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Planning of Sustainable Tourism Development

Article  in  Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences · December 2012

DOI: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.05.022

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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 44 (2012) 210 – 220

Conference Title

Planning of sustainable tourism development

Katerina Angelevska-Najdeskaa*, Gabriela Rakicevikb
a
Faculty of tourism and hospitality-Ohrid, Kej Maršal Tito 95, Ohrid, R.Macedonia
b
Faculty of tourism and hospitality-Ohrid, Kej Maršal Tito 95, Ohrid, R.Macedonia

Abstract

In striving to prevent disorderly tourism development, in order to successfully overcome the daily changes that occur
in turbulent surrounding, planning of sustainable tourism development occurs as the only way to do it successfully.

So, sustainable development refers to the use without exploitation of natural, cultural and all other tourist resources
from the current generation, it means to preserve them for future use by future generations.

Since the development of tourism in a certain area largely dependent on natural and anthropogenic attractiveness
which are located in the surrounding, the practicing of sustainable development gets more and more important. In
case these resources to be destroyed or degraded, the attractiveness of the destination is reduced as well, but also
leads into question for development of tourism in this region, because potential tourists are interested in visiting
attractive and clean destinations which offer services with high quality. However, the environment that has no
attributes of a quality environment is not only unattractive to tourists, but in that environment do not feel comfortable
and domestic population.

Planning of sustainable tourism development actually concerns planning of preserve the environment, and it
encompasses a variety of research and analysis before making a decision on any determination of the direction of
development.

All these activities are done in order not to allow intensive exploitation of resources in some specific areas, without
care about the preservation of resources.

© 2012
2011 Published
PublishedbybyElsevier
ElsevierB.V.
Ltd. Selection
Selection and/or
and/or peerpeer-review under
review under responsibility
responsibility of theof Faculty
Faculty of of
Tourism andHospitality
Tourism and Hospitality

sustainable development, sustainable tourism, planning, attractiveness, destination

*
Corresponding author. Tel.: +389 71 365 500; fax: +389 46 262 147.
E-mail address: [email protected]

1877-0428 © 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V. Selection and/or peer review under responsibility of the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.05.022
 Katerina Angelevska-Najdeska and Gabriela Rakicevik / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 44 (2012) 210 – 220 211

1. Introduction

The concept of sustainable tourism development involves balanced economic, social and cultural
development without endangering the environment, which enables the development of the same or higher
level. Sustainable development is a process that allows development to be achieved without degradation
or depletion of those resources on which it is based. That, generally speaking, can be accomplished or
resource management so that they can renewal the extent and used, or with greater representation and use
of resources in which the regeneration period is short. This approach, resources can be used in future to
the same extent as the current generation. (UNEP, 1994)

The concept of sustainable development is based on four basic principles, namely:

ƒ The principle of environmental sustainability, which provides development to be compatible with the
maintenance of vital ecological processes, biological diversity and biological resources,
ƒ Principle of social sustainability, providing development be compatible by traditional values of a
community, while adding strengthening of their identity,
ƒ The principle of sustainability, provides cultural development to be compatible with the cultural
values of human community, which also has an impact on the strengthening of their identity,
ƒ The principle of sustainability-economic development to provide a cost effective and resource to be
managed in a way they can use and future generations.

The concept of sustainable tourism development involves more dimensions showing the relationship of
economic, social and cultural development and its compliance with the needs and constraints of the
environment.

2. Sustainable development planning

Planning for sustainable tourism development actually refers to environmental preservation planning
and as such includes a variety of research activities and analysis prior to the decision for determining the
direction of the development. All these activities are undertaken in order to prevent from the intensive use
of resources in some specific areas, without previous care for the preservation of the resources.

According to Hall, sustainable development as well as the previously used term 'conservation'
obviously attempts to review the conflicting value positions in terms of the environment. The author
describes sustainable development as an 'essentially disputed concept'b. Sustainable development (and its
sequel sustainable tourism) could be understood differently from everyone, and is easily accepted by any
group.c According to some authors, this concept is seen as the development and intensification of tourism,
while others understand this concept as an alternative tourism and counteract to the development of mass
tourism.

b
Hall, C. (1998): Historical antecedents on sustainable development: New labels on old bottles?, In Sustainable Tourism: A
Geographical Perspective (C.M. Hall and A.A. Law, eds), Longman

c
Romeril, M. (1994): Alternative tourism: the real tourism alternative? In Progress in Tourism, Recreation and Hospitality
Management, Vol. 6, (C. Cooper and A. Lockwood, eds) Wiley
212 Katerina Angelevska-Najdeska and Gabriela Rakicevik / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 44 (2012) 210 – 220

Soft strategies for sustainable development, in terms of planning and management, are applied in
modified environments such as urban centres where the absence of intact natural environment makes the
environmental protection an irrelevant factor regarding that highly developed tourism activities do not
necessarily cause stress in the social and natural environment. The same applies to the mass degraded or
modified rural areas, where the development of tourist activity may cause a significant improvement of
the status quo in terms of environmental protection.

Large hotels and theme parks belong to those kinds of tourist activities where soft strategies of
sustainable tourism development could be applied, emphasizing the development component considering
that they are under the platform for tourism support.
This approach is in strong contrast to the strategies of sustainable tourism for which Hunter believes
that are applicable for relatively intact natural and cultural environment where even a small increase in
tourist activity can result in unacceptable social and cultural damage to the natural environment.
Accordingly, the precautionary principle or the idea that any action should be avoided if the consequences
are unknown highlights the sustained component of sustainable development and which is compatible
with the basic platform of adaptation and caution. In some extreme cases, it would mean forbidding all of
the tourist activities in some areas. In areas where development of tourism is allowed some alternative
options, such as the small scale ecotourism, is usually preferred.d

The indicators of sustainable tourism are variables that could be measured and monitored for detecting
the changing status of a particular phenomenon, and represent tools for gathering new information
through which existing information can be filtered. This new body of compressed necessary information
facilitates the identification of trends and threats and allows for undertaking the appropriate actions.

According to WTO (1996)e , the indicators measure the information and through which decisions
makers could reduce the chances of making the wrong decisions. Although in theory it sounds elegant,
the strategy for sustainable tourism based upon the indicators is complicated due to the selection process,
the measurement, monitoring and evaluation of the set of relevant variables.

Planning and sustainable development can be analyzed from two aspects, namely:f

• in terms of the local community

• in terms of the concept of the quality of tourism

The local community must be involved in the planning process and the development of tourism,
especially when it comes to the development of those segments of the tourist community which will bring
benefits for the community. Such planning approach should be applied locally.

d
Hunter, C. (1997): Sustainable tourism as an adaptive paradigm, Annals of Tourism Research, 24, 850-67

e
WTO (1996): What Tourism Managers need to Know: A Practical Guide to the Development and Use of Indicators of
Sustainable Tourism

f
Magaš, D. (2003): Management tourist organizations and destinations, University of Rijeka, Faculty of tourist and hotel
management-Opatija, Opatija
 Katerina Angelevska-Najdeska and Gabriela Rakicevik / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 44 (2012) 210 – 220 213

The concept of quality in tourism means successful development of the marketing aspect, but also
benefits the local population and the environment.

The high quality tourism does not necessarily involve expensive tourism, but a good attitude towards
the value of money, keeping the tourist resources and the respect for the local environment which is the
responsibility of both the public and the private sector. This concept must be involved in the planning,
development and management of tourism.

The planning process of sustainable tourism development, and thus the process of making travel plans,
goes through several steps. According to Inskeep these steps are: preparation, setting goals, examination
of all elements, analysis and synthesis, formulation of plans and policies, formulation of
recommendations and other implementation and monitoring application.g

The first step in the planning process is the careful preparation which is a guide through the entire
planning process, and hence relates to the guidelines formulation, selection of team for conducting
research, as well as formation of committees for controlling and organizing activities during the
preparation of the study.

The next step concerns the determination of objectives for tourist development. Bearing in mind the
fact that the successfulness of the goals' setting depends on the final results and effects of tourist
development, one must know that approaching to this activity should be take really seriously. During the
goal setting the specific areas that are of special significance for the development of tourism should be
taken into consideration, while and on the other hand the need for cooperation with the government or the
local community should not be neglected in order to avoid the divergence of the set goals with the goals
at national or local level.

One of the most important moments of this research is the tourist activities and attractions. It is
necessary to categorize these attractions by type, and to rate them depending on their availability,
prospect for marketing trends development, or creation of a brand destination alongside the other factors.
These activities are undertaken in order to attract as many potential tourists.

Then, the need for carrying out qualitative and quantitative analysis and synthesis is perceived. The
synthesis includes combination and integration of various components of a particular analysis, for clear
understanding of the situation.

The formulation of policies for tourist development and the preparation of the structural plan itself are
the next steps in the planning process. The most suitable approach in the formulation of plans and policies
is the preparation of alternative scenarios for development and the evaluation of their ability for achieving
the objectives. Determining the optimal economic benefit, encouraging positive and minimizing negative
environmental impact and socio-cultural environment, competition with other tourist destinations
describes this approach. Based on the adopted estimates for the offered alternatives the best policy is
selected.

g
Inskeep, E. (1994): Tourism Planning: An Integrated and Sustainable Development Approach, Van Nostrand Reinhold
214 Katerina Angelevska-Najdeska and Gabriela Rakicevik / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 44 (2012) 210 – 220

After the analysis, synthesis and element's evaluation, conclusions and recommendations may be
adopted. For most of the recommendations, prior analysis of the alternatives and determination of the best
one is highly recommended.

Implementation and monitoring of implementation is the final step in the planning process.

In the decision making process it is important to pay attention to the practical applicability of the plans.
During the application period it is necessary to supervise the development of tourism in order to
determine the achievement of goals and recommendations. With surveillance (monitoring) all of the
problems that will arise during the implementation of the plan could be easily identified, and some
adequate measures for resolving of the problems can be undertake, before it becomes even more serious.

In addition a SWOT analysis is given. In the process of analysis, analytics and planning as priorities in
the field of tourism arose:
1. Improving the quality of the existing and construction of new infrastructure;
2. Institutional strengthening and human resource development;
3. Branding the city of Ohrid as a tourist destination;
4. Defining tourist offers and products and proper promotion and presentation.

Table 1. SWOT analysis

А. Strengths: What should be done for keeping the Priorities:
strengths:
• Ohrid is part of the • Maintenance of the status of Ohrid
world's natural and cultural heritage under - the city of UNESCO
the patronage of UNESCO, • preservation, promotion and
• The Ohrid Lake utilization of natural-geographical
• The proximity to the Prespa Lake conditions and their incorporation
in the development of tourism
• Favorable geographical position of border-
zone, Euro region, • Preserving and promoting cultural
and historical landmarks and their
• Rich and diverse natural resources, use in tourism development,
• Spatial and biological • Development of tourism
diversity, rich biodiversity infrastructure and tourist offer
• abundance of endemic flora and fauna, • Utilization of human resources in • Improving the quality of the
• Favorable climate (large number of sunny d the field of tourism, and their existing and construction of
ays, wind, clean air) training and professionalism in the new infrastructure
tourism businesses
• Favorable altitude
• Organized approach in promoting
• Environmental clean Environment tourism through tourist authorities,
• Rich forests, institutions and associations
• National park Galicica • Develop different types of tourism,
(lake, environmental, hunting,
• A large number of
objects of cultural significance, sacred (rel recreation, rural, health care ..)
igious facilities), cultural and • Improve the quality of existing and
historical monuments building new infrastructure
• Cultural, sports and religious events, • retention and promotion of interest
• Vital, vibrant, preserved rural areas with tra in tourist visits from the countries
 Katerina Angelevska-Najdeska and Gabriela Rakicevik / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 44 (2012) 210 – 220 215

ditional lifestyle of southeastern Europe

• Traditionally hospitable spirit of the • Increasing the capacity of the sector
local population, for LED and Tourism
• Rich traditional crafts, • Prepare and implement a strategy
• Rich traditional dishes with environmental for sustainable development
ly clean products
• Existing facilities: hotels,
private accommodations, catering supply,
• Human resources and highly educated staff,
• The existence of the
tourist associations, organized approach,
• School of Tourism
• Existing incentives for positive change in
tourism,
• The existence of conditions for
different types of tourism, (lake,
environmental,
hunting, recreation, rural, health ...)
• Existing traffic, energy and utility infrastru
cture,
• Existence of the Ohrid airport
• Sports fields
• Proximity to tourist markets, Greece, Alba
nia, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia,
Slovenia, Bulgaria ...
• Increased interest in tourist visits from the
countries of south eastern Europe,
• Formed sector for LED and Tourism
• Preparation of a
strategy for sustainable development
B. Weaknesses What should be done for transforming
the weaknesses into strengths:
• Undefined capacity for absorption, • Defining the capacity for
durability and quality of tourist facilities absorption, durability and quality of
and services, tourist facilities and services
(carrying capacity analyses),
• Lack of proper travel categorization
• Lack of real data for tourist facilities • Standardization and categorization
of tourist facilities
• unevenly developed tourist infrastructure in
all parts of the municipality • Establishing a model for
monitoring the authentic actualities
• failing to implement the law on tourism, in tourism
hospitality and temporary stay of the guests
• Development of tourism
• Lack of a functional national and local infrastructure in all parts of the
structures for tourism municipality
• Absence of Ministry of Tourism • law enforcement, tourism,
• Lack of national strategy for sustainable hospitality and temporary stay of
development of tourism the guests
216 Katerina Angelevska-Najdeska and Gabriela Rakicevik / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 44 (2012) 210 – 220

• Unorganized, segmented and uncoordinated • Establishing a functioning national

marketing and local structures for tourism
• Lack of organization and coordination of • Establishment of the Ministry of
the tourism sector Tourism
• Slow implementation of development plans • Adoption of an effective national
and programs in tourism strategy for sustainable tourism
development
• Insufficient staff profiled for tourist
operations, • Organized and coordinated
marketing strategy
• Lack of investment in personnel
development in tourism • Organization and coordination of
the tourism sector
• Lack of tourist information points and
signalization • Consistent quality and • Institutional strengthening and
human resource development
implementation of development
• Untapped Ohrid airport
plans and programs in tourism
• Low quality infrastructural linkage to the
• profiling and professionalization of
neighboring countries from the region
tourism personnel
• Small powers of local government
• Organized presentation of tourist
• Discontinuity in the cooperation between information (points and
SMEs, local government, national and signalization)
foreign institutions, agencies and companies
• Improvement of transport and
• uncoordinated exchange of information communication links and using the
between public, business and civil sector airport
• Discrepancy in building interventions and • Increased cooperation between
measures of LS with the start of tourist SMEs, local government, national
season and foreign institutions, agencies
• Lack of public, business and civil society and companies
about the importance of the authenticity of • Increasing the powers of local
the cultural and natural heritage, government,
• Perception • Coordinated exchange of
• Lack of favorable credit lines to stimulate information between public,
private tourist sector business and civil sector

• Lack of media support for the positive • Favorable credit lines to stimulate
examples, ideas and initiatives for tourism the private tourism sector
development • Media Support for the positive
• Lack of developed information system examples, ideas and initiatives for
tourism development,
• Lack of environmental protection
• Information Management System
• underutilized natural resources
tourism
• Protecting the natural environment
and natural resources
C. Opportunities
• Branding the city of Ohrid • Branding the city of Ohrid • Branding the city of Ohrid as
a tourist destination;
• Definition and selection of tourist product • Definition and selection of tourist pr
• Establish a oduct
database and mapping of tourism economy • Establish a
• Categorization of small scale database and mapping of tourism ec • Defining tourist offers and
onomy
tourist facilities products and proper
• Categorization of small scale promotion and presentation
 Katerina Angelevska-Najdeska and Gabriela Rakicevik / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 44 (2012) 210 – 220 217

• Training for tourism workers, tourist facilities

• media space to promote Ohrid • Trainings for tourism workers,
• reforms in local government • media activities to
support and develop tourism
• Initiatives and measures within the
competence of local • Utilization of reforms in local
government to encourage government and usage
the development of tourism of their benefits for tourism
development,
• Positive measures of local
government (tax and others) • Establishment of inter-
regional cooperation in tourism
• Guarantee and Credit Revolving Fund to
raise the quality of tourism • Guarantees and Credit Revolving F
unds to raise the quality of tourism
• Establishment of inter-
regional cooperation in tourism • Active and dynamic promotion and
presentation to the
• joint fairs and promotions,
foreign tourist market
• candidate status for entry in the EU,
• Using the candidate status of the
• Involvement in programs for development Republic of Macedonia, to
of the European Union attract investment and
• public funds, use of European funds
international institutions, agencies and • Fund for renovation of village facilit
donors, ies
• Fund for renovation of village facilities • Development of tourism in rural are
• Development of tourism in rural areas, as,

• Increased interest in alternative tourism • Increased interest in alternative touri

sm
• Developing winter tourism,
• Developing winter tourism,
• Hydro airport – hydro jets
• Hydro airport – hydro jets
• Establishment of a sports aero club
• Establishment of a sports aero club
D. Threats: •
• Legislation, • Consistent enforcement
• Poorly managed decentralization • of legislation,
• Administrative barriers • Reducing the gray
• Poorly organized and ineffective public • economy, corruption and the poor
administration
• economic condition,
• Unfavorable credit policy
• Liberalization of visa
• Grey economy (unregistered and untaxed • regime with EU member states,
activities)
• Maintenance of clean environment.
• Corruption
• General economic performance
• Visa regime with EU members
• High prices of aero transport
• Pollution of the environment
218 Katerina Angelevska-Najdeska and Gabriela Rakicevik / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 44 (2012) 210 – 220

3. Sustainable tourism monitoring

Implementing the sustainable development and sustainable tourism promotes numerous challenges that
make it impossible to determine whether a particular destination or product is definitely sustainable.
Therefore tourist managers should ask themselves why such scarce resources should be subject of a
sustainability strategy. Bramwell and Lane point out that active monitoring of sustainability is preferred
compared to the inactivity which increases the likelihood of unsustainable results in the life cycle of the
destination.h

It is very important to make an analysis from a historical perspective as well. The formal monitoring of
sustainable tourism that emerged in the early 90s of last century, dealt with some problems and
complications in relation to assessment of the current levels of relevant knowledge about sustainability.
So, it is necessary to reveal the problems and to try to identify appropriate solutions and strategies for
their resolving, against the passive monitoring of the situations. Also, the need for increasing the interests
should be highlighted which would estimate the increased demand for products of the alternative and
conventional tourism that support the principle of sustainability.

It is true that the indicator is actually a marker of the condition and it is not always definite assessment
and as such should be more appreciated. There are still existing trends that are moving towards
unsustainable situation, thus managers should make appropriate decisions besides the speculative nature
of the values of these critical thresholds of certain indicators. At the end, it should be pointed out that the
minimalist model of sustainable tourism could simplify the parameters of its application and thus will
become attractive for destinations and companies, that otherwise would not encourage the implementation
of the comprehensive model.

4. Determining directions of sustainable development

The guidelines of sustainable development for tourism in Macedonia should determine the directing
and the control of the development of tourism, to determine the developmental pace, which would also
aim at successful avoidance or decrease of the negative impacts of tourist development on the
environment.

Given that sustainable tourist development should enable the needs of all parties involved in the
process, meaning those who consume the services, i.e. the tourists, and those who create the demand and
certainly the domestic population, then it is clear that the activities for guideline setting should include all
these factors. Therefore the second part of the research refers to the determination of the aspirations of the
receptive population aimed at sustainable development of their tourist destination.

Finally, the conclusions drawn from results of the undertaken analysis should be implemented in the
planning processes for tourist development and should be included when drafting the development
strategy, as a coordinated framework within which tourism will develop in the future. Namely, from the
results of this part of the research, it may be concluded that there is a need of:

h
Bramwell, B., Lane. B. (1993): Sustainable tourism: an evolving global approach, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 1, 1-5
 Katerina Angelevska-Najdeska and Gabriela Rakicevik / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 44 (2012) 210 – 220 219

▪ Undertaking measures and activities for protection of certain areas in Macedonia where protection is
needed
▪ Undertaking activities for encouraging local population for greater involvement in planning activities
for tourism development
▪ Creating conditions that will ensure greater realization rate of plans for tourism development
▪ Improving the organization of tourist activities
▪ Funding projects that would enable better exploitation of tourist opportunities
▪ engaging human resources with relevant and appropriate professional education in tourist activities
▪ Undertaking activities for improving spatial destinations and maintenance of high level of hygiene
▪ Undertaking measures for reducing and correction of negative phenomena for the tourist destination
development
▪ Undertaking measures for stimulating positive phenomena for tourist destination development
▪ Well organized and effective marketing

All these activities should be undertaken in order to direct the development of tourism towards
achieving sustainability, meaning that the principles that ensure the environmental, social, cultural and
economic sustainability must be respected, because the concept of sustainable tourist development
implies economic, social and cultural development without endangering the environment. With this
approach tourist resources could be protected and used in the future by the upcoming as well as the
present generations.

Finally, the prospects for developing the sustainable tourism development in the Republic of
Macedonia are existent, if we take into consideration the existing opportunities for valorisation of
resources, that are not included in the tourist offer of the Republic of Macedonia, and if we successfully
manage them.

5. Conclusion

In order strategic objectives for sustainable development of Macedonia as a tourist destination to be

feasible, we should respect certain principles. They should be based on the importance of sustainable
tourism destination, profitability-which refers to the increasing use of the index of accommodation and
the index of the attendance of certain objects or attractiveness. Also needed is a clear determination of
priority investments, which will enable the correct allocation, selection and guidance investments, and
running target marketing that actually means that different target groups or target the tourism market
should be taken by various marketing activities.

Sustainable development can only work successfully when four of its constituent elements, economic,
social, cultural and environmental components have approximately equal importance and strength and
conditioning and interconnection without the domination of any part of these elements. Sustainable
tourism development mainly depends on the ability of the environment to ensure a stable and lasting basis
for development.

Finally, the prospects for developing the sustainable tourism development in the Republic of
Macedonia are existent, if we take into consideration the existing opportunities for valorisation of
220 Katerina Angelevska-Najdeska and Gabriela Rakicevik / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 44 (2012) 210 – 220

resources, that are not included in the tourist offer of the Republic of Macedonia, and if we successfully
manage them.

References

Bramwell, B., Lane. B. (1993): Sustainable tourism: an evolving global approach, Journal of Sustainable
Tourism, 1, 1-5

Hall, C. (1998): Historical antecedents on sustainable development: new labels on old bottles?, In
Sustainable Tourism: A Geographical Perspective (C.M. Hall and A.A. Law, eds), Longman

Hunter, C. (1997): Sustainable tourism as an adaptive paradigm, Annals of Tourism Research, 24, 850-67

Inskeep, E. (1994): Tourism Planning: An Integrated and Sustainable Development Approach, Van
Nostrand Reinhold

Magaš, D. (2003): Management tourist organizations and destinations, University of Rieka, Faculty of
tourist and hotel management-Opatija, Opatija

Romeril, M. (1994): Alternative tourism: the real tourism alternative? In Progress in Tourism, Recreation
and Hospitality Management, Vol. 6, (C. Cooper and A. Lockwood, eds) Wiley

WTO (1996): What Tourism Managers need to Know: A Practical Guide to the Development and Use of
Indicators of Sustainable Tourism

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