Sustainable planning and management in tourist destination is the most pressing challenge in the future of tourism.
In this post you can find what is necessary to have sustainable tourist destination.
The question is: What we need to do to make our tourist destination sustainable?
In the past Montenegro has developed few Strategical plans of tourism development but they were developed only in some areas. Is it because they were not understood correctly? Well, the time has come to the point where we need to plan and act properly.
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Check out the radio interview with Marija Lazarevic, MSc :
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Site managers and other stakeholders in the tourism sector must have strategic plans and guidance of innovative sustainability tools in order to develop and formulate their own successful results. Then they will begin to navigate through this system by learning basic ideas and guidance.
Firstly, the destination managers need to understand the tourism of our destination, what we have to offer to the tourists, what kind of tourist profiles we attract and what kind we want to attract, etc. Then, we need to make strategies that will include all parts of destination on a local and state level, strategies for progressive change of our destination development. After that we need to develop effective governance and engage local communities and businesses, all parties involved.
All together. Source: F1lter, Pexels.com
We need to develope two-way communication with visitors, to understand what they want and we need to have their feedback before, during and after their stay. Development of tourism infrastructure and managing it correctly is the most important key to tourism growth and performance.
After that, adding value to the meaningful experiences, products and services also has to be one of the priorities. Having that in mind we can manage visitor behavior and constant monitoring of impacts and the success of sustainable tourism. Not to forget that we need to secure investment and funding. European Union (via different programs) helps us every year more and more to develop our destinations more sustainable.
SDG Agenda 2030, United Nations
`The Implementation of the 2030 Agenda requires a more holistic, coherent and integrated approach at the national, regional and global levels. Policies to implement the 2030 Agenda need to address inter-linkages within the social sector, as well as between the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Similarly, existing institutions or institutional mechanisms that are working in the field of social development will have to adjust or expand the scope of work so as to accommodate the new mandates arising from the SDGs.`
Sustainability is a complex system to navigate. That is why we need to make implementing the ideas of sustainable tourism easier to understand and put into practice for all parties involved.
Author: Marija Lazarevic, MSc
CEO and Executive consultant
MariXperience LTD
Sources:
- https://www.unwto.org/sustainable-development
- UNWTO, Conference: European Capital of Smart Tourism – Valencia 2022
- The Economist, Conference: 8th Annual Sustainabillity Week, 2023
- UNESCO Sustainable tourism future
- United Nations, Agenda 2030 with 17 Sustainable Development Goals, 2015
