Glossary

There are many terms used when discussing tourism. Although few have universal definitions, this glossary offers an explanation of the terms used in this issue of id21 insights.

All-inclusive tourism: the travel industry uses this term to describe self-contained resorts and/or package tours where all expenses and amenities are included in the initial price. A common criticism is that a high percentage of the cost stays with the tour operator, rather than reaching local communities.

Community-based tourism: these initiatives aim to increase local people's involvement in tourism. They are mainly small-scale (campsites, guesthouses, craft-markets, local excursions) although can include partnerships with the private sector. Many suffer from being too isolated from the tourism market and are unsustainable without external support.

Ecotourism: described by the International Ecotourism Society as 'responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people'. The term is often used interchangeably with 'nature tourism', which is tourism that is all - or partly - based on nature, but this misses the socio-cultural dimension of ecotourism.

Mass tourism: this usually refers to traditional, large scale forms of leisure tourism pioneered in the 1960s and 1970s. It can be important for economic development in a country, but there are often negative social and environmental impacts.

Pro-Poor Tourism: this is defined by the Pro-Poor Tourism Partnership as tourism that generates increased net benefits for poor people.

Responsible Tourism: this is tourism practised by tourists who make responsible choices when choosing their holidays, such as minimising their environmental and social impacts and ensuring their activities benefit local people.

Sustainable Tourism: the World Tourism Organisation defines this as 'leading to the management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems'. However, some commentators argue that there is no such thing as sustainable tourism, given the environmental impacts of air travel.

Dilys Roe
International Institute for Environment and Development, UK
dilys.roe@iied.org

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