclaimed human rights; and
Development in the Philippines) provides for the regulation
2. Make sure that they are not complicit in human rights
and accreditation of developers and investors in
abuses.
ecotourism projects. Tourism projects failing under the
Labor following categories require an Initial Environmental
Evaluation (1EE) before the issuance of an Environmental
1. Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and Compliance Certificate by the DENR:
the effective recognition of the right to collective  Hotel inns and similar accommodations within or near
bargaining: the elimination of all forms of forced and urban centers or built-up areas with less than 20 rooms
compulsory labor; with eating facilities;
2. The elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory  Hotels, cottages, motels, and lodging houses with ten to 15
labor; rooms with minimum facilities/amenities for resting and
3. The effective abolition of child labor; and eating and some recreation activities located in rural areas,
 small islands, beaches, and mountain areas with high scenic In addition to merely creating demand for local products and
or outstanding and cultural features; services, tourism establishments should support fair trade
practices. The Free Trade in Tourism in South Africa follows six
Voluntary Initiatives and Certifications principles for fairly traded products (Spenceley 2002):
 Another aspect of sustainable tourism practices is Support 1. Equitable share of income by all participants
for voluntary initiatives for sustainable tourism, which 2. Democratic participation in decision-making
cover ecolabels and certification Schemes, prizes and 3. Respect by host and visitor for human rights, culture,
awards, environmental, management systems, codes of and environment (e-8, safe working conditions,
conduct, charters for sustainable tourism, self- protection of children, gender equality, tolerance)
commitments, and self-declarations. 4. Reliability of delivery of services to tourists
 Ecolabels are not profit-oriented and promote open access
u provide a review and update of environmental criteria Social Responsibility
and categories. They use legally protected logos (Hundloe
Tourism establishments must also observe their social
2002 in Cruz 2003).
responsibilities. They should avoid undertaking activities that
 Some of the more popular VISTs in the world are:
undermine the traditional activities of host communities. They
 Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) standards aim to
should be careful not to intrude into sacred sites and
increase sustainable tourism knowledge and practice
commercialize culturally sensitive events like weddings and
among public d private stakeholders. There are two sets of
funerals. Moreover, they should not exploit marginalized groups,
criteria: destination Criteria (GSTC-D) and Hotel & Tour
such as women, children, and indigenous people by employing
Operator Criteria (GSTC-H&TO).
them at below-minimum wage levels. Spenceley et al. (2002)
 PTAAGreen Leaf Program/ APEC-PATA Code for Sustainable
mentioned several technologies and simple practices, which
1ourism, which started certifying in 1995, is an ecolabel for
could be utilized by hotels and resorts to minimize their carbon
all types of tourism, companies. Originally implemented in
footprint. These include:
1992, It merged With Green Globe 21. The Green Leaf
certification process begins with a self-evaluation survey, 1. Electricity
followed by a Green Lear assessment and verification.
 Green Globe was established in 1994 by the World Travel  Renewable energy systems, such as solar water
and Tourism Council. Green Globe looks at behavioral heaters, solar pump Windmills, and photovoltaic
facility and product issues at the hotel (Parisi & Burger systems to power radios, lights, computers, and other
n.d.). Green Globe-certified businesses have to be re- low-wattage appliances
assessed and re-certified yearly, as additional requirements
2. Refrigeration
must be met. The Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at
Ravinia which is Green Globe-certified has sustainable  Use an energy-efficient rated fridge and freezer, which
features, such as Green Meetings, a linen reuse program, are the smallest size appropriate for your needs. Built-
low-flow showerheads and sink faucets in all guest rooms, in cold rooms and freezer rooms can store large
and biodegradable cleaning chemicals. quantities of food but consume three to four times as
much energy per liter of storage space than energy-
Responsible Tourism by Industry
efficient domestic fridges/freezers. Chest freezers are
 Tourism enterprises are motivated to implement 9-22% more efficient than upright models because they
"Responsible Tourism 8uidelines to reduce costs (e.g, are better insulated, and less warm air enters them
through increased efficiency), create a unique selling when opened.
proposition (USP), and maximize comparative advantage in
3. Cooking
the marketplace (Spernceley et al. 2002).
 Cook with natural gas rather than electricity to save
Tourism enterprises promote responsible tourism when they:
energy. Use the microwave to cook smaller items of
1. create and promote employment and business food; it uses around 66% less electricity to heat food
opportunities for historically disadvantaged individuals; than electric hobs. Purchase local food supplies to
employ local workers; reduce food miles (the distance that food has traveled
2. forge mutually beneficial economic linkages between from its source to where it is consumed).
the formal and informal sectors within the immediate
4. Laundry
small business community; and
3. Endorse fair trade in employment and purchasing  Warm wash is more efficient than a hot wash, and cola
behavior. water is suitable if an enzymatic detergent is used.
Fair Trade Practices 5. Lighting
  Compact florescent lights; they last ten times as long drawings on the walls of a war memorial on Hill 120 in
and use 20% of the energy of conventional bulbs. LOW- Leyte.
energy light bulbs produce about seven times light for  When buying souvenirs or pasalubong tourists should
the same wattage. not haggle excessively. They should pay fair prices for
products that are produced with intensive labor, such
6. Transport as the making of binagol, a delicacy in Bohol, made of
 Encourage the use of environment-friendly transport yam and which is made by hours of constant stirring of
for recreation, such as bikes, horses, and canoes. yam and other ingredients in a big vat.
 They should respect the privacy of local people by not
taking pictures of them without obtaining permission.
In North Korea, for example, people prefer to have
their photos taken when they are dressed well.

7. Kitchens

 Purchase fridges and freezers without ozone-depleting

Module 10: Visitor Management
(chlorofluorocarbons). Dispose of old equipment
containing CFCs at recycling Plants. THE IMPORTANCE OF MANAGING VISITORS

8. Laundry and Housekeeping  There are several reasons why it is important to

manage visitors’ actions and activities at parks, hotels,
 Use of refillable wall dispensers for biodegradable
restaurants, resorts, and many other tourism-related
liquid soaps and moisturizers to reduce costs and
establishments. These are to protect the tourists and
wastage. Buy concentrated detergents in bulk as they
others around them, enable them to derive the utmost
use less packaging.
satisfaction from the tourism experience, discover facts
9. Office that make them better appreciate the attractions,
protect the property or area they are in, maintain the
 Reduce paper waste by using email or central notice quality of cleanliness at hotels, be able to save energy,
whiteboards. prevent animals from losing their wild traits, among
 Proofread documents on the computer before printing others.
 Alternative concepts to TCC, such as Management-By-
Sustainable Operational Activities
Objectives (MBO) approaches, such as Visitor Impact
 According to Spenceley et al. (2002), tourism Management, Limits of Acceptable Change, and Visitor
establishments can help preserve the environment by Experience Resource Protection frameworks, have been
not purchasing meat from rare or endangered species suggested.
(bushmeat) and genetically modified crops. They should
INSTITUTIONAL TOOLS TO IMPLEMENT TOURISM CARRYING
not use plates, bowls, or furniture made of rare
CAPACITY (TCC)
hardwoods. When possible, they should buy organic
produce. For Nature Protection
 Some major chains like Shangri-La Hotels have adopted
the umbrella brand of "sustainability" into their 1. Natural 2000 covers 18% of the European Union’s land area.
corporate social responsibility, focusing on the five Natural 2000 is a network of nature preserves. The network
areas of Environment, Health & Safety, Employees, encompasses lands that have threatened landscapes and
Supply Chain, and Stakeholder Relations. Shangri-La endangered species. Natural 2000 protects mixed forests in
Group strives to meet the principles of the United Sweden, and desert-like vegetation in Spain, among other
Nations Global Compact (Shangri-La Corporate landscapes and marine areas. Fifteen percent of Germany is
Website). included in the Natural 2000 network. According to the EU
commission, the network has grown from 47.5 million acres in
Responsible Tourist Behavior the mid-1990s to seven times that size in 2015 equivalent to the
combined size of France, Germany, and Italy. Within this
 As tourists, you must research the significant shrines
network, any actions that endanger protected species or
and avoid actions that desecrate such sites. Examples of
negatively affect vegetation types are prohibited, before
disrespectful behavior are stepping on an altar at a
approval of any building or infrastructure project, or extension of
Catholic church; entering a Buddhist Temple without
farming operations, the authorities require proof that protected
removing footwear; and carving one's initials on the
species and habitats will be preserved, and any damage is
trunk of centuries-old trees. This Author saw obscene
reversed through restoration. As an example, in Germany, an
extra tunnel, costing USD 48 million, protects newts, a species of  An opportunity includes qualities provided by nature,
salamander that is a semi-aquatic amphibian. qualities associated with recreational use, and
conditions provided by management. Qualities of
2. Habitat Directive is a European Union directive adopted in
nature include vegetation, landscape, topography, and
1992 in response to the 1982 Berne Convention on the
scenery. Qualities associated with recreational use refer
Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, or the
to levels and types of use. Conditions provided by
Berne Convention. Habitat Directive protects over 1,000 animals
management refer to developments, roads, and
and plant species and over 200 habitat types (e.g, special types
regulations. Combining variations of these qualities and
of forests, meadows, wetlands, etc.). The Habitat Directive is
conditions results in the provision of various
complemented by the Birds Directive, which bans the deliberate
recreational opportunities (Clark and Stankey 1979).
killing or capture of birds, destroying their nests, taking of their
ROS, as a framework can be used to address these four
eggs, and trading in live or dead birds, with a few exceptions. The
major concerns: (1) allocating and planning recreational
Directive, however, recognizes hunting as a legitimate activity
resources (2) inventorying recreational resources (3)
and provides a comprehensive system for the management of
estimating the consequences of management decisions
hunting limited to certain species, including a requirement that
on recreational opportunities, and (4) matching
birds are not hunted during the periods of their greatest
experiences recreationists desire with available
vulnerability, such as the return migration to the nesting areas,
opportunities.
reproduction and the raising of chicks (European Commission
 ROS can help determine the types of recreational
n.d.).
opportunities that should be provided. Three related
3. The International Council of Museum (ICOM) Red List classifies concepts are useful in making such a decision: (1) the
endangered categories of archaeological objects and works of art relative availability of different opportunities (2)) their
in the most vulnerable countries to prevent the sale or illegal reproducibility and reversibility and (3) their spatial
export of such objects. The ICOM database covers African distribution. The relative availability of supply is
Archaeological Objects (2000); Latin American Cultural Objects at determined by the spatial distribution of opportunities.
Risk (2003); Emergency Red List of Iraqi Antiquities at Risk Diverse recreational opportunities must be made
(2003); available as much as possible.

4. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Other strategies that can be used to control tourism impacts in
Red List of Threatened Species, established in 1964, is an city centers are:
inventory Of thousands of threatened and endangered species
1. traffic control through pedestrianization;
and subspecies. The IUCN classifies species into nine groups,
2. parking pricing strategy that discourages parking in the
based on the rate o decline, population size, area of geographic
city center;
distribution, and degree of population and distribution
3. collecting entrance fees at attractions;
fragmentation.
4. conserving old buildings by imposing strict design
MANAGEMENT TOOLS FOR IMPLEMENTING TCC control on commercial development;
5. charging environmental fees, such as the practice in
 Zoning is applied mainly in protected areas. There could Boracay;
be four zone categories. Zone A refers to the most 6. reservation and booking systems to control the volume
valuable and vulnerable zone; entry is limited to of visitors to an attraction; this is practiced in Puerto
authorized scientific teams. Zone B is a highly sensitive Princesa to avoid overcrowding of the underground
zone; escorted visits in small groups are permitted. river;
Zone C is zones of considerable natural interest; Some 7. information dissemination on websites regarding
traditional tourism activities could be permitted, but car congestion, peaks, traffic, etc. will help tourists avoid
access is limited. Zone D is for areas with mild visiting overcrowded places;
development and buffer; they are compatible with
tourism and visitor facilities, car access, parking, and SITE MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES Specific management tactics
compatible activities are allowed (EC 2009). can be used to control tourists’ impacts on sites. They are as
follows (NOAA n.d.):
RECREATION OPPORTUNITY SPECTRUM
1. facility design;
 For zoning, Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) 2. use of vegetation barriers;
(Clark and Stankey 1979) can be used as a framework 3. site hardening
for analysis. ROS is simply the range of recreational 4. closure of facilities;
activities that can be done in a recreational setting. 5. rationing and allocation, such as through reservations,
Recreation opportunity setting is defined as the queuing, lotteries, eligibility requirements, and pricing
combination of physical, biological, social, and
managerial conditions that give value to a place. MANAGEMENT OPTIONS FOR MINIMIZING VISITOR IMPACTS
Several measures can be used to reduce visitor impacts, such  Identify the concerns and issues for the area by
as: discussing the site’s unique values, attractions,
opportunities, threats, and problems with the
1. seasonal or temporal limits on use: limiting visiting
stakeholders. This process helps in creating ownership
times and restricting car parking, accommodation
and commitment by the stakeholders.
facilities, or public transport;
 Define and describe tourism opportunities by taking
2. regulating group size and providing guided tours that
note of compatible or conflicting activities with
allow for more
residential use and locating those activities to specific
3. Restricting visitor behavior: specifying routes to prevent
sites or zones. For example, jet skiing should be
Visitors from trampling vegetation or disturbing animals
situated away from the fishing areas of local residents.
and minimizing noise and use of light at night when
 Select indicators that reflect the parameters that are of
visiting turtle nesting beaches;
greatest relevance at a given site in a given zone.
4. Zoning: closing certain areas to visitors or reducing
 Establish baseline data by assessing the current
visits to ecologically important areas;
conditions of the site for each indicator. This is to be
5. increasing entrance fees at peak periods or to popular
able to determine whether current standards
areas;

MONITORING IMPACTS
ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO MONITORING TOURISM
Managing an attraction requires monitoring visitor numbers, set
IMPACTS
indicators, visitor behavior, etc. The purpose of monitoring is to
determine whether a problem is developing or whether desired There are two other approaches to monitoring tourism impacts,
standards are being complied with. Monitoring provides the the Measure of Success Method and the Threat Reduction
basis for management intervention Assessment. Measures of Success applies the concept of
adaptive management and integrates monitoring into the project
Situations that demand corrective measures are deterioration
cycle. The steps involved in this method
and when development is below standard. During deterioration,
conditions are getting worse but still within the minimum 1. Determine the audiences for monitoring information.
acceptable standard. At this level, measures could be taken, but 2. Determine the information needed based on project
such should not substantially restrict access to the attraction. objectives.
When development is out of the minimum standard, the 3. Design a monitoring strategy for each information
appropriate action would be to restrict or modify recreational need.
use to restore and maintain acceptable standards. 4. Develop one or more indicators for each piece of
information needed.
CRITERIA EOR DECISION-MAKING
5. Apply and modify the indicators as needed.
Tourism planners and managers should evaluate which tactic to
DETERMINANTS OF TOURIST BEHAVIOR
use by asking the following (NOAA n.d.):
 Besides previously discussed management
1. Does the strategy adequately address the root cause of
interventions, Roura (n.d.) notes that tourist behavior is
the impact?
also influenced by whether tourism is land-based or
2. How effective is it in resolving the impact?
ship-based and by site-specific characteristics. Citing
3. Will it not create new problems?
tourism in Antarctica, Roura (n.d.) observes that land-
4. Is it subtle or obtrusive in terms of visitors being aware
based tourists tend to engage in walking around,
that they are being managed?
sightseeing taking photographs, kayakin8, and
5. Is it direct or indirect in how it impacts or influences
overnight camping. They use their initial destinations
visitor behavior?
on the cold continent as staging points to further inland
6. Does it preserve the visitors' freedom of choice?
locations. On the other hand, shipborne tourism is
7. How many visitors will be affected by it?
essentially mobile and focuses on accessing a string of
8. Are visitors likely to resist it?
coastal destinations.
9. How much will it cost?
 New locations attract new tourist activities which
LIMITS OF ACCEPTABLE CHANGE produce cumulative impacts as tourism destinations in
the Antarctic are established and consolidated.
 The limit of acceptable change is an alternative to Cumulative impacts occur at sites where tourism is
tourism carrying capacity. LAC is stakeholder-defined. carried out partially, such as by governmental or non-
The LAC process involves the following steps (NOAA governmental organizations on the continent, or where
n.d.): tourism is the only activity that takes place regularly.