Page 190 - sustainable tourism-- Dr.Aya

8.2% respectively in the same period

(UNWTO, 2013d). Globally tourism ranks

fourth in the export category after ‗fuels,

chemicals and automotive products‘.

Travel and Tourism industry is therefore a

force to reckon with and countries can gain

significantly by pursuing this sector vigorously

(Ramgulam et al., 2012). It has been studied

that tourism has a major impact (both positive

and negative) on the environment (both natural

and built) and the ‗wellbeing and culture of the

host populations.‘ Efforts therefore need to be

made so as to maximize the positive effects

and minimize the negative ones through

‗sustainable tourism development‘ (UNEP—

WTO, 2005). The issue of sustainability has

been discussed in the context of tourism since

the ‗first World Conference on Sustainable

Tourism (WTO, UNEP, UNESCO, EU,

1995).‘ Literature since then shows that the

tourist activities are considered extremely

―pollutant‖ (Holden 2008 cited in Battaglia et

al., 2012) and at the local level there is a

strong correlation between ‗profitability of

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