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Thème Grammatical Tourisme M2
Thème Grammatical Tourisme M2
TRADUCTION
THÈME GRAMMATICAL M2 TOURISME 2024
Government, market and business perspectives
Governments must recognize that more and more private sector companies and visitors are interested in
tourism sustainability. They need to take this into account when seeking to persuade tourism professionals to
take sustainability more seriously, promoting the benefits of a more sustainable approach to growing their
businesses and profits.
Understanding tourist attitudes: more than a niche market
Governments need to understand what is important to tourists if they are to be able to effectively influence
their behavior. According to some, the majority of tourists are not interested in the sustainability of their
trips, which is a major obstacle to the establishment of more sustainable tourism.
The interpretation of tourists' reactions, however, depends on the nature of the questions asked. Thus,
although studies of the ecotourism market (e.g. those carried out by UNWTO) have concluded that it is
indeed a small (but growing) specialized market, these studies had precisely aims to identify tourists and tour
operators looking for or offering themed holidays focused on nature observation and conservation. Broader
studies that attempted to determine the extent to which consumers were interested in the connections
between their tourism activities and the environment and host communities (rather than their reaction to the
concept of sustainable development in general) suggest an echo much larger on the market. They show:
- High levels of concern for the environment and society in destinations where the problem may directly
harm the well-being of the tourist itself (e.g. clean water and level of safety).
- A major and growing interest of tourists in visiting natural and cultural sites during their vacations, and
the educational and authentic value of these experiences. This applies both to vacationers in general and to
those interested in specific topics.
- The significant number of tourists who say they are concerned about the impact of their trip, whether
through their activities or the choice of tour operator or service provider they use.
Demonstrated willingness to pay more to support the environment and communities at the local level.
Despite these positive reactions, it is important to remain realistic about the balance of power between the
different factors that influence the choice of vacation. Experience and surveys of tourists seem to indicate
that the perception of a destination's overall attractiveness, climate, walkability,
the quality of infrastructure and price continue to outweigh concerns about the impact of travel. But the latter
can tip the scales if the other factors are comparable. It also seems that tourists feel more easily concerned by
the impacts on the local environment and the quality of life of their hosts than by the global impacts. Finally,
there is little data attesting to the efforts made by tourists to change their travel and consumption practices,
despite the concern and interest shown.
The challenge therefore lies in more political will, incentives and information if we really want to change
things. In line with the general approach advocated in this guide, it is better to encourage all tourists to be
more aware of the impacts of their travels, to take a greater interest in and care about host populations, than
to try to unearth the “sustainable tourist”.
“Tourism and sustainable development”, Towards sustainable tourism, Guide for decision-makers.
United Nations Environment Program and World Tourism Organization, 2006