Tourism Service Providers’ Specific Policies for Social Acceptance

For several years there has been increased awareness of the potential negative impacts of tourism on local residents’ everyday lives. According to Johnston and Tyrrell (2005), there is no sustainable solution that would simultaneously maximize benefits for residents and for the industry. Thus, it is necessary to combine research on environmentally sustainable outcomes and socially acceptable compromises, which are located somewhere in between the optimal solution for each group. The concept of corporate social responsibility was developed by World Business Council for Sustainable Development (2000: 3): “Corporate Social Responsibility is the continuing commitment by businesses to contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the community and society at large.” Corporate social responsibility requires businesses to justify their existence and activities through services to the community rather than profits. It includes treating employees, suppliers and customers fairly, supporting local communities, donating to charitable causes, and promoting environmental sustainability (Crook, 2005). In this context, Choi and Sirakaya (2005) identify seven factors related to residents’ attitudes to sustainable tourism:

• • Perceived social costs
• • Environmental sustainability
• • Long-term planning
• • Economic benefits
• • Community-based tourism
• • Ensuring visitor satisfaction
• • Maximizing community participation.

Local populations have a more positive attitude toward sustainable tourism than mass tourism. A better understanding among policymakers and tourist destination managers is needed about the effect of tourism development policies on local populations (Yu et al., 2011). Support for and of local populations is critical because conservation activities of residents can affect the preservation of environmental resources (Johnston, Tyrrell, 2005).