The destination specificity of STIs : a critical analysis

Abstract

On a small island there are limited resources and the interconnectivity between economic, environmental, social and cultural activities is much more pronounced. As a consequence, tourism in small islands cannot be effectively planned and managed without being fully integrated into other island activities, and sustainability is thus more of a practical and pragmatic necessity than an optional extra. While substantial progress has been made in terms of environmental management on small islands, methods for developing sustainable small-island tourism have been less well researched. Central to sustainable development Is the use and sustainability of natural, social and cultural resources. As this should also be a key concern for tourism, especially in the context of small islands, the two fields of study have a natural confluence, m sustainable tourism indicators. As a result of the work of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development (UNCSD), indicators are now generally accepted as essential tools for monitoring sustainable development. Tourism scholars in increasing numbers are advocating the need for indicators to monitor the sustainability of tourism. The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) et al (1997), for example, claim the establishment of realistic sustainable tourism indicators is a top priority for national tourism organisations. The relative absence of reliable indicators in tourism is a serious problem and the need for the development of sustainable tourism indicators in the context of small island stales has been clearly articulated by the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (Frangialli 1999:20). The key issues and influences affecting the sustainable development of destination areas can vary dramatically, depending on the environment, culture, and stage of tourism development. Various methodologies used to derive indicator sets are critiqued as well as frameworks such as the UNCSD's Pressure-State-Response (PSR). Approaches to the task are contemplated for their effectiveness in measuring progress covering bottom-up, partnerships and top-down arrangements. The case of Calvia municipality in Mallorca is examined for its strengths and weaknesses, and Malta's position is assessed. Both microcosms are queried for their Interpretation of what is felt to make a 'winning' indicator. According to the UNCSD, indicators should be understandable, realisable, conceptually well-founded, limited in number, broad in their coverage and dependent on data that is readily available. The World Tourism Organisation (W1O) ( 1995) recommends similar criteria for the selection of sustainable tourism indicators identifying; data availability; credibility, simplicity, the ability to show trends over time and having known threshold value as core indicator values. The thesis posits that sustainable tourism indicators be destination specific. An holistic approach will be adopted which will explore the notion that the task of constructing an inventory of indicators need necessarily be carried out in situ. While not a statistical exercise, the thesis will ultimately aim to identify a better base on which to measure sustainable tourism development.