Sustainable Destination Management
Strategies in the OIC Member Countries
21
of tourism can be observed in its contribution to gross domestic product and employment in
tourism destinations. The positive socio-cultural impacts can be witnessed in the increased civic
involvement and pride of host communities as a result of interaction with visitors appreciative
of their culture as well as the resulting cultural exchange leading to mutual respect. With respect
to the negative impacts of tourism on destinations, import and export leakages can have an
adverse effect on tourism destinations on the economic level, while loss of cultural identity and
cultural clashes can occur on the socio-cultural level, in addition to environmental degradation
as a result of tourism activities on the environmental level.49
Figure 1: Impact of Tourism50
Source: DinarStandard Analysis
In recognition of the negative effects of tourism and the importance of sustainable tourism,
several charters and declarations, whether on the international, regional or local levels, have
attempted to establish criteria for sustainable tourism. Examples of these charters and
declarations include the UNWTO’s “Global Codes of Ethics for Tourism” in 1999 which puts
forward a set of voluntary principles to guide tourism industry players including principles
pertaining to wellbeing of industry workers and local communities. The World Ecotourism
Summit’s Québec Declaration on Ecotourism in 2002 highlighted the importance of the
development of ecotourism in both the preservation of tourism resources and poverty
alleviation in host communities. Another example is the Davos Declaration on “Climate Change
and Tourism” in 2007 which sought to address the global challenges facing tourism particularly
that of global warming. 51
The Evolution of the Sustainability Concept
The Triple Bottom Line concept was developed in the early 1990s to tackle the issue of
sustainability by expanding themeasurement of businesses’ performance beyond the traditional
focus on economic impacts to the environmental and social spheres. While the economic impact
could be easily measured in monetary terms, the environmental and social performance, with
issues such as biodiversity and indigenous values, proved to be more difficult to quantify.52 In
49 COMCEC. (2018). Destination development and institutionalization strategies in the OIC member countries COMCEC.
50 COMCEC. (2018). Destination development and institutionalization strategies in the OIC member countries COMCEC.
51 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/.
52 Lederwasch, A., & Mukheibir, P., (2013). The triple bottom line and progress towards ecological sustainable development:
Australia’s coal mining industry as a case study. Resources 2, 26-38.
Economic
Employment
Socio-Cultural Environmental
Loss of Indigenous
Identity &Values
Cultural Exchange
Civic Pride
Environmental Degradation
Green Tourism
Conservation Initiatives
GDP
Tourism Impact
Cultural Clashes
Leakages
Tourism Enclave
Types
Resources
Tourism Impact
Lifecycle
Positive
Negative