3.2 Effectiveness of Stakeholders in Influencing Sustainable Tourism Development

How effective are stakeholders in influencing sustainable tourism development?

How effective are governments in influencing sustainable tourism development? (1/2)

1) Establishing Policies and Creating Plans

• governments can set up policies and plans that other stakeholders may have to adhere to 

∴ ensures minimal damage to the environment while 

• maximising benefits to locals 

  • channelling tourism revenue to set up national parks + social services 

e.g., Sentosa Singapore, authorities brought together different stakeholders to

• develop a series of plans

  • to enable the island to be more sustainable

  • the plans are;

    (a) conserving Sentosa’s rich heritage

    (b) protecting the island’s biodiversity

    (c)achieving carbon-neutral status by 2030

How effective are governments in influencing sustainable tourism development? (2/2)

2) Enforcing Regulations

• enforcing regulations on the

  • types of tourism activity

  • number of tourists who can enter

• crucial to ensure that policies and plans are adhered to

e.g., Bhutan, where tourists can only enter the country via organising their trips with licensed tour operators

• they are tasked with

  • ensuring tourists adhere to laws and regulations

    → minimise the negative impacts of tourism

    (ensuring tourists only trekk on designated trails)

How is the effectiveness of governments in influencing sustainable tourism development limited? (1/2)

1) Poor Enforcement

• for regulations to be effective

  • active enforcement is required

  • governments which lack resources or political influence or face corruption

    • can’t ensure that regulations are adhered to

∴ hinders sustainable tourism development 

How is the effectiveness of governments in influencing sustainable tourism development limited? (2/2)

2) The Decision to Prioritize Economic Development

• some governments prioritise economic development

  → neglecting social and environmental dimensions of sustainability

∴ hinders sustainable tourism development

e.g., Mount Everest receives many tourists who wish to scale up the mountain annually but cuz of

• poor enforcement of waste disposal → mountain becomes increasingly polluted 

• tighter regulations are not imposed by Nepali authorities

  • out of fear that the flow of tourist arrivals would reduce

    → affecting the tourism revenue generated  

How effective are international organizations in influencing sustainable tourism development?

International organizations consist of

1) IGOs (govt org)

2) INGOs (non-govt org)

• they often have the knowledge, financial, and technical expertise to

  • provide assistance

  • influence sustainable tourism development by:

  (a) offering consultancy to countries on how to achieve sustainable tourism development 

  (b) providing financial assistance to different stakeholders
  (c) raising public awareness on how they can contribute to sustainable tourism development

e.g., In handicraft villages in Ha Tay province, Vietnam, they received help from an IGO

• consultancy and technical assistance

  • a marketing plan developed with the villagers

    → encourage independent travelers and tour operators to visit the villages

  • locals received handicraft skills training
    → create handicrafts to be sold to tourists

• financial assistance 

  • financial aid was given out to improve small-scale infrastructure (public toilets, village info board)

    → support tourism development

How is the effectiveness of international organizations in influencing sustainable tourism development limited?

1) Lack of Understanding of Local Contexts

• international organizations may comprise members of varying backgrounds and countries

  • different POVs regarding an issue 

    → may not understand the local contexts of the places they work with

∴ locals may not support their actions → hindering sustainable tourism development 

2) Lack of Funding

• many international organizations tend to be non-profit

  • challenging for them to choose projects to provide financial aid to 

• without funding, some plans may not be implemented

  ∴ hindering sustainable development