SUSTAINABILITY…development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

- Brundtland Report, 1987

Photo by Jeffrey Lee Mishler, © 2003. For more photos, visit www.JeffreyLeeMishler.com.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM…

1. Is integrated with and respectful of the culture, homeland, heritage, and people of a place;

2. Provides a unique and authentic experience for the visitor;

3. Generates localized economic development benefits;4. Has a balanced or beneficial impact on the

environment;

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM…

5. Generates revenue that is invested in conserving and enhancing the unique features of the community;

6. Provides an educational experience for the visitor that leaves them enriched and inspired to create positive change at home;

7. Encourages diverse parties to work together to create new opportunities and to address common challenges; and

8. Serves target markets that are profitable, with promising long term viability.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM…

Refers to a level of tourism activity that can be maintained over the long term because it results in a net benefit for the socio-cultural, economic, and natural environments of the area in which it takes place.

(ICOMOS 2002)

TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE

An expanded baseline for measuring performance, adding socio-cultural and environmental dimensions to the traditional economic benchmark; a positive triple bottom line in tourism means a net:•Improvement in conservation of the natural environment;•Social benefit for local communities;•Profit for business owners and shareholders; and•Gain for national and regional economies.

TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE

PEOPLEPLANETPROFIT

GEOTOURISM

Geotourism is defined as tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.

Source: National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations

Why should we care?

DESTINATION TOURISM STYLES DIFFER IN RELATION TO PLACE

Touring R & R Entertainment

touring‐style tourismrelies on human and physical character of place

ACTIVITIES• sightseeing• history• nature• scenery• hiking / Nordic  skiing• local shopping• typical cuisine• photography• culture & festivals

Photo by Sue Parsons, Flickr

Photo by Peter Marbach

touring‐style tourismrelies on human and physical character of place

ACTIVITIES• sightseeing• history• nature• scenery• hiking / Nordic  skiing• local shopping• typical local cuisine• photography• culture & festivals

CHARACTERISTICS

• Diffuse impact 

• Human powered

• Supports small businesses

• Requires protecting nature 

and heritage

• Needs architecture, 

landscapes, culture unique to 

the locale.

R & R tourismdepends only on physical character of place

ACTIVITIES• coastal resorts

• golf

• downhill skiing

• water sports

• vacation homes

R & R tourismdepends only on physical character of place

ACTIVITIES• coastal resorts

• golf

• downhill skiing

• water sports

• vacation homes

CHARACTERISTICS• risk of sprawl

• environmental impacts

• opportunity for architecture, 

landscaping, cuisine, day tours, 

that suit the locale

entertainment‐style tourism manufactured attractions do not depend on 

character of place

ACTIVITIES• theme parks

• outlet malls

• amusement parks 

• convention centers

• sports arenas 

• casinos

entertainment‐style tourism manufactured attractions do not depend on 

character of place

ACTIVITIES• theme parks

• outlet malls

• amusement parks 

• convention centers

• sports arenas 

• casinos

CHARACTERISTICS• changes nature of locale

• high impact

• mass tourism

• high traffic

• high employment generator

DESTINATION STYLE DRIFT . . . if development unchecked, unguided 

Touring R & R Entertain-ment

Unspoileddestination

SPOILED ?

Visit Beautiful Visit Beautiful Oregon!Oregon!

Plog’s psychographic continuumAfter Stanley C. Plog, PhD

VENTURERS PAROCHIALS(DEPENDABLES)

Venturers

Near-Venturers

Near-Parochials

Parochials

Centric-Venturers

Centric-Parochials

“MATURE” DESTINATION

BACK TO THE PRINCIPLES…

1. Sustainable tourism is integrated with and respectful of the culture, homeland, heritage, and people of a place;

TIMBERLINE LODGE ON MT. HOOD

KAHKAH--NEENEE--TATAWARM SPRINGS RESERVATIONWARM SPRINGS RESERVATION

KUNA YALA PANAMA

2. Sustainable tourism provides a unique and authentic experience for the visitor;

LOCALHISTORY

PORTLAND BRIDGE PEDAL

DAS PARK HOTELOttensheim, Austria

3. Sustainable tourism generates localized economic development benefits;

LOCAL MUSIC

LOCAL CUISINE

LOCAL MARKETS

Photo courtesy of Jeff Behan © 2008

LOCAL CRAFTSEugene Saturday Market

LOCAL ART

LOCAL ART

LOCAL GUIDES

LOCAL FISHERMEN

LOCAL SHOPKEEPERS

Photo by Iercercle

BUSTLING MAIN STREETS

$$$$ NEED TO STAY LOCAL

4. Sustainable tourism has a balanced or beneficial impact on the environment;

Why do this?

• 80% of American travelers consider themselves as environmentally conscious

• 51% claim despite the economic downturn they still want to patron good (sustainable) businesses

(Source: Travel Industry Association and Ypartnership, 2009)

Eight out of 10 (78%) U.S. adults consider themselves "environmentally conscious"

• 85% turn out the lights when they leave a room;

• 67% practice energy efficiency by regulating air conditioning and heating when not at home;

• 53% keep showers short.

(Source: Travel Industry Association and Ypartnership, 2007)

Thirty-two percent of those surveyed said they will be more environmentally conscious in their travel decisions this year, as compared with 26 percent last year.

(Source: TripAdvisor 2009)

USE OF NATURAL FEATURESSokol Blosser Wine Cellar - Dundee, OR

• underground chamber naturally stays cooler

• rounded profile blends in with landscape

For more information, visit the Sokol Blosser Winery website at www.sokolblosser.com

Photo courtesy of Sera Architects, © Sera Architects, www.serapdx.com

APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGYOregon Parks & Rec Dept. Composting Toilets

Smith Rocks, Oregon

The system was designed and fabricated by Biological Mediation Systems, Inc., of Colorado.

• virtually odorless

• solar power used to drive ventilating fan

• less frequent removal of remaining solids

• compost used for fertilizer

GREEN DESIGNMONTEREY BAY SHORES

RESORT

MONTEREY BAY SHORES RESORTRooftop solar panels & living walls

5. Sustainable tourism generates revenue that is invested in conserving and enhancing the unique features of the community;

Example: Lindblad ExpeditionsInternational Ecotourism Company

Lindblad seeks to travel in an environmentally responsible way, leaving the places they visit as they found them.

Photo of research station by Holly Gordon and photo of the M/S Polaris by L, Arnold Frederick off of the Lindblad Expeditions website at www.Expeditions.com.

They raise money from their guests to support local conservation efforts in the regions where their vessels operate.

LUANG NAMTHA, LAOS

Photos by Kristin Dahl Photos by Kristin Dahl ©© 20032003

Revenue used for community projects such as primary schools & health education.

Locals are certified as hiking and raft guides. Profits used to establish a local tourism association.

LAPA RIOSCosta Rica

Photos from the Lapa Rios website at http://laparios.com/laparios.htm.

A portion of profits to support local schools.

Guided tours with local guides help support the ongoing maintenance and land preservation.

DOLLARS A DAY for Conservation ProgramAlaska

For more information visit the Alaska Wilderness Recreation and Tourism Association website at http://www.awrta.org/dollarsaday.html. Photo of Juneau, Alaska by Craig Dahl, 2002.

During 2001, 35 AWRTA business participants of the program raised over $25,000 for conservation organizations.

UNICEF’S TAP PROJECT

HEATHMAN HOTEL

&

FRIENDS OF FOREST PARK

Globally, “voluntourism” is one of the fastest growing segments of the travel market

Why do this?

6. Sustainable tourism provides an educational experience for the visitor that leaves them enriched and inspired to create positive change at home;

KOTOWA COFFEE TOURS Boquete, Panama

EDUCATIONALVOLUNTEER VACATIONS

7. Sustainable tourism encourages diverse parties to work together to create new opportunities and to address common challenges; and

South African National ParksHoerikwaggo Trail

- short video -

Oakridge, Oregon

METHOW VALLEYMulti-Use Trails

Taken from the Methow Valley Sport Trails Association website atTaken from the Methow Valley Sport Trails Association website at http://www.mvsta.comhttp://www.mvsta.com. .

•• 125 miles of multi125 miles of multi--use trails (winter use trails (winter & summer activities)& summer activities)

•• Many public access points, Many public access points, connecting two townsconnecting two towns

•• Links Nordic trail system, Pacific Links Nordic trail system, Pacific Crest trail, hikers and mountain Crest trail, hikers and mountain bikersbikers

•• Formed a private nonFormed a private non--profit to profit to coordinate marketing, events, coordinate marketing, events, maintenancemaintenance

8. Sustainable tourism serves target markets that are profitable, with promising long term viability.

Sightseeing/ Adventuring

Culinary tourism

Civictourism

Cultural tourism

From eco‐ to geo‐

Ecotourism(nature)

Heritage tourism

Indigenous tourism

GEOTOURISM

Agri‐tourism

All place‐based types of tourism =

the ENTIRE destination

Manage tourism so that it pays to protect the place, not destroy it.