Strategy for Selecting Sustainable Tourism Indicators for the Gaspésie and Îles de la Madeleine Regions

Abstract

This article describes the creation of a grid of sustainable tourism indicators, specifically the strategy adopted by the Gaspésie and Îles de la Madeleine regions of Québec. First, a list of indicators recognized by experts, which systematically cover the dimensions of sustainable tourism, was compiled. In the second step, the indicators were coordinated with the sustainable tourism policy framework of each region, to operationalize the indicators while preserving their validity. This two-step strategy led to identification of a list of recognized and measurable sustainable tourism indicators consistent with the tourism policy of each region. This approach thus minimizes the risks of instrumentalization of the concept of sustainable tourism, and guarantees the validity of the assessment and follow-up approaches in this area.

The Role of Public Participation for Determining Sustainability Indicators for Arctic Tourism

“…This conference thus marked a certain turning point in the discussion on sustainable development, as ever since there has been an increased emphasis on the importance of a holistic vision of all the influential factors, so as to gain an understanding of their interconnectedness. Since then, there has been an increasing number of scientific research, e.g., [24,[27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34], focusing on the importance of developing integrated sustainability indicators that describe the total impact of tourism, as well as the connection between tourism and the complex systems of the society, economy, and environment. Hence, only through an overall vision is it possible to see how the different parts from each system interconnect with the three main pillars of sustainability, as well as between themselves [32].…”