Sustainable Tourism: New Perspectives and Practices for the Future
Giovana Goretti Feijó Almeida
Paulo Almeida
Francisco Dias
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The Special Issue “Sustainable Tourism: New Perspectives and Practices for the Future”, originated from the FAST (Tools to Support Sustainability in Tourism) project, addresses the need to balance tourism growth with environmental preservation and social well-being. This edition explores different approaches to tackling the challenges of sustainability in tourism, highlighting innovative strategies such as integrating emerging digital technologies to mitigate environmental impacts and promote responsible practices. Key debates include the search for carbon-neutral tourism solutions, aimed at reducing and offsetting the carbon emissions associated with tourism activities.
These discussions also involve the development of effective public policies to promote sustainable tourism. In addition, it is worth highlighting the whole range of social and organizational devices that induce producers and consumers to adopt “good” practices, i.e., more sustainable practices. These include sustainability certification schemes (known as eco-labels), as well as environmental education programs aimed at consumers. This includes the implementation of regulations that encourage ecological and regenerative practices, as well as raising awareness among local communities and tourists. It should be noted that the use of digital tools to monitor and reduce the environmental impact of tourism is equally important, as it facilitates the engagement of stakeholders in sustainable practices, contributing to the goals of the 2030 Agenda.
However, other emerging topics, such as the adaptation of tourism practices to climate change, regenerative tourism and the sustainable management of growing destinations, are explored in selected studies and offer great potential for future research. Authors are encouraged to submit papers related to, but not limited to, these areas.