The Relationship of Sustainable Tourism and the Eco-city Concept

Abstract

Asia currently has more than 100 cities with populations over one million. By 2015, Asia will account for 12 of the world’s largest cities. Many of these cities are doubling in population every 15–20 years. Alongside this significant urban growth tourism numbers have also significantly grown over the past 10 years in most major urban centres in Asia. It is within this context of the absolute growth of urban areas and the growing levels of tourism activity that this chapter examines the concept of eco-cities from a tourism perspective. Most eco-city concepts have been developed to deal specifically with resident needs and activities and protecting environmental values. However, developing the co-city concept becomes much more complex when many cities are faced with the challenge of meeting the needs and aspirations of tourists which introduces a number of new stakeholders to be involved in the overall planning and development process. This chapter will first look at the nature of tourism from an urban perspective and the challenges facing planners as they attempt to achieve the principles and goals of the eco-cities concept. The nature of eco-cities as they relate to that definition of tourism is then analyzed with the article concluding with a series of recommendations for innovative sustainable tourism destination creation within the overall objectives of the concept of eco-cities.