Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
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also concerns the renewal of the structures most closely related to green tourism such as
campsites and agritourism.
In Uganda, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has plans to monitor tourism development and
its impacts, especially in terms of waste management, by requiring environmental impact
studies and monitoring the implementation of mitigation measures. National park
authorities work with local government officials to enforce Environmental Impact
Assessments compliance. They monitor compliance with EIA mitigation measures with
the assistance of the Planning and EIA Unit of the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
In the Maldives, regulations are in place that set requirements for future developments in
terms of distance between developments and coastal/vegetation lines, sewage and
wastewater treatment, construction percentage of island area, etc. Furthermore, there is
an initiative to achieve carbon neutrality for the country by 2020 by reducing electricity
emissions by 80-90% through the use of solar panels.
5. Ensuring Community Wellbeing – Destination/national level
Build Capacity at the Community Level: The case studies of Al-Quds (Palestine) and
Copenhagen (Denmark) highlight the importance of capacity building at the community
level in order to work towards sustainable tourism in an effective manner.
There is perhaps no city in the world with a more iconic and significant position than Al-
Quds/Jerusalem. Despite its obvious potential, there is little capacity at the community
level to address sustainability issues in an equitable manner for all the city’s residents.
This is an outcome of the history of conflict associated with the city and the intentional
disenfranchisement of its Palestinian residents. Copenhagen, by contrast, was able to
undertake an integrated, community-based tourism development strategy. This strategy
emphasized community well-being as much as the ecological and economic components
associated with sustainable tourism.
It is precisely this strategy that has enabled Copenhagen to avoid many of challenges
currently experienced by other cities. The residents of Copenhagen were given voice to
help shape their future.
There is no specific policy or strategy for capacity building and community engagement
that will work at every destination. And even the most experienced community liaisons
will fail at times. This work is often the most challenging because of all the different local
interests. But it is essential, and a necessary component of any long-term, sustainable
tourism initiative. The key here is establishing and nourishing a meaningful relationship
between the destination planners/developers and the local community. This could be an
advantage to both: local produce can be sold at a premium whilst giving employment to
local farmers.
In New Zealand, Qualmark, the country’s official tourism quality assurance system
supported by the Government, includes elements to ensure local community wellbeing
such as the provision of support to the local community by sponsoring community events
or community groups and charities. In Denmark, the Green Key certification, endorsed by
the DMO Wonderful Copenhagen, criteria include elements to ensure local community
wellbeing such as the consumption of local products, the support of local businesses,