6.3.2 Coordination and Management 6.3.2.1 Government The primary task of governments in each country is to incorporate the basic principles of sustainable development into the general planning process. Throughout this process, there is a need for active co-operation with the international governmental and non-governmental organisations (as the major aim is to achieve global sustainability), with the civil sphere of the given country, with the representatives of tourism, and with the host community. The representatives of the community, the civil groups, and the tourism sector should all be involved in each stage of the tourism development process. If a government is committed to sustainable tourism development, it has to assess the adequacy of the existing economic, regulatory and voluntary frameworks for achieving the principles of sustainability. If mechanisms are inadequate, new frameworks should be developed including, among others, methods and standards for the regulation of impact assessment, controlling mechanisms for the tourism developing projects, legal enforcement and monitoring of environmental audits, adaptation of land-use and construction regulations, and protection of historical and cultural values. Governments should also support the assessment of the socio-cultural, economic, and physical impacts of tourism, since the negative impacts can be prevented or decreased, and the positive impacts can be encouraged. The impacts can be prevented or encouraged if the decision-makers are actually aware of those potential impacts, and if the tourism enterprises, the local communities, and the tourists are all able to assess the implications of their own activities. Therefore, governments should introduce such educational and informational programmes that let all stakeholders know about the nature and functioning of the tourism system as well as its impacts, the skills and methods required to influence the impacts, and the basic principles of sustainability. An important element of international co-operation is to facilitate information exchange and technology transfer between developed and developing countries. This is important in enabling the nations to learn from each other, so that they can benefit from each other's experiences. International co-operation might also ensure that new tourism destinations that are developed, respect the principles (and practices) of sustainable development from the very beginning. Organizations, e.g. UNWTO, WTTC or GIZ have published guides for planning that can be adapted by municipalities, i.e. the ‘Sustainable Tourism as a Development Option’, Practical Guide for Local Planners, Developers and Decision Makers by UNWTO:
Step 1: Situation analysis o Stakeholders and interests o Problems and potentials o Framework conditions and prerequisites
Step 2: Designing a strategy for tourism development
Consultation Draft – Carpathian Tourism Strategy
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