Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Tourism Sustainability: Perspectives on Past Works, Issues and Future Research Opportunities

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Environmental Management and Sustainable Development

Abstract

The emergence of tourism as one of the crucial contributors to global economic performance has led to the proliferation of studies on the sector’s link to the concept of sustainability. It is a well-established knowledge that tourism lays its foundation on the environment to build infrastructure, facilities and services to develop a tourist destination. As the destination becomes competitive, the tourism sector has the responsibility to minimise its footprint that would lead to degradation of the environment. This is difficult to achieve as finding the right balance between environmental limits and sectoral development is further complicated by the dynamism of tourism and a multitude of other variables, such as the complexities of host communities, destination lifecycles and also the uncertainty and instability of the global economy along with emerging trends in tourism. Specifically, challenges in tourism sustainability are bountiful. This chapter unearths the contemporaneous issues that range from the quality of indicators, formulation and implementation of policies, poor relations among stakeholders to the lack of awareness on environmental sustainability. Considering the extent of challenges that beleaguers the sustainability concept as a whole, this chapter provides three main research opportunities on pro-environmental behaviours, policymaking and sustainability communication for future commentators, industry practitioners and policymakers. It is hoped that this will provide a strong foundation for more empirical works on tourism sustainability, further reducing the gap of inherent contradictions between sustainability and development.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amin S, Tarun MT (2019) Enhancing green hotel visit intention: role of green perceived value, perceived consumer effectiveness and environmental knowledge. Int Bus Res 12(5):123–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Andria J, di Tollo G, Pesenti R (2020) A heuristic fuzzy algorithm for assessing and managing tourism sustainability. Soft Comput 24(6):4027–4040

    Google Scholar 

  • Asmelash AG, Kumar S (2019) Assessing progress of tourism sustainability: developing and validating sustainability indicators. Tour Manag 71:67–83

    Google Scholar 

  • Avcikurt C, Dinu M, Hacioğlu N, Efe R, Soykan A (2015) Tourism, environment and sustainability. ST. Kliment Ohridski University Press, Bulgaria

    Google Scholar 

  • Bamberg S, Möser G (2007) Twenty years after Hines, Hungerford, and Tomera: a new meta-analysis of psycho- social determinants of pro-environmental behaviour. J Environ Psychol 27(1):14–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Bamberg S, Schmidt P (2003) Incentives, morality, or habit? Predicting students’ car use for university routes with the models of Ajzen, Schwartz, and Triandis. Environ Behav 35(2):264–285

    Google Scholar 

  • Becken S, Jin X, Zhang C, Gao J (2017) Urban air pollution in China: destination image and risk perceptions. J Sustain Tour 25(1):130–147

    Google Scholar 

  • Beritelli P, Bieger T, Laesser C (2007) Destination governance: using corporate governance theories as a foundation for effective destination management. J Travel Res 46(1):96–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Berno T (2015) Tourism, food traditions and supporting communities in Samoa: the mea’ai project. In: Sloan P, Legrand W, Hindley C (eds) The Routledge handbook of sustainable food and gastronomy. Routledge, London, pp 338–347

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertolini L, Le Clercq F, Kapoen L (2005) Sustainable accessibility: a conceptual framework to integrate transport and land use plan-making. Two test-applications in the Netherlands and a reflection on the way forward. Transp Policy 12(3):207–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhuiyan MA, Zaman K, Shoukry AM, Gani S, Sharkawy MA, Sasmoko et al (2018) Energy, tourism, finance, and resource depletion: panel data analysis. Energy Sources B: Econ Plan Policy 13(11–12):463–474

    Google Scholar 

  • Bramwell B (2013) Governance, the state and sustainable tourism: a political economy approach. In: Bramwell B, Lane B (eds) Tourism governance. Routledge, London, pp 59–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Bramwell B, Lane B (1993) Sustainable tourism: an evolving global approach. J Sustain Tour 1(1):1–5

    Google Scholar 

  • Bramwell B, Lane B (2011) Crises, sustainable tourism and achieving critical understanding. J Sustain Tour 19(1):1–3

    Google Scholar 

  • Brundtland GH, Khalid M, Agnelli S (1987) Our common future. In: Tolba MK, Biswas AK (eds) Earth and us. Populations resources environment development. United Nations Environment Programme. Butterworth-Heinemann, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Casagrandi R, Rinaldi S (2002) A theoretical approach to tourism sustainability. Conserv Ecol 6(1):13

    Google Scholar 

  • Cernat L, Gourdon J (2012) Paths to success: benchmarking cross-country sustainable tourism. Tour Manag 33(5):1044–1056

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins A (1999) Tourism development and natural capital. Ann Tour Res 26(1):98–109

    Google Scholar 

  • De Groot JI, Steg L (2009) Morality and prosocial behavior: the role of awareness, responsibility, and norms in the norm activation model. J Soc Psychol 149(4):425–449

    Google Scholar 

  • De Vasconcellos EA (2005) Urban change, mobility and transport in São Paulo: three decades, three cities. Transp Policy 12(2):91–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Della Corte V, Del Gaudio G, Sepe F, Sciarelli F (2019) Sustainable tourism in the open innovation realm: a bibliometric analysis. Sustainability 11(21):6114

    Google Scholar 

  • Farrell BH, Twining-Ward L (2004) Reconceptualizing tourism. Ann Tour Res 31(2):274–295

    Google Scholar 

  • Faulkner B, Russell R (1997) Chaos and complexity in tourism: in search of a new perspective. Pac Tour Rev 1(2):93–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Fenton-Keane J (2015) Science and nature discourse in ecotourism. In: Holden A, Slocum S, Kline C (eds) Scientific tourism: researchers as travellers. Routledge, Abingdon, pp 40–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Font X, Harris C (2004) Rethinking standards from green to sustainable. Ann Tour Res 31(4):986–1007

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghoochani OM, Ghanian M, Khosravipour B, Crotts JC (2020) Sustainable tourism development performance in the wetland areas: a proposed composite index. Tour Rev 5:745–764

    Google Scholar 

  • Gkoumas A (2019) Evaluating a standard for sustainable tourism through the lenses of local industry. Heliyon 5(11):e02707

    Google Scholar 

  • Goeldner CR, Ritchie JB (2007) Tourism principles, practices, philosophies. Wiley, Hoboken

    Google Scholar 

  • Guijt I, Moiseev A (2001) Resource kit for sustainability assessment. IUCN, Gland/Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Gunter U, Ceddia MG, Leonard D, Tröster B (2018) Contribution of international ecotourism to comprehensive economic development and convergence in the Central American and Caribbean region. Appl Econ 50(33):3614–3629

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo Y, Jiang J, Li S (2019) A sustainable tourism policy research review. Sustainability 11(11):3187

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall CM (2011) A typology of governance and its implications for tourism policy analysis. J Sustain Tour 19(4–5):437–457

    Google Scholar 

  • Halleux V (2017) Sustainable tourism: the environmental dimension. European Parliament, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Haulot A (1985) The environment and the social value of tourism. Int J Environ Stud 25(4):219–223

    Google Scholar 

  • Herculano-Houzel S, Collins CE, Wong P, Kaas JH, Lent R (2008) The basic nonuniformity of the cerebral cortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci 105:12593–12598. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0805417105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hopwood B, Mellor M, O’Brien G (2005) Sustainable development: mapping different approaches. Sustain Dev 13:38–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Hsiao TY, Chuang CM, Kuo NW, Yu SMF (2014) Establishing attributes of an environmental management system for green hotel evaluation. Int J Hosp Manag 36:197–208

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang Y, Coelho VR (2017) Sustainability performance assessment focusing on coral reef protection by the tourism industry in the Coral Triangle region. Tour Manag 59:510–527

    Google Scholar 

  • Imran S, Alam K, Beaumont N (2014) Environmental orientations and environmental behaviour: perceptions of protected area tourism stakeholders. Tour Manag 40:290–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Jamal T, Watt EM (2013) Climate change pedagogy and performative action: toward community-based destination governance. In: Bramwell B, Lane B (eds) Tourism governance. Routledge, London, pp 171–188

    Google Scholar 

  • Jurigova ́ Z, Lencse ́sova ́ Z (2015) Monitoring system of sustainable development in cultural and mountain tourism destinations. J Compet 7(1):35–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim S-H, Lee K, Fairhurst A (2017) The review of “green” research in hospitality, 2000-2014: current trends and future research directions. Int J Contemp Hosp Manag 29(1):226–247

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li X, Liu T (2020) Drivers and barriers of event greening–an Asian perspective. Curr Issue Tour:1–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu CHS, Horng JS, Chou SF (2015) A critical evaluation of sustainable tourism from the integrated perspective: conducting moderated–mediation analysis. Tour Manag Perspect 16:43–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu G, Brown MT, Casazza M (2017) Enhancing the sustainability narrative through a deeper understanding of sustainable development indicators. Sustainability 9(6):1078

    Google Scholar 

  • Luo W (2018) Evaluating tourist destination performance: expanding the sustainability concept. Sustainability 10(2):1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Malka A, Krosnick JA, Langer G (2009) The association of knowledge with concern about global warming: trusted information sources shape public thinking. Risk Anal Int J 29:633–647

    Google Scholar 

  • Marano V, Kostova T (2016) Unpacking the institutional complexity in adoption of CSR practices in multinational enterprises. J Manag Stud 53(1):28–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Neves MF (2010) The food business environment and the role of China and Brazil building a “food bridge”. China Agric Econ Rev 2(1):25–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Okumus F (2013) Facilitating knowledge management through information technology in hospitality organizations. J Hosp Tour Technol 4(1):64–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Ólafsdóttir R, Haraldsson HV (2019) Tourism spatial dynamics and causal relations: a need for holistic understanding. In: Müller DK (ed) A research agenda for tourism geographies. Edward Elgar Publishing, Northampton, pp 128–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Padurean L (2010) Implementing destination governance. In: Proceedings think tank X: networking for sustainable tourism, Vienna, Austria, pp 193–201

    Google Scholar 

  • Park E, Lee S, Lee CK, Kim JS, Kim NJ (2018) An integrated model of travelers’ pro-environmental decision-making process: the role of the new environmental paradigm. Asia Pac J Tour Res 23(10):935–948

    Google Scholar 

  • Pechlaner H, Volgger M, Herntrei M (2012) Destination management organizations as interface between destination governance and corporate governance. Anatolia 23(2):151–168

    Google Scholar 

  • Pham NT, Tučková Z, Jabbour CJC (2019) Greening the hospitality industry: how do green human resource management practices influence organizational citizenship behavior in hotels? A mixed-methods study. Tour Manag 72:386–399

    Google Scholar 

  • Räikkönen J, Rouhiainen H, Grénman M, Sääksjärvi IE (2019) Advancing environmental sustainability through nature-based science tourism: the potential of universities. Matkailututkimus 15(1):67–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramos CMQ, Andraz G, Cardoso I (2020) The role of ICT in involving the tourist and in sustainability of tourism destinations. In: Ratten V (ed) Technological progress, inequality and entrepreneurship: from consumer division to human centricity. Springer Publishing, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Reddy MV (2008) Sustainable tourism rapid indicators for less-developed islands: an economic perspective. Int J Tour Res 10(6):557–576

    Google Scholar 

  • Rickinson M (2001) Learners and learning in environmental education: a critical review of the evidence. Environ Educ Res 7:207–320

    Google Scholar 

  • Ritchie JB, Crouch GI (2003) The competitive destination: a sustainable tourism perspective. CABI Publishing, Cambridge, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogerson CM (2012) Strengthening agriculture-tourism linkages in the developing world: opportunities, barriers and current initiatives. Afr J Agric Res 7(4):616–623

    Google Scholar 

  • Salazar A, Cardoso C (2019) Tourism planning: impacts as benchmarks for sustainable development plans. Worldw Hosp Tour Themes 11(6):652–659

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmit TM, Rickard BJ, Taber J (2013) Consumer valuation of environmentally friendly production practices in wines, considering asymmetric information and sensory effects. J Agric Econ 64(2):483–504

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz SH (1977) Normative influence on altruism. In: Berkowitz L (ed) Advances in experimental social psychology. Academic Press, New York, pp 221–279

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma R, Fantin AR, Prabhu N, Guan C, Dattakumar A (2016) Digital literacy and knowledge societies: a grounded theory investigation of sustainable development. Telecommun Policy 40(7):628–643

    Google Scholar 

  • Sims R (2009) Food, place and authenticity: local food and the sustainable tourism experience. J Sustain Tour 17(3):321–336

    Google Scholar 

  • Sood S (2011) Sustainable travel in Malaysia. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20110112-travelwise-sustainable-travel-in-malaysia

  • Steg L, De Groot J (2010) Explaining prosocial intentions: testing causal relationships in the norm activation model. Br J Soc Psychol 49(4):725–743

    Google Scholar 

  • Steg L, Dreijerink L, Abrahamse W (2005) Factors influencing the acceptability of energy policies: a test of VBN theory. J Environ Psychol 25(4):415–425

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern PC (2000) New environmental theories: Toward a coherent theory of environmentally significant behavior. J Soc Issues 56(3):407–424

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern PC, Dietz T, Abel TD, Guagnano GA, Kalof L (1999) A value-belief-norm theory of support for social movements: The case of environmentalism. Hum Ecol Rev 56(3):407–424

    Google Scholar 

  • Sunlu U (2003) Environmental impacts of tourism. In: Camarda D, Grassini L (eds) Local resources and global trades: environments and agriculture in the Mediterranean region. Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes, Montpellier, pp 263–270

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiago F, Gil A, Stemberge S, Borges-Tiago T (2020) Digital sustainability communication in tourism. J Innov Knowl 6(1):27–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Töelkes C (2018) Sustainability communication in tourism – a literature review. Tour Manag Perspect 27:10–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Torres RM, Momsen JH (2004) Challenges and potential for linking tourism and agriculture to achieve pro-poor tourism objectives. Prog Dev Stud 4(4):294–318

    Google Scholar 

  • Trunfio M, Della Lucia M (2019) Engaging destination stakeholders in the digital era: the best practice of Italian regional DMOs. J Hosp Tour Res 43(3):349–373

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations Environment Programme & World Tourism Organization (2005) Making tourism more sustainable – a guide for policy makers. Retrieved from https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/book/10.18111/9789284408214

  • Van Zyl CJ (2005) The role of tourism in the conservation of cultural heritage with particular relevance for South Africa. Doctoral dissertation, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Retrieved from http://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/1098

  • Vellecco I, Mancino A (2010) Sustainability and tourism development in three Italian destinations: stakeholders’ opinions and behaviours. Serv Ind J 30(13):2201–2223

    Google Scholar 

  • Vicente-Molina MA, Fernández-Sáinz A, Izagirre-Olaizola J (2013) Environmental knowledge and other variables affecting pro-environmental behaviour: comparison of university students from emerging and advanced countries. J Clean Prod 61:130–138

    Google Scholar 

  • Waas T, Huge J, Block T, Wright T, Benitez-Capistros F, Verbruggen A (2014) Sustainability assessment and indicators: tools in a decision-making strategy for sustainable development. Sustainability 6(9):5512–5534

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams C, Aguilera RV (2008) Corporate social responsibility in a comparative perspective. In: Crane A, Matten D, McWilliams A, Moon J, Siegel DS (eds) Oxford handbook of corporate social responsibility. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 452–472

    Google Scholar 

  • World Tourism Organization (2015) Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals. UNWTO, Madrid. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.18111/9789284417254

  • World Tourism Organization (2020) International tourism growth continues to outpace the global economy. Retrieved from https://www.unwto.org/international-tourism-growth-continues-to-outpace-the-economy

  • Yoopetch C, Nimsai S (2019) Science mapping the knowledge base on sustainable tourism development, 1990–2018. Sustainability 11(13):3631

    Google Scholar 

  • Zaei ME, Zaei ME (2013) The impacts of tourism industry on host community. Eur J Tour Hosp Res 1(2):12–21

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Gong Badak Campus, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kampus Gong Badak, Terengganu, Malaysia

    Muaz Azinuddin, Wan Mohd Adzim Wan Mohd Zain & Nur Shahirah Mior Shariffuddin

Authors
  1. Muaz Azinuddin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wan Mohd Adzim Wan Mohd Zain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nur Shahirah Mior Shariffuddin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Muaz Azinuddin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia

    Mohd Armi Abu Samah

  2. Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia

    Mohd Khairul Amri Kamarudin

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Azinuddin, M., Zain, W.M.A.W.M., Shariffuddin, N.S.M. (2022). Tourism Sustainability: Perspectives on Past Works, Issues and Future Research Opportunities. In: Samah, M.A.A., Kamarudin, M.K.A. (eds) Environmental Management and Sustainable Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93932-8_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation