The first tourist destinations were primarily consolidated in the early twentieth century. Since then, tourism has undergone significant changes in its economic and social components. Over time, many of these destinations have now come to represent 'mass tourism' and are the subject of many studies on the impacts of tourism and competitiveness policies. The conclusions of these studies point to the need for new perspectives and strategies ranging from adaptation to new contexts to a radical change in targets. Concepts such as 'sustainability', 'nature', 'biodiversity' or 'climate change' have now been added to the tourism industry with varying degrees of knowledge and skill. These offer a great opportunity to improve a model of tourism previously oriented towards business and the institutional rhetoric of "sustainability" - a fact now recognised by tourists as representing the negative effects of conventional tourism. Management of these innovations should include among its aims environmental education and orient visitors towards awareness and respect for sustainability even outside their leisure time.To this end, the tourist needs to be made aware of all those involved and their commitment to managing the destination, as enjoying the territory should be based upon minimising the socio-ecological impacts of tourism, and on motivating nature conservation and participation of local populations in both these goals, as well as in the economic benefits obtained.
The challenge entails the destination finding a good balance between economic and cultural benefits, landscape conservation and tourist satisfaction. This fifth volume of the Tourism Today Series presents a collection of papers addressing the how to manage new opportunities in tourism at a variety of destinations and in multiple contextual realities. These papers address important issues related to tourism as a tool for development which will give a better understanding of some of the current challenges.
Author Biography:
Maria F. Schmitz is a professor of ecology at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid since 1994. PhD in biology (1990), she has extensive experience in landscape ecology. She has participated as a researcher in several projects funded by public calls and contracts, in recent years as a coordinator of several of them. She has published numerous papers in various forums, most recently in J. Biogeography, Landscape and Urban Planning, Environm. Monitoring & Assessment, Environm. Management, Ecological Indicators, Environm. Conservation, Biol. Conservation, Ecol. Modelling, etc., as well as books and chapters of books of her specialty - the last one Pineda, F. & Schmitz, MF 2011. Ecological connectivity. OAPN, Ministry of Environment, Madrid - , Sustainable Tourism I, II, III, IV. Wit Press, Southampton; Advanced computing techniques. Aconcagua, Sevilla; Nova Science Publ., New York, among others. Pablo Diaz has a law degree (2005) and cultural anthropology (2007). Master in social research applied to the environment and specialist in quantitative research methodology. PhD candidate in environmental studies in the Pablo de Olavide University of Seville, is member of a transdisciplinary research team from universities Complutense of Madrid and Tourism Institute of La Laguna (Canary Islands) specialized in tourism and environmental research as applications of anthropology, environmental sciences and law. He develops analytical applied work related to tourism, environment, patrimonialization processes and its socioecological effects. Among the projects in which he has participated may be mentioned the Study for the Natural Resources Management Plan of the National Park of Fuerteventura (2007-2012) or the Characterization of the ecological connectivity in the Spanish National Park network (2008-2010), among others projects of anthropology. He has edited specialized books in responsibility and tourism. Author of several book chapters (Island Sustainability, Sustainable Tourism, Tourism and Heritage,...) and of a significant number of articles in some journals (Asian J. of Tourism & Hospitality Research, Internat. J. web Based Communities, Pasos, Gaudeamus, Altre modernita, RBTUR,...).
