Tourism Degrowth: Painful but Necessary

Dwyer, L

Tourism Degrowth: Painful but Necessary

Dwyer, L

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Publisher:: MDPI
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: SUSTAINABILITY, 2023, 15, (20)
Issue Date:: 2023-10

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Dwyer, L https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9797-1043
dc.date.accessioned	2024-03-12T00:24:08Z
dc.date.available	2024-03-12T00:24:08Z
dc.date.issued	2023-10
dc.identifier.citation	SUSTAINABILITY, 2023, 15, (20)
dc.identifier.issn	2071-1050
dc.identifier.issn	2071-1050
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/176512
dc.description.abstract	<jats:p>Despite the well-known adverse effects of economic growth, the core strategic goal of a high proportion of destination managers globally continues to be the pursuit of tourism growth. Proponents of the dominant ‘growth management’ view claim that tourism’s adverse environmental effects can be solved by ongoing ‘decoupling’ of economic growth from resource use through more efficient management of tourism development, supported by improvements in technology. In contrast, ‘heterodox’ approaches, sceptical of the ability of technological change to restrict growth-induced environmental and social degradation, reject the mainstream growth ethic and its action agenda. Arguing that faith in decoupling is a fragile basis for the growth management approach, this paper argues the merits of an alternative ‘degrowth’ approach to tourism planning and management. The paper articulates the nature of ‘degrowth’, the types of policies that can support a degrowth strategy, and the challenges involved in applying a degrowth approach to the tourism industry. It is concluded that, while tourism degrowth is necessary, the approach faces formidable challenges that must be overcome if resident wellbeing is to be maintained or enhanced through tourism development over the longer term. A research agenda is identified, addressing the nature of tourism, the consumption problem, localism and downsizing, effects on resident wellbeing, business degrowth, choice of policy mix, and types of institutional change required to support tourism degrowth.</jats:p>
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	MDPI
dc.relation.ispartof	SUSTAINABILITY
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3390/su152014676
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	12 Built Environment and Design
dc.title	Tourism Degrowth: Painful but Necessary
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	15
utslib.for	12 Built Environment and Design
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Business
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2024-03-12T00:24:07Z
pubs.issue	20
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	15
utslib.citation.issue	20

Abstract:

Despite the well-known adverse effects of economic growth, the core strategic goal of a high proportion of destination managers globally continues to be the pursuit of tourism growth. Proponents of the dominant ‘growth management’ view claim that tourism’s adverse environmental effects can be solved by ongoing ‘decoupling’ of economic growth from resource use through more efficient management of tourism development, supported by improvements in technology. In contrast, ‘heterodox’ approaches, sceptical of the ability of technological change to restrict growth-induced environmental and social degradation, reject the mainstream growth ethic and its action agenda. Arguing that faith in decoupling is a fragile basis for the growth management approach, this paper argues the merits of an alternative ‘degrowth’ approach to tourism planning and management. The paper articulates the nature of ‘degrowth’, the types of policies that can support a degrowth strategy, and the challenges involved in applying a degrowth approach to the tourism industry. It is concluded that, while tourism degrowth is necessary, the approach faces formidable challenges that must be overcome if resident wellbeing is to be maintained or enhanced through tourism development over the longer term. A research agenda is identified, addressing the nature of tourism, the consumption problem, localism and downsizing, effects on resident wellbeing, business degrowth, choice of policy mix, and types of institutional change required to support tourism degrowth.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/176512