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Sustainable Tourism for Small Island Developing States

Topic outline

  • Überblick

    What you can expect


    • The Course`s Storyline

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    • Dear Learner,
      Welcome to our online course "Sustainable Tourism and Stakeholder Networking for SIDS". This course lets you explore and assess the opportunities that sustainable tourism measures offer for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This course will help you to think carefully and critically about current tourism regimes and tourism policies. It illustrates through practical examples how policy-making can improve tourism standards in the main SIDS regions. Join us in this online learning experience!

      Why is this topic important?


      SIDS still face numerous challenges with regard to sustainable development and sustainable livelihoods for their current population as well as future generations

      As one of the fastest growing sectors in the world, in recent years tourism has become one of the key economic factors for many SIDS. However, tourism is associated with various risks for their fragile ecosystems. In addition, the size and geographical situation of many SIDS confronts them with vulnerabilities that limit their competitiveness in the tourism industry. In light og these challenges, there is a need for well-formulated policies, regulations and standards in the tourism sector. Here, policy-makers play a key role in fostering the transition towards sustainable tourism.

      Our online course “Sustainable Tourism and Stakeholder Networking for SIDS Policy Makers” seeks to inspire you to explore and assess the opportunities that sustainable tourism policies offer for SIDS.

      This course will help you to think carefully and critically about current tourism systems and policies. It illustrates through practical examples how policy-making and the implementation of appropriate measures may greatly improve tourism in SIDS.

      Who can take this course?

      Although everyone is welcome to join, this course has been designed for a specific audience: Policy makers on strategic and operative levels who seek to better grasp the interdisciplinarity of the topic, who want to gain further insights on existing policy frameworks, appropriate technologies and best practices from islands.

      The course is also suitable for „public officials of tomorrow”, i.e. master students from related disciplines (e.g. policy or development economics), as well as NGOs working in the tourism sector. They are provided with hands-on knowledge on strategies and the evaluation of sustainable tourism concepts which can, for example, be useful for an applied master’s thesis, or a distinctive sustainable tourism project.

      This online course...
      • offers an interdisciplinary perspective on sustainable tourism as well as related policies, regulations and standards found in Small Island Developing States
      • introduces you to a broad spectrum of tourism- but also policy-related topics, for example sustainable tourism strategies and measures... as well as policies, initiatives and programs
      • seeks to inspire you self-develop a small solution for promoting sustainable tourism in SIDS


      This interdisciplinary course has an active duration of 7 weeks.

      You will learn…
      • to distinguish basic concepts and technical terms in the sustainable tourism discourse
      • to challenge tourism conditions in a given SIDS
      • to differentiate between different policy approaches and implementation strategies to increase sustainable tourism measures in SIDS
      • how to identify, critically assess and evaluate tourism regimes in SIDS, building on examples from previous learned material

      To practically make use of your newly gained knowledge and skills, you will – piece by piece throughout the course – improve your analytical skills to critically evaluate a given sustainable tourism concept for a small island.

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  • 3 Sustainable Tourism Standards

    Welcome to this third chapter. In this module "Sustainable Tourism Standards" you will learn about:

    • identify and understand sustainable tourism standards as well as the different tiers of certification
    • understand the role of quality assurance in tourism 
    • describe the global sustainable tourism council

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      What are you going to learn in this chapter? Page


      In this video sustainable tourism expert Vashty Ramsey-Casimir welcomes you and gives you an overview about what you are going to learn in this chapter. Click on the heading to start your learning process

    • resource icon
      Theory: Sustainable Tourism Standards File

      This training booklet provides an overview of quality assurance in tourism, types of certifications and their criteria. 

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      Practice Insight: The relevance of certifications Page

      In this practice insight video Romina Tello Soberanes, regeneration consultant in Costa Rica, tells you about the importance of sustainable tourism certifications. 

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      Exercise 3: A destination's vision and goals Page

      In this chapter's part of the assignment you are supposed to develop the vision and goals with regard to sustainable tourism. Therefore you should refer to the asset inventory you prepared last week but you should also consider quality criteria that support the sustainablity of you vision and goals. 

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      Wrap-up Page


      Congratulations! You finished our introductory lesson about sustainable tourism standards. Click on the heading to get to know where to continue and where to find more information.