Abstract
Mountain destinations face many challenges from local displacement, harsh climatic conditions, or strong competition. Sustainable tourism development is therefore crucial to maintain the natural and cultural resources, which often are the main capital of mountain destinations. This study has been conducted to find out how destination management organizations (DMOs) operate in sustainable tourism. Results show that the DMOs do not perceive themselves as leaders but rather the political stakeholders and service providers. Furthermore, the perceived role of DMOs in the context of sustainable development does not fully match with the role they actually play today. The DMOs often are present in rather operational tasks, even though they say that a DMO should also undertake strategic tasks such as developing a sustainability strategy. Strategic tasks, which would help managing sustainable development in a more efficient way, are often neglected. A DMO looking for enhancement of sustainable tourism needs to undertake additional tasks and therefore has to create sufficient resources to go forward. Only DMOs taking on responsibility can sustainably develop their destinations in the long run.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Agrawala S (2007) Climate change in the European Alps: adapting winter tourism and natural hazards management. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Paris
Alpine Convention (2013) Sustainable tourism in the Alps. Report on the state of the Alps. Alpine signals: special edition 4. Alpine Convention, Innsbruck
BAKBASEL (2014) Performance des Alpinen Tourismus in der Schweiz im internationalen Vergleich. Kurzpublikation zum “Internationalen Benchmarking Programm für den Schweizer Tourismus Projektphase 2014–2015”. BAK Basel Economics AG, Basel
Bornhorst T, Ritchie JRB, Sheehan L (2010) Determinants of tourism success for DMOs & destinations: an empirical examination of stakeholders’ perspectives. Tour Manag 31:572–589
Buhalis D (2000) Marketing the competitive destination of the future. Tour Manag 21:97–116
Debarbieux B, Oiry Varacca M, Rudaz G, Maselli D, Kohler T, Jurek M (eds) (2014) Tourism in mountain regions. Hopes, fears and realities, Sustainable mountain development series. UNIGE, CDE, SDC, Geneva
Hoy A, Hänsel S, Matschullat J (2011) How can winter tourism adapt to climate change in Saxony’s mountains? Reg Environ Change 11(3):459–469
Kohler T, Pratt J, Debarbieux B, Balsiger J, Rudaz G, Maselli D (eds) (2012) Sustainable Mountain Development, Green Economy and Institutions. From Rio 1992 to Rio 2012 and beyond. Final draft for Rio 2012. Prepared with an international team of experts. Available at http://www.mountainpartnership.org/fileadmin/user_upload/mountain_partnership/docs/LOW_Global_Green_Economy_RIO20.pdf. Accessed 23 Apr 2015
Morrison MA (2013) Marketing and managing tourism destinations. Routledge, New York
Pechlaner H, Tschurtschenthaler P (2003) Tourism policy, tourism organisation and change management in Alpine regions and destinations: a European perspective. Curr Issues Tour 6(6):508–539
Presenza A (2005) The performance of a tourism destination. Who manages the destination? Who plays the audit role? University of Molise, Campobasso
Presenza A, Sheehan L, Ritchie JRB (2005) Towards a model of the roles and activities of destination management organizations. J Hosp Tour Leis Sci 3:1–16
Price M, Borowski D, Macleod C, Debarbieux B, Rudaz G (2011) Sustainable mountain development in the Alps. From Rio 1992 to Rio 2012 and beyond. ARE, Bern
Schweizerischer Bundesrat (2015) Politik des Bundes für die ländlichen Räume und Berggebiete; Bericht in Erfüllung der Motion 11.3927 Maissen vom 29. September 2011. Für eine koheränte Raumentwicklung Schweiz, Bern, pp 6–8
Tourism Sustainability Group (TSG) (2007) Action for more sustainable European tourism. Report of the tourism sustainability group. Available at http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/tourism/files/docs/tsg/tsg_final_report_en.pdf. Accessed 23 Apr 2015
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Conservation International (CI), Tour Operator’s Initiative Secretariat (TOI) (2007) Tourism and mountains. A practical guide to managing the environmental and social impacts of mountain tours. UNEP, France
Veith C, Shaw J (2011) Why invest in sustainable mountain development? Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome
Velleco I, Mancino A (2010) Sustainability and tourism development in three Italian destinations: stakeholders’ opinion and behaviours. Serv Ind J 30(13):2201–2223
Waligo V, Clarke J, Hawkins R (2013) Implementing sustainable tourism: a multi-stakeholder involvement management framework. Tour Manag 36:342–353
Weber F, Wehrli R (2015) Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement in Tourismusorganisationen. In: Barth M, Wehrli R (eds) Nachhaltige Entwicklung im Tourismus: die Luzerner Perspektive. interact Verlag Luzern, Lucerne, pp 73–79
Wyss R, Abegg B, Luthe T (2014) Perceptions of climate change in a tourism governance context. Tour Manag Perspect 11:69–76
Acknowledgments
Tremendous thanks go to all the DMOs that have contributed to this study. For the expert interviews, the following destinations have helped to build a strong base for this study:
– Switzerland: Urs Wohler for Engadin Scuol Samnaun Val Müstair, Andreas Banholzer for Lake Geneva Region, Theo Schnider for UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch
– Austria: Herlinde Moosbrugger for Bregenzerwald, Andreas Purt for Mostviertel, Christine Klenovec for Biosphärenpark Grosses Walsertal
– Germany: Bernhard Joachim for the Tourism Association Allgäu, Harald Gmeiner for Alpenregion Tegernsee-Schliersee
– Italy (South Tyrol): Johanna Torggler for the South Tyrol Marketing Association, Thomas Aichner for Meraner Land, Klaus Messner for Villnöss
Thanks to all DMOs responding to the online survey or having supported the study in other ways:
– Switzerland: Adelboden, Aletsch, Arosa, Bellwald, Disentis Sedrun, Engadin St.Moritz, Engelberg, Gstaad, Haslital, Interlaken, Kandersteg, Obergoms, Samnaun, Toggenburg
– Austria: Achensee, Gastein, Lech Zürs am Arlberg, Lieser-/Maltatal, Mühlviertel, Region Graz, Region Hall-Wattens, Salzburger Lungau, Salzkammergut, Seefeld, St. Anton am Arlberg, Wiener Alpen in Niederösterreich, Wipptal
– Germany: Ammergauer Alpen, Berchtesgadener Land, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Reit im Winkl
– Italy (South Tyrol): Eisacktal, Kronplatz, Seiser Alm, Südtirol, Vinschgau
Finally, we express our gratitude to all the staff involved in the study of the Institute of Tourism at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts: Laura Unyi, Anna Bernhard, and Angela Steffen.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Wagenseil, U., Zemp, M. (2016). Sustainable Tourism in Mountain Destinations: The Perceived and Actual Role of a Destination Management Organization. In: Koulov, B., Zhelezov, G. (eds) Sustainable Mountain Regions: Challenges and Perspectives in Southeastern Europe. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27905-3_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27905-3_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-27903-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-27905-3
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)