MKT01760 Assessment 2: Critique of Tourism Discussion Papers

This report critically analyzes two discussion papers focused on sustainable tourism and its significance. The student's report begins with an introduction that highlights the core themes of sustainable tourism and its relationship with economic growth, referencing the global impact of tourism on GDP and employment. The report then delves into the structures of the discussion papers, comparing their approaches to the policy planning cycle and the challenges faced by the tourism sector, such as weak business environments and skill shortages. A key aspect of the report examines the viewpoints of stakeholders, emphasizing the role of sustainable tourism in attracting investment, promoting social inclusiveness, and reducing poverty. The comparison of the two papers highlights their common ground in sustainable tourism while also addressing the importance of efficient resource management, environmental protection, and cultural preservation within the industry. The report concludes with the author's reflections on the need for further research and improved skills in tourism planning environments.

Running head: TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT
TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
The main focus of this discussion will be to critically compare two discussion papers
related on the topic of sustainable tourism and its importance. The first discussion paper deals
with the sustainable tourism for development and the second paper deals with the importance of
sustainable tourism in the context of global world. From the first discussion paper, it can be
stated that it has been found from the researches that there lies a strong relationship between
tourism and economic growth. It has been found from the researches that almost 10% of the
gross domestic product of the world is contributed by the tourism department of that particular
region, though it is still unclear that whether growth drives the tourism of a particular area or
tourism drives the growth. There lies a mutual relationship between these two aspects. The
tourism may play an integral part in the sustainable development of a nation in the context of
socio-economic equality, reduction of poverty and environmental integrity. There are more than
1.235 billion international arrivals of tourists in all the regions of the world which are taken into
consideration and more than US$ 1.260 trillion earned from international tourists and US$ 3.420
trillion from domestic tourism. 1 in 11 jobs are provided throughout the world from the tourism
industry. And if all these numbers are taken into consideration, it can be found that more than
3.3% annual growth globally from the number of international tourists by the end of 2030 (Jamal
and Camargo 2014). Tourism plays an integral part in the opportunities for development, with
the substantial size of the industry, rapid growth, contribution to international trade and linkages
to other industries through the value chain of tourism are taken into consideration. On the other
hand, he other discussion paper states the importance of sustainable tourism and in the concept of
global improvement in the 21st century. It has been found from various researches and studies
that governments from different parts of the world has accepted the importance of sustainable

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development. It is useful for economic improvement of a nation as well as necessity to protect
the environment and preservation of sufficient quantity of natural resources, which will help to
safeguard the future generation to live and satisfy their own basis needs. Sustainable tourism
aims or focuses on the integration of social, environmental and economic interests. The global
politics plays an in important role in sustainable development. It has been found by the
researches and studies that there is a strong link between tourism and sustainable development.
Sustainable tourism is being promoted by the United Nations in their official program as a form
or part of tourism development. Sustainable tourism also helps to balance the financial
improvement against the drawbacks imposed by the environment as well as the needs and
requirements of the local population of a particular region (Tanguay, Rajaonson and Therrien
2013).
Structure of the Discussion Papers
The structure of the discussion against the framework of the policy planning cycle varies
from each other, though the topic is almost same and it is on the sustainable development. The
sustainable tourism and its growth are aimed by the local as well as national governments of a
particular region, and it is important to address the structural challenges faced by the tourism
sector, which includes weak business environments, mainly in developing nations, shortages in
skills and labor, low levels of investment and limited access to finance. Reformation of the
policies along with the institutional, legal and regulatory conditions that helps to control the
business activities is an important step that need to be designed or framed in the very earlier
stages (Waligo, Clarke and Hawkins 2013). This must go hand in hand with increasing the
awareness of tourism among investors and help to support the services, while integrating tourism
within trade agreements and policy. Investing in human capital is equally important and required

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in sustainable development. Efforts are needed to reduce the gap of skills, which provides a
threat to reduce the contribution of tourism industry to gross domestic product of a particular
nation. The priorities of tourism policy have been defined by the different nations according to
their needs and wants from this sector. Improvement of sustainable tourism firstly involves
striking a balance between regenerative capacity of natural systems and resource consumption
that the tourism industry utilizes, while meeting social, economic and cultural objectives of a
particular region in the context of global world (Higgins-Desbiolles 2018).
Viewpoint of Shareholders
Sustainable tourism plays a major role in order to attract more stakeholders of the
organization involved in the tourism industry. It helps to engage more people with this industry
and increase the social inclusiveness of the community where the organization is operating. It
also provides areas where more employments are required in order to satisfy the needs and wants
of the national and international tourists. Poverty can also be reduced in case of successful
sustainable tourism. Tourism –plays an integral part in global economy, and sustainable tourism
helps to structure a comparatively weak economy by the help of financial and social wealth
generated from sustainable tourism in that particular region. This improvement must be
approached methodically or in a structured way, which means that alterations in tourism along
with its activities must be observed, planned and directed in accordance with the principles of
sustainability (Graci 2013).
Comparison of Discussion Papers
The two discussion papers have one thing in common, and that is, sustainable tourism. In this
global competitive world and in the world of innovation and modernized technology, it is

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difficult to maintain the sustainability in any kind of business operation. Tourism is one of the
toughest business areas, and maintaining the sustainability of the business operations overall is a
tough challenge. Sustainable tourism helps to use the resources efficiency, as well as safeguards
the environment and performs according to the changes in the global climatic conditions. But,
the tourism industry must engage themselves more in monitoring the reduction of the resource
consumption and emissions, which will lead to global warming. The cultural values, diversity
and heritage must be maintained in order to gain the sustainability (Crnogaj et al 2014). But, for
all these, proper transport facilities and accommodation infrastructure need to be followed, so
that more number of tourists can be attracted, which will help to increase the gross domestic
product of that region. Indicators can be used in order to evaluate or measure the particular
information to allow the decision makers to minimize the possibilities of making bad business
decisions, which will harm the sustainable tourism as a whole. The indicators chosen will
definitely vary from place to place, that will be beneficial to measure the impact of tourism in
that particular area. It is necessary to monitor the improvements in the external systems or
processes that are directly related to tourism because they have an impact on changes in the
tourism industry of that particular area, which will impact on the global sustainable tourism as a
whole (Bramwell 2013).
Conclusion
From the above critical discussion related to two discussion papers based on sustainable
tourism and its importance, it can be said that there are not much improved the awareness of
mine and according to me, more thorough research and studies need to be done in order to find
more outcomes or results in the context of sustainable tourism in the global context. According
to my point of view, the professional skills and knowledge related to tourism planning

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environments need to be improved, so that it will help me to complete my own discussion or the
3rd assignment, which is due for completion, successfully and efficiently.

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References
Bramwell, B., 2013. Governance, the state and sustainable tourism: A political economy
approach. In Tourism governance(pp. 59-78). Routledge.
Crnogaj, K., Rebernik, M., Bradac Hojnik, B. and Omerzel Gomezelj, D., 2014. Building a
model of researching the sustainable entrepreneurship in the tourism sector. Kybernetes, 43(3/4),
pp.377-393.
Graci, S., 2013. Collaboration and partnership development for sustainable tourism. Tourism
Geographies, 15(1), pp.25-42.
Higgins-Desbiolles, F., 2018. Sustainable tourism: Sustaining tourism or something
more?. Tourism management perspectives, 25, pp.157-160.
Jamal, T. and Camargo, B.A., 2014. Sustainable tourism, justice and an ethic of care: Toward the
just destination. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 22(1), pp.11-30.
Tanguay, G.A., Rajaonson, J. and Therrien, M.C., 2013. Sustainable tourism indicators:
Selection criteria for policy implementation and scientific recognition. Journal of Sustainable
Tourism, 21(6), pp.862-879.
Waligo, V.M., Clarke, J. and Hawkins, R., 2013. Implementing sustainable tourism: A multi-
stakeholder involvement management framework. Tourism management, 36, pp.342-353.