Sustainable Tourism Law

FROM TOURISM TO SUSTAINABLE TOURISM 99 now visited and exploited. And the mere fact that millions of people are moving, eating, sleeping and leaving tracks of their passage affects the ecosystem. All these facts, connected with modern mass tourism, have generated a new approach to tourism, that we now call “Sustainable Tourism”. “Sustainable Tourism” is strictly connected with ecology and sustainability in a complete perspective: environmental and social respect. It is a segment of a much greater reality, that interacts with ecology, protection of the environment, sustainability, and therefore with the relation between man and nature. Consumers became concerned about ecology and sustainable products and services in their everyday life. And they became concerned about sustainability in their vacations and travels, and therefore in a sustainable tourism. Businesses love money more than they do nature. And so do the stakeholders, or the investors. They have a strong point of view. Investors invest for profit. And investments in Tourism mean development. On the other hand, sustainability means preservation. It entails the preservation of nature and the environment. Those who support conservative sustainability have a strong point of view too. Unlimited Development jeopardizes our future. Sustainable Tourism for Development is, therefore, a compromise. Its goal is to preserve the nature and the environment without preventing a reasonable development. Final remarks: The Future Role of Tourism Law “Sustainable Tourism” is part of and derives from “Sustainable Development”, a movement that has evolved in the last decades. With a small difference: Development. The road towards a Sustainable Tourism is therefore not isolated, but must be shared with the other fields of human sciences. And, finally, it captured the attention of the governments and public bodies. Still, conflicts (of interest and policy) between development and preservation, exploitation and ecology remain open. Tourism Law could help to find a compromise. Tourism Law may play a fundamental role in the impervious road to Sustainable Development and to Sustainable Tourism for Development. Tourism Sustainability Law is founded on a policy: a general policy towards sustainability. Tourism cannot advance alone. A policy that Governments, States andLocal administrations should formulate. Apolicy that takes into consideration development and, therefore, the interests of investors. There is a lot of work to be done.