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Reframing Sustainable Tourism pp 81–99Cite as

Framework for Understanding Sustainability in the Context of Tourism Operators

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Part of the Environmental Challenges and Solutions book series (ECAS,volume 2)

Abstract

Tour operators are an important component of the tourism system. They link tourists and destinations, and as a result have influence on sustainability within destinations. Tour operators are also part of a larger system that include direct involvement in all aspects of a tourist experience, such as accommodations, attractions, food services, and transportation. The scale of tourism operators span from very localized to international and deliver a diverse array of services. However, increasingly tour operators face challenges in controlling aspects of the tourism product. Because tour operators influence many aspects of a destination and how visitors might perceive the destination, the can maximize aspects of sustainability including: social and economic benefits; benefits to cultural heritage; benefits to the environment; and enable partnerships. A framework for sustainable tourism operators captures the variability and potential role and influence tour operations have within the industry overall.

Keywords

  • Sustainable tourism
  • GSTC
  • Criteria
  • Benefits
  • System
  • Resilient communities

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Kelly Bricker

  2. School of Environmental Sciences, Charles Sturt University, 789, Albury, NSW, 2640, Australia

    Rosemary Black

Authors
  1. Kelly Bricker
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  2. Rosemary Black
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kelly Bricker .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA

    Stephen F. McCool

  2. University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA

    Keith Bosak

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Bricker, K., Black, R. (2016). Framework for Understanding Sustainability in the Context of Tourism Operators. In: McCool, S., Bosak, K. (eds) Reframing Sustainable Tourism. Environmental Challenges and Solutions, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-7209-9_6

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