Book Description:
The International Conference on Tourism and Island Economies was jointly organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Organizing Committee of the World Festival for Island Cultures Jeju 2001 and the Jeju Provincial Government and was held in Jeju City, Jeju Province, Republic of Korea from 13 15 June 2001, within the framework of the World Festival of Island Cultures Jeju 2001 which was organized in the island from 19 May to 17 June 2001. The Festival brought together representatives from over thirty island nations who portrayed their unique cultures to visitors from all over the world. Islands, particularly small islands, are extremely fragile integrated systems whose future development needs to be focused on sustainable and integrated options capable of reconciling the economy, human development and environmental conservation. Tourism is a booming sector, with a strong capacity for transforming fragile environments, which constitutes both an opportunity and a challenge for islands: an opportunity to diversify limited economic activities and employment in the islands, and a challenge, as tourism has considerable impacts on island systems, usually extremely vulnerable. These impacts need to be fully taken into account and properly managed. Sustainable tourism development is becoming, all over the world an irreversible demand on the part of tourists and local populations. Growing demands are made for quality surroundings in which environmental sustainability, nature, culture, exceptional places with an identity of their own and authenticity are considered to be key values in terms of tourism appeal and local quality of life. Thus, positive interaction should be sought between tourism and environmental, sociocultural and economic factors. The viability of new sustainable tourism policies in islands is becoming increasingly conditioned by the very broad participation of all stakeholders. In particular, it will be impossible to multiply the economic effects of tourism, achieve positive social and cultural development or conserve island ecosystems and natural resources without making the local community jointly responsible for meeting these aims.
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