Preliminary communication
Perception, understanding and initiatives with regard to sustainable development: A profile of Québec tourism organizations
Denis Auger
; Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Département d’études en loisir, culture et tourisme, Trois-Rivières, Canada
Vincent Bélanger
; Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Département d’études en loisir, culture et tourisme, Trois-Rivières, Canada
Abstract
The concept of sustainable development is not new. However, its application in the field of tourism in Québec needs to be clarified. This way, this study is aimed at drawing the profile of Québec tourist organizations, at comparing the initiatives developed according to various perspectives (environmental, social and economic) and finally, to verify the coherence between the level of importance these organizations give to the concepts of sustainable development and the application of these within their environment. Generally, we can assert that a majority of initiatives connected to sustainable development of tourism are applied by tourist companies and organizations. It is thus possible to notice a growing desire on behalf of the organizations to get involved, through their initiatives and actions, for the sustainable development of the industry. However, the environmental and economic dimensions of these initiatives turn out to be the most recommended without knowing the socio-cultural dimension to which they are connected. As a matter of fact, Québec tourist organizations understand the importance of their actions without forgetting that a precision of the evolution of sustainable tourism over time would reveal the impact of the international symposium on the sustainable development with the tourist organizations.
Keywords
sustainable tourism development; perceptions; sustainable development initiatives; sustainable development knowledge; tourism organizations; Québec, Canada
Hrčak ID:
68293
URI
Publication date:
23.5.2011.
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