Sustainable Tourism Law

804 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM LAW 3) Ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation. Sustainable tourism development requires the informed participation of all relevant stakeholders, as well as strong political leadership to ensure wide participation and consensus building. Achieving sustainable tourism is a continuous process and it requires constant monitoring of impacts, introducing the necessary preventive and/or corrective measures whenever necessary. Sustainable tourism should also maintain a high level of tourist satisfaction and ensure a meaningful experience to the tourists, raising their awareness about sustainability issues and promoting sustainable tourism practices amongst them. 6 A significant part of sustainable development involves the balancing of diverse social and economic needs of the present and respecting the needs of future generations. We quickly see that a great deal of jobs, affecting both individuals and whole economies, are tied in with the concept of tourism and sustainable development. The need to produce a product for which tourists are willing to take their time and money to visit, and to make purchases from that economy, is of the utmost concern for the financial needs of the host country and its individual citizens that will act as hosts and guides for the tourists 7 . The UN World Tourism Organization emphasizes this point: The challenge for stakeholders involved in all industries is to find a balance between sustenance, prosperity and people’s desire to improve their financial/material well- -being, with the underlying need for identity, community, religion, home and family. Travel and tourism can play a vital role in balancing these forces. It not only provides the livelihoods for both rural and urban communities, but has the capacity, when planned, developed and managed properly, to enhance community relations and build bridges of understanding and peace between nations. The following definition of tourism was officially adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission in 1993: ‘Tourism comprises the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes 8 . 6 World Tourism Organization www.world-tourism.org/sustainable/concepts.htm 7 UN World Tourism Organization www.world-tourism.org/sustainable/concepts.htm 8 UNWTO, 1993: Recommendations on Tourism Statistics, World Tourism Organisation, Spain.