No invitation required: Hedonic sustainability and meaningful tourism
What is ‘hedonic sustainability’ and ‘meaningful tourism’? Wolfgang Georg Arlt introduces and describes the terms in this “Good Tourism” Insight, which is a response to a “GT” Insight by his friend Thomas Bauer.
[Thanks to Dr Bauer for inviting Dr Arlt to write a “GT” Insight. And thanks to both of them for modelling the spirit of “GT”, where friends and colleagues can respectfully disagree over matters of great importance.]
Thomas Bauer has done a lot to support tourism: As a professor instilling in his students a sense of responsibility for the world they are selling, and as an expert and guide to Antarctica playing an important role in keeping the destination from being damaged by tourism.
I am honoured to call him a friend.
However, I dare to differ from Dr Bauer’s thought-provoking text in his “Good Tourism” Insight of May 19, 2020: “By invitation only: Sustainable tourism revisited”.
Also see Thomas Bauer’s “GT” Insight
“By invitation only: Sustainable tourism revisited”
I agree with Thomas’ description of tourism becoming a mass phenomenon, and of developing from a life-changing serendipitous activity for a few to a commercialised and commodified leisure activity for many.
However, I disagree with his proposed solution.
Before the pandemic, tourism had reached the tipping point of being perceived no longer as a provider of fun, peace, and jobs, but as a disruptive force creating pollution and destroying local cultures and habitat.
Unfortunately, the signs are all too obvious that all the good resolutions for a better tourism that many made during the pandemic have been quickly forgotten.
What to do?
Thomas offers the solution to have visitors travel to destinations “by invitation only”, using the examples of theatres, football stadiums, Olympic Games etc., where, as he claims, “visitors need to have an invitation from local authorities and a reservation”.
On one hand, it will be quite difficult … continue reading this “Good Tourism” Insight in full and for free at The “Good Tourism” Blog.
