2017/06/15 by Larry Dwyer · 2 citations
Business, Management and Accounting · Social Sciences · #Cultural Industries and Urban Development #Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research #Environmental Sustainability in Business
paper · doi:10.1080/09669582.2017.1308372
openalex publication_date 2017/06/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
The established mindset underpinning tourism planning, development and research is under attack from many quarters on the grounds that “business as usual” seems impossible to reconcile with sustainability. The paper first highlights key characteristics of the prevailing paradigm associated with tourism industry expansion globally. It then identifies common elements of an alternative “sustainable futures” paradigm, contrasting its features with those of the established paradigm in relation to seven fundamental elements: neo-liberalism, anthropocentrism, shareholder orientation, growth, price, space and promotion. Next, the paper identifies the implications of the alternative paradigm in terms of the underpinning mindset (attitudes and behaviours) of major tourism stakeholders. Pathways to facilitate the transition to the new sustainable futures’ paradigm are identified. The paper concludes with reflections on the power of the new paradigm, and its implications for a global sustainable tourism research and action agenda.