INCREASING THE POTENTIAL OF TOURISM DESTINATIONS THROUGH COMBINED THE PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY AND INNOVATION

 

Fayzieva Aziza Ismatillaevna1, Bayu Dian Sua Pratama2, Upit Elya Rohimi3

Silk Road International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage, Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Universitas Swadaya Gunung Jati, Jawa Barat, Indonesia

 

�[email protected]1, [email protected]2, [email protected]3

 


ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the tourism industry worldwide. Many countries are experiencing significant declines in tourist numbers and tourism revenues. The purpose of this study is to analyze the increase in the potential of tourism destinations through the combination of sustainable principles and innovation. This research is qualitative research carried out using the literature review method by searching for secondary information from various websites that are searched via the internet. In order to increase the potential of tourism destinations through combining the principles of sustainability and innovation, it is important to consider and promote environmental and social sustainability, as well as preserving local cultural heritage. This can help create tourism that is sustainable and profitable for all parties involved, including local communities, tourists, and the environment. Combining the principles of sustainability and innovation can increase the potential of tourism destinations. This research has the implication that by considering sustainable and innovative aspects in the development of tourist destinations, this research provides insight into how the application of sustainable principles and innovation can increase the attractiveness, sustainability, and success of tourist destinations.

 

Keywords: dmo, innovation, sustainability, tourism destinations.

 



Correspondent Author: Fayzieva Aziza Ismatillaevna

Email: [email protected]

 

INTRODUCTION

The global lockdown is reflected on the world economy and mostly on the Tourism sector. The difficulties experienced by almost every sector of the global economy during the Covid 19 outbreak reveal the inability to quickly convert different economic processes to a remote implementation format without compromising the effectiveness and quality of goods available to consumers. Recognizing that certain practices in tourism need to adapt to emerging challenges such as climate change, demographic shifts, increasing competition and customer preferences, values and needs, the private sector needs to explore how it should manage these challenges and meet the changes they are facing (Edwards et al., 2008). Tourism scholars need to investigate how other disciplines, such as education, health care, and sociology, measure stakeholder and community understanding. Future studies should also assess understanding of sustainable tourism among other stakeholder groups, such as business owners, government officials, tourists, residents, etc., to see differences between these groups. Covid-19 is likely to accelerate the adoption of robotics, among other forms of automation (C�rdenas et al., 2015). In a pre-Covid-19 study, Oxford Economics estimated that 20 million global manufacturing jobs could be replaced by robots by 2030. The National Burson of Economic Research and the WE Upiohn Institute for Employment Research have found that labor replacement automation soared during economic recessions, with greatest effect on low-skilled jobs (Brannen, 2020).

Successful DMOs and destination managers are critical to tourism management at the local level to help attract visitors and promote local businesses (Coban & Yildiz, 2019). They oversee promoting it through positioning statements, brand campaigns, manufacturing of high-quality products, effective interaction with stakeholders (such as residents) and efficient use of financial resources from both public and private sources while ensuring that the project meets its overall objectives.

 


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Figure 1. DMO evolution

As opposed to evaluating the larger sustainability of tourism at the national or global level, the development of the idea of sustainable tourism over the last 25 years has had a clear and direct focus on the sustainability of tourism activities at the destination level. In this sense, tourist destinations are often considered local, relatively small places such as cities or small islands. The sustainability debate and associated measurement and indicator activities are focused on encompassing and achieving a balance between the three components of tourism sustainability � economic, environmental, and societal � using this perspective on small spatial areas. Tourism observatories from around the world are brought together by UNWTO's International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO). To better understand, track and provide policy recommendations for more sustainable tourism development, tourism observatories have been established in various locations. An important component of their work is the design, implementation, and analysis of indicators. The reporting economic data sheet, the nine problem categories deemed most relevant to the observatory, and the institutional framework were all proposed by INSTO. To develop and implement policies, strategies, plans and procedures for the management of sustainable tourism, promoting the use of a systematic approach to monitoring, evaluation, and information management.

Figure 2. Sustainable Tourism model

Source: Sanagust�n Fons MV Mose�e Fierro JA, G�mez y Pati�o M

 

Since sustainable tourism is a goal, one must understand that every type of development including tourism development causes certain changes in an area. However, these changes must be kept within acceptable limits, so that sustainability is achieved.

Countries are exhorted to speed up climate action in tourism in the wake of the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference and the release of The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action. Encouragement of environmentally conscious and sustainable tourist practices is therefore crucial for the sector's resilience. The climate emergency poses a greater danger than COVID, according to the UNWTO Secretary-general. As more and more international travelers become aware of this crisis, they start to think that in order to save the planet and safeguard it for future generations, action must be taken immediately. As more people adopt this attitude, they begin to consider the environment when making travel choices. It is crucial to remember that sustainability encompasses more than just protecting the ecosystem.

 

METHOD

To achieve the proposed objectives, this paper draws on a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative methods (content analysis, review of existing contributions) with quantitative methods (correlations analysis for survey results)� A combination of methods facilitates the integration of different types of data into a seamless discussion of results and a more comprehensive understanding of their implications (Creswell, 2017).

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Research has been conducted in 2019 by (Garay et al., 2019) � Drawing from Taylor and Todd's �theory of planned behavior�, this study explores sustainability beliefs, attitudes, social norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intentions of accommodation managers and consider how this relates to the uptake of water-related innovations. An online survey was used to collect data from more than 300 accommodation companies located in Catalonia (Spain). Using the structural equation model to interpret the data, 17 hypotheses were established, 15 of which were found to be significant. Findings demonstrate how second-order constructs informed by the organizational innovation literature explain attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control of managers; these factors informed 56% of the behavioral intentions of sustainability. We explore the cognitive mechanisms that motivate managers to introduce sustainability practices into their businesses. We contribute to the theory by demonstrating the benefits of studying the belief structures that inform sustainability action taking from an innovation perspective". where there is an opportunity to engage more scholars and start schooling more people to explore new sustainability actions.

Table 1. Drivers of the Keys to Success for Sustainability

Continuous service

Accommodation

Entertainment

Friendliness

Public

Leverage

Management

Expansion

Positioning

Exploring

Marketing

Promotion

Attractiveness

Sale

Program

Process

Competence

Design

Development

Product

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 3. International Tourism During the Pandemic

 

The policy tracker that provides the latest policy responses by countries and international organizations to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the travel and tourism sector, restart tourism and accelerate recovery is UNWTO's COVID-19 dashboard on country initiatives to improve travel and tourism. UNWTO has launched an online interactive dashboard on country and international policy responses to COVID-19, covering 220 countries and territories and more than 30 international and regional agencies. The dashboard is based on information from governments, international organizations, and online official public sources. This dashboard provides information on various actions taken by countries and international organizations in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, including information on travel restrictions, health and safety protocols, financial support, and various other policies. Thus, this dashboard can help tourism industry players, academics, and decision makers understand and respond to changes that have occurred in the tourism industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This dashboard is also equipped with interactive features that allow users to filter information by country or region, specific topics, or international and regional institutions related to tourism. By launching this dashboard, UNWTO hopes to help tourism industry players and other stakeholders access important information to make the right decisions in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic brought changes to the tourism context on a global scale, creating contrasting situations, such as tourism isolation and intensification of domestic tourism. This activity is a fusion of the 21st century economy, as it involves mobility, connectivity, technology, management, and sustainability. In this scenario, two issues related to the current crisis are highlighted: governance and sustainability, which relate to the ability of destinations to manage risk, and challenges of managing tourism services, given the need for destinations to develop recovery activities that support sustainability. tourist. Reflections are presented from the perspective of an empowering discussion on good governance, destination resilience, the challenges of the tourism business environment and the provision of services and experiences with excellence (Bladen & Callinan, 2023).

On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic also shows the importance of sustainability in the tourism industry. The COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the number of tourists and significantly affected the tourism industry. However, as mass tourism begins to recover after the pandemic, there is still a risk of negative impacts on cultural preservation, local people's well-being and sense of identity (Trono et al., 2022). As an example of increased pressure on local culture, an increase in the number of tourists entering an area can put pressure on local people to fulfill their demands, even if it means changing traditions or modifying culture. An increase in the number of tourists can also have negative impacts on the local environment, including pollution, destruction of natural habitats and increased amounts of waste.

Therefore, it is important for the tourism industry to consider the negative impacts that may occur and take steps to minimize them. Governments can promote sustainable tourism by prioritizing cultural preservation, ensuring balanced benefits for local communities, and reducing negative impacts on the environment (Brokaj, 2014). To bring change to the tourism context on a global scale, tourism destinations must pay more attention to sustainability and apply sustainability principles in the development of tourism products and services. The need to innovate in the development of products and services such as changes in the context of tourism on a global scale requires tourism industry players to innovate in developing products and services that are attractive and in accordance with new market needs.

Increasing the potential of tourism destinations can be done through combining the principles of sustainability and innovation. Here are some ways to increase the potential of tourism destinations by combining the principles of sustainability and innovation:

1.    Introducing environmentally friendly technology

Tourism destinations can take advantage of environmentally friendly technologies, such as renewable energy and environmentally friendly waste treatment (Eddyono, 2021). This can help improve the quality of the environment in tourism destinations, so tourists can better enjoy nature. Many countries are using environmentally friendly technologies as part of efforts to promote sustainable tourism. As a Norwegian country that promotes tourism as part of their strategy is the use of electric cars for tourists who want to explore the natural beauty of Norway (Olszewski-Strzyżowski, 2022). Also other countries such as the Netherlands are promoting the use of bicycles and public transportation as an environmentally friendly way to explore their country (Karanikola et al., 2018).

2.    Developing sustainable tourism destinations

Sustainable tourism destinations can be developed taking into account sustainability principles, such as reducing carbon emissions, good water and waste management, and promoting sustainable economic practices (Pan et al., 2018). This can help maintain natural and cultural beauty in tourism destinations.

3.    Encourage local community participation

Local communities can play an important role in maintaining sustainability in tourism destinations (Cucculelli & Goffi, 2016). Strengthening the involvement of local communities in tourism development can help preserve local cultural and environmental heritage (Park & Kim, 2016). Through participation and cooperation, local communities can make important contributions to decision making and planning of sustainable tourism destinations.

4.    Providing innovative tourism experiences

Tourism destinations can offer innovative tourism experiences, such as visiting unfamiliar places or doing unique and unusual activities (Chandral et al., 2015). This can help increase the interest of tourists to visit tourism destinations and increase the attractiveness of these destinations.

5.       Implement sustainable policies and regulations

Sustainable policies and regulations can help increase sustainability in tourism destinations (Budeanu et al., 2016). For example, limiting the number of tourists entering certain destinations, or imposing regulations on waste management and efficient use of energy.

In order to increase the potential of tourism destinations through combining the principles of sustainability and innovation, it is important to consider and promote environmental and social sustainability, as well as preserving local cultural heritage. This can help create tourism that is sustainable and profitable for all parties involved, including local communities, tourists and the environment.

 

CONCLUSION

The possible harmful effects of mass tourism on cultural preservation, the well-being of local people and a sense of identity must be considered. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the function of cultural heritage in the post-COVID-19 situation. Cultural heritage must play a key role and be at the heart of recovery efforts now more than ever, capturing all its fundamental value to communities, nations, territories, and people, and tapping into all its potential for local growth and reconstruction.

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