Concept and Context of Tourism Sustainability

The chapter explains the historical development of modern tourism with an emphasis on the gradual awareness and gradual resolution of the consequences of tourism development, dating the emergence of the basic concepts of tourism sustainability. The basic assumptions of tourism sustainability are presented and the chapter also addresses the factor of time in the context of tourism sustainability. Relevant scientific disciplines are listed as the starting points for tourism sustainability, followed by an introduction to the basic concepts and approaches of tourism sustainability. A large number of references to basic studies are given on the basic concepts and approaches to tourism sustainability. This chapter therefore has an important meta-information role. In particular, the concepts focus on carrying capacity, regularities of destination development, monitoring the impacts of tourism, perception of tourism impacts, and approaches for tourism sustainability management. Causes and factors of un/sustainability of tourism development are also presented with emphasis on tourism externalities and inequality in access to information in the process of social exchange, insufficient endogenous development of tourism and the tragedy of commons leading to the so-called tourist trap. Clichés and professional inaccuracies concerning the sustainability of tourism are also commented upon.