Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
2
of sustainable tourism, several charters and declarations, whether on the international, regional
or local levels, have attempted to establish criteria for sustainable tourism.4
Dimensions and Aims of Sustainable Tourism: Sustainable tourism needs to consider the
ecological, economic, and social sustainability of the destination. Sustainable tourism aims to
safeguard the natural and cultural heritage of the destination as well as to ensure the well-being
of local communities and the satisfaction of tourists. This requires efficient destination
management, continuous monitoring, and the cooperation of tourism stakeholders.5 The
UNWTO identified twelve goals for sustainable tourism, including ensuring the competitiveness
and local prosperity of the destination, improving local employment conditions in the tourism
sector, securing equal distribution of benefits from tourism and ensuring the well-being of the
local community as well as empowering them through a the use of a participatory approach in
tourism planning and decision making, providing tourists with a fulfilling experience, using
resources efficiently, and respecting the cultural heritage of the destination, protecting the
physical integrity, environmental purity, and biological diversity of the natural areas and
habitats.6 In the following figure, the aims of sustainable tourism are linked to the triple bottom
line approach to illustrate both the continuity and development of the sustainable tourism
concept.
The Triple Bottom Line and Aims of Sustainable Tourism
Source: DinarStandard Analysis based on TBL concept and UNWTO Sustainable Tourism Goals
Challenges to Sustainable Tourism Strategies Implementation: Sustainable tourism strategies
implementation faces a number of obstacles including lack of awareness and understanding of the
concept sustainable tourism, the prioritization of economic objectives over environmental and
social issues, inadequate coordination and incorporation into wider policy on the different
4 UNESCO. (2009). Sustainable tourism development in UNESCO designated sites in South-Eastern Europe. Retrieved from
view/news/sustainable_tourism_development_in_unesco_designated_sites_i/.
5 UNESCO. (2009). Sustainable tourism development in UNESCO designated sites in South-Eastern Europe. Retrieved from
view/news/sustainable_tourism_development_in_unesco_designated_sites_i/.
6 UNWTO. (2013). Sustainable tourism for development guidebook. UNWTO.