Sustainable tourism

In this project, we aim to answer how destination management organizations in Denmark can strategically develop a tourism strategy that fosters collaboration and measures the impact of economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable place development in rural areas.

Tourism plays a significant role in the sustainable development of rural areas today. This applies economically in terms of revenue, tax proceeds, and job creation, but also in terms of social and environmental impacts, which can be both positive and negative.

The project generates knowledge about which types of approaches, focus areas, and process and measurement indicators are particularly useful for the tourism industry, public authorities, and other stakeholders in rural areas to promote environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable development that strengthens both the rural areas and the destination's attractiveness. The project will culminate in a report that identifies data sources for recommended parameters that can effectively supplement the existing national tourism accounts, ensuring that they include not only revenue figures but also social, economic, and environmental impact metrics in the future.

Links to the full report, notes, and case examples:

‍SUSTAINABLE_TOURISM_ACCOUNTING

‍Prototype of Sustainable Tourism Accounting

‍Sustainable Destinations comprehensive report

‍A calculation of tourists' CO2 footprint

‍Nordregio publication_HOW PRIORITIES ARE TRANSLATED INTO PRACTICE