129x Filetype PDF File size 0.40 MB Source: www.irbnet.de
Sustainable Architecture and Urban Development 225 Sustainable Development & Planning: Related Issues to Tourism Development in Libya Megeirhi, H, Ebohon, J.O. De Montfort University, UK. Abstract The main objective of this paper is to critically review key issues in sustainable tourism planning with the hope of determining their relevance to countries seeking economic diversification. No doubt the experience of countries that have successfully developed their tourism will become useful to countries seeking to develop their tourism sector. Libya is one of such countries that seek economic diversification away from oil and exploit the huge and abundant natural resource endowments of coastlines, desserts, historical remains, which can be enhanced with manmade tourist infrastructures and effective planning. It is expected that Libya will benefit enorrnously trom the experiences of other countries within and outside the Arab region in its quest for sustainable tourism development. Keywords: tourism. sustainable development, planning, natural resource, strategies 226 Megeirhi, H & Ebohon, J.O 1 Introduction All economic or industrial activities by their very nature are accompanied by their impacts on the biophysical environment. Cooper et al (1998) have argued that tourism, as with other sectors, has as much impact on the biophysical environment given the embodied resources in tourism infrastructure, planning, and processes. Thus, why tourism create huge opportunities for economic diversification with employment and income eaming opportunities (Sharpley and Telfer, 2002), tourism also has negative impact on the biophysical environment. Similarly, tourism evokes huge ethical debates, especially the desire to have local input to tourism planning, and the highly polarised nature of tourism in terms of the significant amount of revenue accompanying a narrow range of services. The seasonality of tourism attracts peaklabour demand with implieations for loeal employment and income generation (Williams and Shaw, 1991). According to UNEP (2008), tourism invites significant negative impact that can be ameliorated through effective planning, which makes it imperative that tourism development takes full congnisance of the concept of sustainable development, and this explains the global emphasis on sustainable tourism. 2 Theoretical Framework While tourism remains one of the fastest growing industries in the world, it brings with it a host of major environmental and social problems, which need to be addressed and resolved to be sustainable (Muhanna, 2006). Natural resouree depletion and environmental degradation linked to tourism remain a major problem in many countries that have huge tourism resource endowments (Neto, 2003). Two major areas have been identified by Neto (2003) where the adverse impact of tourism on the biophysical environment are mostly feIt, and these come in the huge pressure on natural resourees and damage to the eeosystem. Tourism is very resouree intensive, exerting huge pressure on land, freshwater, and marine resourees. In the absence of effective and efficient land use planning, growth in tourism development can induce intense land competition, leading to rising land prices. The implication being the increased pressure that is brought to bear upon agricultural land and naturallandscape, which often results in the deforestation and the intensive development of eco sensitive habitat. This has been particularly the case in coastal areas where tourism development and expansion have been most intensive and prominent. Water and energy are other natural resources consumed by tourism in huge amounts. Tourism is extremely water and energy intensive that uncontrolled tourism can exert huge pressure on these rcsources, which is particularly of major concems because of competing dcmands from other vital sectors of the economy. Fresh water availability and supply cannot be taken tor granted in desert regions Iike the middleeast where water scarcity is acute, and assumes regional political dimension. Similarly, the impact of tourism on coastal landscape and marine environment is weil documented. Activities normally Sustainable Architecture and Urban Development 227 associated with tourism such as scuba diving, boating, cruise ships amongst others are very disruptive to the marine environment, especially aquatic life. This has the potential to damage locallivelihood, particularly fishing. The adverse effects oftourism on the biophysical environment are not limited to the intensity of resource consumption but also the associated waste and pollution. The disposal and management of solid waste associated with tOUfism has become problematic in many tourist destinations. This has been particularly the case where the capacity to treat and recycle such wastes are severely limited, leaving wildlife susceptible and vulnerable (Mastny, 2001). Thus, tOUfism, especially where uncontrolled can have serious impact on the environment, which is why there are huge calls for tourism to be developed sustainably. Also, the calls for sustainable tourism development are predicated on the fact that environmental degradation and pollution poses huge threats to tourism development. Examples are abounding of many tourist destinations that have succumbed to environmental degradation mirrored by ecosystem deterioration and eventual decline. For example, tourist destinations have been particularly vulnerable to climate change and the attendant variability in weather patterns, lending weight to calls for sustainable tourism development (UN, 2001; WTO, 200 I; Muhanna, 2006). The implication is that tourism must be sustainably developed in order for a winwin scenario to emerge where by all the socioeconomic benefits associated with tourism accrue yet the integrity of the biophysical environment remains intact. 3 Sustainable Tourism The World Tourism Organisation (WTO) defines sustainable tourism as tourism which leads to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic demands are met without having to compromise the sociocultural and environmental integrity of the biophysical environment, essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life support systems (WTO, 2002). While this definition cmphasiscs the need for tourism to be profitable yet environmentally sustainable for the attendant longterm benefits to accrue, it will require a different approach to tourism planning for sustainable tourism to be a reality. 4 Sustainable Tourism and Planning Given that sustainable tourism emphasises a balance of social and economic objectives, which are underpinned by effective environmental management, effective planning is essential to achieving targets with optimal performance while at the same time minimising conceivable implementation problems (Harsse, 1994). Harsse (1994) holds the view that planning for tourism is a "decisionmaking process aimed at guiding the future actions and problems associated with tourism development. & Ebohon, J.O Megeirhi, H 228 However, planning is not only complex but indistinct, rendering any precise definition difficult (Wasterson, 1974; Rose, 1984; Hall, 1974; Greed, 1993). Indeed, some planning experts regard planning to be a complex clustering of problems that needs to be explored and not defined (Elliott, 1958). Nevertheless, there is a considerable body of literature that considers planning as a necessary prerequisite to sustainable tourism development (McKercher, 2003). Conversely, it is highly debatable whether traditional planning paradigms are sufficiendy robust and adaptable to meet the requirements of sustainable tourism development. Several reasons have been advanced for this, including the lack of flexibility in the traditional planning system, which owes to the logieal and rational approach to traditional planning that have rendered it rigorous, statie, and unable to adapt to varying conditions and situations. Similarly, the traditional planning paradigm and system is also seen as top down and unable to represent diverse opinions other than the opinions of those that put the plans together in the first place. This lack of community support characteristic of traditional planning often makes it difficult to implement given that those earmarked to benefit trom the planning system cannot take ownership because they are unable to readily identify with it (Jamieson and Jamal, 1997). Given this fact, it becomes difficult to link formulation with implementation, making accountability and measurement of outcomes very difficult (Jamieson and Jamal, 1997). Therefore, a strategie planning approach is an inevitable component of sustainable tourism development, and requires a major shift from the traditional planning paradigm (Janssen et al, 1995). 5 Strategie Planning for Sustainable Tourism Development For planning to deliver sustainable tourism development it must be strategie and underpinned by the principles of sustainable tourism. Firstly, it is important to briefly consider the principles of sustainable tourism. It is a cardinal principle of sustainable tourism that local communities must take ownership of tourism development planning, identify with the vision, actively choose and identifY resources to be maintained and enhanced, and assist in developing aims and strategies for developing and managing tourism. Such strategies must include production and management of tourism infrastructure, services, and facilities. In other words, tourism development initiatives should reflect the yearnings and aspirations of all stakeholders and their input. Similarly, tourism development must generate gainful employment, and this is only possible wirh effective backward and forward linkages with the local economy. This is particularly the case wirh soft tourism infrastructures such hotels, restaurants, and shops, which should be developed and managed by the local populations. This is one of the strategies for ensuring intergenerational and intragenerational equity in the distribution of costs and benefits associated with tourism. Also, tourism development strategies and plans must be an integral part of a broad set of economic development initiatives. This is expected to ensure effective capacity building to guarantee appropriate balance between the
no reviews yet
Please Login to review.