Philippine E-Journals

Reconceptualizing Destination Image Assessment to Include Community Values: Exploring Socio-cultural Values and Cultural Landscape

Paul Cunningham | Stephen Wearing

Discipline: Tourism

 

Abstract:

This paper examines how Destination Image Assessment (DIA) can be developed to include the assessment of community values, thus providing a more holistic tool for the development of sustainable tourism planning. The effective introduction and ongoing management of sustainable tourism development in destination areas is in part dependent on the ability of planners to reconcile local stakeholders’ values with new tourism development. The authors argue that understanding the communities’ views of a destination and including them in DIA is essential in establishing 'sustainability-focused' destination planning. The authors hold that the linkages between tourism, community and the local environment are central to the subsequent development of policies, tools and frameworks used to assist local stakeholders in achieving a sustainable tourism industry. The inclusion of community values through DIA enables collaborative engagement between local communities and regional and local authorities, which should provide outcomes that are more likely to be successful for all stakeholders.