Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
17
Background and Methodology
Background
Tourism accounted for 10% of both global GDP and total employment in 2017, highlighting the
importance of this sector in ensuring sustainable development, especially considering its
forecasted growth by 3.3% a year until 2030.41 It is forecasted that tourism growth up to 2050,
without further interventions to ensure sustainability, will lead to an increase of 111% in energy
consumption, 105% in greenhouse gas emissions, 150% in water consumption, and 252% in
solid waste disposal. However, with targeted efforts in the areas of energy and water efficiency,
emissions mitigation and solid waste management, this scenario could be reversed with a
reduction of 18% in water consumption, 44% in energy supply and demand, and 52% in carbon
dioxide emissions.42 The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) proposes that “sustainable
tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and
enhancing opportunities for the future. It is envisaged as leading to the management of all
resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while
maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life
support systems”.43 In this study, we submit that effective sustainable destination management,
which preserves the essential resources and assets essential to the tourism industry, adopts
strategies aimed at increasing awareness of sustainability issues at the destination level, the
protection of natural and cultural heritage assets, management of environmental impacts,
managing demand and seasonality effects, and ensuring community well-being and tourist
satisfaction.
Acknowledging that the 57 Member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have
a substantial potential to improve sustainable destination management, this study aims to
provide tourism policy-makers in member states’ governments with recommendations
regarding sustainable tourism strategies that can be used by governments to ensure sustainable
destination development. In this study, chapter one explores sustainable destination
governance, key stakeholders, sustainable tourism strategies, funding models and resources,
and key performance indicators that are used to measure DMO effectiveness. Chapter two
presents eight case studies from the OIC and the non-OIC countries to shed light on best practices
in sustainable destination management. Chapter three compares practices of the OIC and the
non-OIC countries in areas of sustainable destination management and strategies. Chapter four
provides recommendations based on study findings for policy-makers in the OIC member states
for sustainable destination management and strategies.
41 UNWTO (2018). Baseline report on the integration of sustainable consumption and production patterns into tourism policies.
Retrieved from
42 UNEP. (2011). Towards a green economy: Pathways to sustainable development and poverty eradication - A synthesis for
policy makers. Retrieved from
43 Díaz, M., R., & Rodríguez, T., F., E., (2016). Determining the sustainability factors and performance of a tourism destination
from the stakeholders’ perspective. Sustainability 8(9), 951-968.