Sustainability in Tourism Destinations: Exploring the Boundaries of Eco-Efficiency and Green Communications

ABSTRACT The debate regarding the relationships between tourism economic benefits and associated environmental costs, including transport related impacts, are issues of concern to destination based tourism marketers and tourism and hospitality educators. The global climate change discussion and the media focus in the E.U. on the links between aviation and associated emissions and fossil fuel consumption have captured the attention of global tourism associations. The definition of tourism sustainability is being redefined though the application of life cycle management (LCM) principals. Destinations, in spending millions to encourage people to travel, may some day be scrutinized for their eco-efficiency and will need to consider the use of ‘LCM thinking’ and related green communication objectives as suggested in this paper.