16 Jan Sustainable Tourism in Cities is a Wicked Problem

Cities need sustainable tourism more than ever. Too often sustainable tourism discussions focus on small scale, nature-based tourism. It is critical to remember that sustainable tourism principles can be applied to all parts of the tourism system. Indeed, although the pandemic has silenced many of the concerns about overtourism, sustainable tourism in urban destinations has never been more important.

That is not to say it will be easy. Implementing sustainable tourism is a wicked problem. What does that mean? Wicked problems, like sustainable tourism, are complex, with many actors -each doing their own thing. They are complicated, with many different things to do. They are unique – while there may be universal guidelines for implementing sustainable tourism, each destination city has its own unique issues. There is never a perfect answer.

In a recent chapter, Sustainable Tourism in Cities, I wrote for the Routledge Handbook of Tourism Cities I explore some of the challenges of sustainable tourism in cities. Check it out here.