Sustainable tourism is still a misnomer

For many travellers, the definition of a sustainable tourism establishment is confined to its carbon footprint, i.e., whether it follows 'green' principles like not littering, reducing plastic use, or conserving water and energy. But this is only a small part of what sustainable tourism is.

- Helen Grange

Conservation funding: In the Vamizi Island, Mozambique, revenue generated from tourism funds such conservation activities as coral monitoring, turtle nesting protection and mangrove restoration projects. Photo: Friends of Vamizi Conservation & Community

(Friends of Vamizi Conservation & Community)

What's often missing in the understanding of 'eco-friendly' is social impact (whether local communities are employed fairly, share in profits, have a voice), cultural respect (whether traditions are preserved or exploited for entertainment), economic sustainability (whether tourism income stays local or flows to other regions or foreign corporations), and environmental custodianship (protecting the ecosystem).

The World Economic Forum (WEF)'s Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024 (TTDI), which measures how well prepared countries are to develop tourism sustainably and resiliently, shows that despite some improvement, many African countries remain below the global average in several dimensions of the index, particularly those related to creating an enabling environment and infrastructure.

In other words, many African countries lack the foundational systems and services - like reliable transport, digital connectivity, energy, sanitation, and governance frameworks - that are necessary for tourism to grow sustainably, inclusively, and competitively. South Africa is the highest-ranked African country, 55th out of 119 countries globally, followed by Ghana at 106, reflecting the tourism infrastructure and services challenges that African countries face.

"I don't like the word 'sustainable' in tourism," says Caroline Ungersbock, CEO of the Sustainable Tourism Partnership Programme. "Sustainability in tourism essentially means conscientious, community-conscious, business practice. It means providing a service, including to your employees, the environment and the community in which you operate."