What’s in a name? The meaning of sustainability to destination managers

Abstract

Destination managers frequently describe strategies, plans, or projects in destinations as part of an overall commitment to sustainable development or sustainability in the destination. The meaning of the term sustainability, however, is highly contested in both academia and practice, and it is not at all clear what destination managers mean when they claim to act in the interests of sustainable tourism. This paper assesses the concept of sustainability and its operationalisation by destination managers at the regional destination level. Our international, comparative study examines two destination regions that emphasise nature-based tourism, the Tyrolean Oberland, Austria, and the South Island of New Zealand. Twenty-two high-ranking destination managers representing 20 destinations were interviewed. We demonstrate how colloquial, academic, and applied interpretations of sustainability are tangled and intertwined in day-to-day destination management. The types of destination management interventions that are described as sustainable and the extent to which the economic component of sustainability is prioritised vary strongly across destinations and destination regions. The study results demonstrate that in order to achieve sustainability in destinations, stakeholders need to develop a shared understanding of what constitutes sustainable destination development, and how it can be meaningfully operationalised.

A systematic and major review of proactive environmental strategies in hospitality and tourism: Looking back for moving forward

“…The business literature has widely addressed the issue of sustainability and sustainable development (Asamoah et al, 2021; Bhatia, 2021; Elhoushy & Lanzini, 2021; Elkhwesky, Salem, Varmus et al, 2022; Mukhuty et al, 2022; Oreja‐Rodríguez & Armas‐Cruz, 2012; Tzschentke et al, 2004). In addition, sustainability is important to protect the environment and enhance economic and social aspects through responsible actions and projects (Albrecht et al, 2020; Hakovirta & Denuwara, 2020; Risitano et al, 2021). The hospitality and tourism (H&T) industries are significant economic activities in the world (Branchini et al, 2015; Hens et al, 2018) that have impacts on the natural environment (Reyes‐Santiago et al, 2019).…”

Sustainable practices in hospitality pre and amid COVID‐19 pandemic: Looking back for moving forward post‐COVID‐19

“…For the past two decades, the notion of sustainability has been actively debated in both social and scientific circles (Malheiro et al, 2020 ). Sustainability refers to environmentally, socio‐culturally, and economically responsible projects and actions (Albrecht et al, 2020 ). Sustainable development goals set by the United Nations ask that everyone commit to reaching the goals' targets by 2030 (Stombelli, 2020 ).…”

“…There is a need for policy frameworks at international, national, and institutional levels to engage in social responsibilities (e.g., corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and sustainable development) (Fonseca & Carnicelli, 2021 ). Sustainability is a hotly debated topic in academia and practice, and it is unclear what managers mean by sustainable tourism goals (Albrecht et al, 2020 ). Although Sin et al ( 2021 ) exhibited that the importance of sustainability in the tourism and hotel industry has increased lately, it remains ambiguous and needs more academic research (Olya et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Calisto et al ( 2021 ) also stated that a more comprehensive approach to sustainability is needed to gain a better knowledge of sustainable business decisions in the hotel sector, which is lacking in the literature. Despite the importance of sustainable practices during crisis times, such as COVID‐19 and post‐pandemic (Pelikanova et al, 2021 ) and the struggle, ambiguity, and volatility in both academia and practice regarding sustainability in tourism and hospitality (Albrecht et al, 2020 ; Oriade et al, 2021 ; Sin et al, 2021 ), scholars argue there is a need for a more holistic approach to sustainability (Calisto et al, 2021 ). This is further evidenced by increasing academic interest in sustainable practices (Cantele & Cassia, 2020 ).…”

Ecotourism Practices in Potatso National Park from the Perspective of Tourists: Assessment and Developing Contradictions

“…They are usually reflected in the contradiction between tourists' experience needs and national parks' environmental protection need [34]. Environmental education is an important feature that distinguishes ecotourism from mass tourism [35][36][37][38]. In terms of environmental protection of national parks, the practice of ecotourism is mainly reflected in environmental interpretation system and environmental facilities.…”