Sustainable tourism development Cu lao Cham case study

GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS CLC Cu Lao Cham Cù Lao Chàm – Cham archipelago CREST Centre for Responsible Travel ECPAT End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking

MBAVB4

NGUY N HOÀNG THY

MASTER PROJECT MASTER IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

(PART-TIME)

HOCHIMINH CITY

(2011)

DECLARATION

I hereby certify that this final project represents my own work, and that all material and sources used in its preparation are properly acknowledged I do not copy in whole or in part the work of other students and/or persons for this project

Signature: NGUY N HOÀNG THY _

Date: November 27th, 2011

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A gratitude to my tutor, Dr Nguy n c Trí for his invaluable advices and

recommendations on this work

My loving thanks to my parents, my sister and Nguy n H ng Viên – my „petit’

gentleman – for the joyous moments shared

My heartfelt acknowledgements particularly to my Mom, from whom I learnt the courage of overcoming difficulties, anytime, anywhere

ABSTRACT

Sustainable tourism development concept is known by many, done by just few destinations Even at well-managed destinations, sustainability is sometimes neglected Absence of implementation know-how, the concept is just simply obsolete although formal measures might be taken at high responsible obligations

Cu Lao Cham (Cham archipelago) is the newest destination in Vietnam, awaken to tourism thanks to its beauty and wild natural environment Over 43,000 visitors arriving to this destination in 2010, emerging merely from 20,000 two years earlier, turn this place into one of the “must see” destinations for its beauty and wild natural

environment Landcrabs, protected creature forbidden from capture, however can be found easily at local food stalls along the beach Coral reefs – the rain forest of the

sea protected by orders, may not be saved from scuba diving, snorkelling, anchoring and fuel wasted from tourist boats Quiet rural life of local inhabitants may be

influenced by tourists‟ hustling demands

By studying about sustainable tourism development and analysing current situations

of tourism development in Cu Lao Cham, this study will answer the two questions:

1 Why is sustainable tourism development important?

2 How should sustainable tourism be developed appropriately?

TABLE OF CONTENT

DECLARATION I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS II ABSTRACT III TABLE OF CONTENT IV GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS VI LIST OF FIGURES VII LIST OF TABLES VIII LIST OF MAPS VIII

CHAPTER 1 1

INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 R ATIONALE OF THE STUDY .1

1.2 S IGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY .2

1.3 R ESEARCH QUESTIONS .2

1.4 R ESEARCH OBJECTIVES .2

1.5 S TRUCTURE OF THE STUDY .3

CHAPTER 2 4

LITERATURE REVIEW 4

2.1 B ACKGROUND OF S USTAINABILITY AND S USTAINABLE D EVELOPMENT .4

2.2 S USTAINABILITY T ERMINOLOGY .5

2.2.1 Sustainable Development 5

2.2.2 Sustainable Tourism 9

2.2.3 Sustainable Tourism Development 11

2.3 P RINCIPLES OF S USTAINABILITY AND S USTAINABLE D EVELOPMENT .12

2.4 S USTAINABILITY F RAMEWORK .17

CHAPTER 3 23

RESEARCH METHOD 23

3.1 T HE C ASE S TUDY M ETHOD .23

3.2 D ATA C OLLECTION .24

CHAPTER 4 26

PRESENTATION OF THE CASE STUDY 26

4.1 I NTRODUCTION OF C U L AO C HAM .26

4.1.1 Nature conditions 26

4.1.2 Socio-economic conditions 27

4.1.3 Tourism attractiveness 28

4.2 P RESENTATION OF F INDINGS .32

4.2.1 Economic Situation 32

4.2.2 Social Situation 36

4.2.3 Environmental and Resource Situation 38

4.3 T OURISM IMPACTS AND PROPOSED MITIGATION .39

CHAPTER 5 55

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 55

5.1 R ESEARCH QUESTIONS REVISITED .55

5.2 L IMITATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCHES .56

REFERENCES 57 APPENDIX 1

APPENDIX 2

APPENDIX 3

GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

CLC Cu Lao Cham (Cù Lao Chàm – Cham archipelago)

CREST Centre for Responsible Travel

ECPAT End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of

Children for Sexual Purposes ICOMOS International Council on Monuments and Sites

IISD International Institute for Sustainable Development

IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature

MPA Marine Protected Area

UN United Nations

UN CSD United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme

UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNWTO United Nations World Tourism Organization

VNAT Vietnam National Administration of Tourism

VND Vietnam Dong

WCED World Commission on Environment and Development

WTTC World Travel and Tourism Council

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 Triple Bottom Line concept of sustainable development

Figure 2.2 Illustrations of the Triple Bottom Line

Figure 2.3 Russian Doll Model or Three Pillar Model

Figure 2.4 Theory, reality and change needed to balance the 3pillars of SD Figure 2.5 Terms describing types of “responsible” service or product offered

Figure 2.6 The “magic pentagon” of sustainable tourism

Figure 2.7 Prism of sustainability

Figure 2.8 Model of sustainable tourism values and principles

Figure 2.9 Destination life cycle model

Figure 4.1 Cu Lao Cham tourist development during 1990-2010

Figure 4.2 Fees applied to diving activities in CLC and its allocation mechanism Figure 4.3 Visiting fee to CLC and its allocation mechanism

Figure 4.4 Earnings from homestay services in total household income structure Figure 4.5 CLC income development during 1999-2010

Figure 4.6 Demonstration of leakage of revenues from tourism activities

Figure 4.7 Tourism revenues of local community vs outsiders during 1999-2010

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 Definitions of sustainable tourism

Table 2.2 Vietnam‟s Agenda 21 – Principles for sustainable development

Table 2.3 Guiding principles for sustainable development

Table 3.1 Relevant situations for different research strategies

Table 4.1 Cu Lao Cham potential tourist attractions

Table 4.2 Fishing capacity of Cu Lao Cham inhabitants in 2005 vs 2010

LIST OF MAPS

Map 4.1 Cu Lao Cham, Quang Nam Province, Central Vietnam

Map 4.2 Tourism zoning and tourist attractions in Cu Lao Cham

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Rationale of the study

Vietnam, a beautiful country rich in history, cultures plus world heritages, and blessed by nature, from the rolling green karst mountains and caves, to the magnificent bays and splendid crystal white beaches along 3,260 kilometre coastline stretched the entire length of the country, has opened its door for tourism for more than fifty years and got beneficiaries in return

Consequently, many tourist destinations inclusive of world heritage sites and biosphere reserves have been overexploited by mass tourism Halong Bay is overcrowded of day and night tourist cruises and junks, while inhabitants of its surrounding fishing villages become slovenly boat vendors Love market, the cultural phenomena of ethnic minorities in the Northwest is no longer participated

by tribes people but performed by actors and actresses Untreated sewage is dumped directly into the sea along Nhatrang and Muine beach resorts Magnificent waterfalls in Dalat are dried up becoming huge rubbish dumps Cages of wildlife and protected animals are ready to serve guests in local restaurants…

Vietnam on the move, Cu Lao Cham is the newest destination awaken to tourism thanks to its beauty and wild natural environment Tourists visiting Cu Lao Cham have dramatically increased from 20,000 persons in 2008 to 35,000 right in summer

2009, and reached to more than 43,000 in 2010 (Figure 4.1), who bring along demands and threats to the rural life of its community and the sensitive environmental biodiversity

It is essential for Cu Lao Cham to learn and prevent the consequences of mass tourism development that have caused to other destinations Sustainable tourism –

the alternative form of mass tourism must be examined and applied Otherwise Cu Lao Cham particularly or Vietnam destination generally will not progress through the development and consolidation stages of its life cycle but to the stagnation and decline stages shortly

1.2 Significance of the study

This study is a contribution to Vietnamese researches about sustainable tourism development topic It will provide a consolidation of related theories and propositions how to mitigate the negative impacts of tourism development on the society, economy and environment of the host destinations These mitigations can

be applicable to the planning and management of not only Cu Lao Cham itself, but flexibly to other destinations where tourism is commercially exploited as well

1.3 Research questions

This study, based on the analysis of current situations when developing tourism in

Cu Lao Cham, will answer two major research questions:

1 Why is sustainable tourism development important?

2 How should sustainable tourism be developed appropriately?

1.5 Structure of the study

Structure of the chapters contained within this study is presented as follows

Chapter 2: Literature Review

This chapter introduces the background of sustainability, sustainable development and provides further debates on the three terms sustainable development, sustainable tourism and sustainable tourism development Principles and frameworks for sustainable development, theory on destination life cycle can also

be found in this chapter

Chapter 3: Research Method

This chapter gives discusses about case study method and secondary data which are primarily applied throughout the study

Chapter 4: Presentation of the Case Study

Cu Lao Cham is the selected case for this study Throughout this chapter, detailed information about Cu Lao Cham and its recent achievements in developing sustainable tourism are presented Additionally, the possible negative impacts of tourism development to the economy, society and surrounding environment of Cu Lao Cham and how to deal with them are also proposed

Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations

This chapter revisits the research questions as conclusion of the study and recommends directions for future researches

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Background of Sustainability and Sustainable Development

According to The Sustainable Development Timeline of International Institute for Sustainable Development (Appendix 1), Carson‟s Silent Spring published in 1962 is

considered the turning point in our understanding of the interconnections among the environment, the economy and social wellbeing Many milestones have marked the

journey towards sustainable development since then

Although the original concepts of sustainable development were later discussed at Paris Biosphere Conference (1968), during the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (1972) and mentioned in World Conservation Strategy by International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (1980); the term “sustainability” and “sustainable development” were only popularized in

Our Common Future, also known as the Brundtland Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987 (Appendix 1)

Further to Our Common Future, at the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992, Agenda 21 was adopted as the blueprint for the implementation of sustainable development “Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally,

nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment.”

(http://www.un.org/, accessed on Oct11 2011)

Tourism was however not a major consideration in Agenda 21 Only until 1996, the three organizations, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Earth Council together launched Agenda

21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry: Towards Environmentally Sustainable

Development, being the sectoral action plan for sustainable development based on the outcome of the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 At that time, it was the only industry-specific adaptation for Agenda 21 (UNEP Tourism Report, 2002)

In Vietnam, the sustainable development viewpoint was asserted in the Political Bureau's Directive No 36-CT/TW dated June 25th, 1998 on intensifying the environmental protection work in the period of national industrialization and modernization This viewpoint was re-affirmed in the documents of the Sixth National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam and in the 2001-2010 socio-economic development strategy that "rapid, efficient and sustainable development and economic growth are combined with social progress and justice as well as and environmental protection" and that "socio-economic development is closely associated with environmental improvement, ensuring harmony between artificial and natural environments, and preserving bio-diversity"

Later in 2004, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, signed on behalf of Prime Minister the Decision No 153/2004/QD-TTg Promulgating the Oriented Strategy

for Sustainable Development in Vietnam (Vietnam’s Agenda 21), in order to

sustainably develop the country on the basis of closely, rationally and harmoniously combining economic development, social development and environmental protection

2.2 Sustainability Terminology

2.2.1 Sustainable Development

The term “sustainability” derives from the Latin root sus-tinere, which means to

“under-hold” or hold up from underneath, implying robustness and durability over

time Accordingly, sustainability depicts a paradigm that seeks to protect the

planet‟s life support systems to ensure longevity for humans and other species (Bell

and Annie Cheung, 2007)

“Sustainable development” was famously defined by the World Commission on

Environment and Development (WCED) in the Brundtland Report 1987 – Our

Common Future as “development that meets the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”

From this foundation, dozens, if not hundreds, of scholars and practitioners have developed and promoted their own alternative definitions and adopted varying stances on sustainability Attempts have been made to classify these notions, resulting in concepts of weak versus strong, anthropocentric versus eco-centric and light green versus dark green In which, the former in each case shows the view that natural capital can be replaced with human-made capital whilst the latter considers them incompatible (Haughton and Hunter, 1994)

In 1994, Elkington first coined the term Triple Bottom Line to reflect that organizations have economic, environmental and social impacts, consequences and responsibilities The Triple Bottom Line concept (Figure 2.1), by emphasizing and integrating the three dimensions of sustainable development, profit, planet and people, forced corporations to widen their circle of responsibility and focus, for the first time, “not just on the economic value that they add, but also on the

environmental and social value they add – or destroy” (Elkington, 1994)

Since then, the use of the Triple Bottom Line in academic literature that deals with sustainability issues has drastically increased, and so has the number of (graphical) interpretations of the model (Figure 2.2)

Figure 2.1: Triple Bottom Line concept of sustainable development

(Elkington, 1994)

Figure 2.2: Illustrations of the Triple Bottom Line with inspiration from Elkington, 1994

(http://www.google.com.vn/ , key word “Triple Bottom Line”)

Few years later, O'Riordan (1998) based on the Triple Bottom Line approach, developed an alternative model of sustainable development In this model, which is commonly referred to as the Russian Doll Model or Three Pillars Model (Figure 2.3), sustainability is viewed as the assimilation of economic activity, social well-being and environmental integrity The Russian doll emphasized the basic principle that all economic activities should be bent towards social progress and that this must

be achieved within environmental limits

Figure 2.3: Russian Doll Model or Three Pillar Model

It should be by the way aware that not only the term “sustainable” is combined to

“tourism” to describe the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the

industry, but according to CREST (2009), “responsible” is in used by 32.7% of 107 examined outbound tour operator websites, followed by “ecological/ ecotourism”

by 5.6% and, “ethical” by 3.7% or even “none” by 15.9% as well (Figure 2.5)

Figure 2.4: Theory, reality and change needed to balance the 3pillars of sustainable development

(http://www.iucn.org/, accessed on Oct13 2011)

Figure 2.5: Terms des cribing types of “responsible” service or product provided

(CREST, 2009)

When sustainable is combined to tourism, it is assumed that the latter must undertake the environmental, economic and social considerations and principles that are inherent within the former Wight (2002) nevertheless stated that sustainable tourism is only part of the concept sustainable development, not its equivalent, thus,

differentiated between the term “sustainable tourism” and “tourism as it related to

sustainable development” The former is, according to Wight, “is tourism which

continues to be viable over time”, whereas the latter refers to “tourism which is

developed so that the nature, scale, location and manner of development is appropriate and sustainable over time, and where the environment’s ability to

support other activities and processes is not impaired, since tourism cannot be isolated from other resource use activities as a tourism – centric approach to sustainability”

This differentiation again made it more confused and complicated to find an internationally accepted definition for the term sustainable tourism and its implementation

Table 2.1: Definitions of Sustainable Tourism

“Tourism which is in a form which can maintain its viability in an area for an infinite period of time.”

(Butler, 1993)

“Environmentally responsible travel and visitation to natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate

nature (and any accompanying cultural features, both past and present) in a way that promotes conservation, has a low visitor impact, and provides for beneficially active socio-economic involvement

of local peoples.” (IUCN,1996)

“Sustainable tourism is about managing tourism’s impacts on the environment, communities, and the

future economy to make sure that the effects are positive rather than negative for the benefit of future generations It is a management approach that is relevant to all types of tourism, rega rdless of whether it

takes place in cities, towns, countryside or the coast.” (English Tourism Council, 2002)

“Sustainable Tourism refers to a level of tourism activity that can be maintained over the long term

because it results in a net benefit for the social, economic, natural and cultural environments of the area

in which it takes place.” (ICOMOS, 2002)

“Sustainable tourism, one that establishes a suitable balance between the environmental, economic and

socio-cultural aspects of tourism development, is key to maximizing tourism’s positive contribution to

biodiversity at the local, national and global level (UNWTO, World Tourism Day, 2010)

“Sustainable tourism, like a doctor's code of ethics, means "First, do no harm." It is the foundation for

destination stewardship.” ( http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/ , accessed on Oct13 2011)

Table 2.1: Definitions of Sustainable Tourism

2.2.3 Sustainable Tourism Development

Murphy (1998), who conceded sustainable development a complex and dimensional concept, believed that a definition for sustainable development in relation to tourism needs to reflect this complexity and multi-dimensional nature; thus proposed sustainable tourism development definition “the management of all

multi-resources upon which tourism depends in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems”

One year later, UNWTO published Guide for Local Authorities on Sustainable Tourism Development (1999), in which “Sustainable tourism development meets

the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems.” was stated Requirements for the development

of sustainable tourism, emphasizing on how environment and tourist resources

should be made used for today‟s society but preserved and improved for the future,

and how tourism should benefit all community members were also described (UNWTO, 1999)

As far as a precise definition of sustainable tourism development is attempted to achieve, confusion arises since tourism researchers interchangeably use the three terms sustainable development, sustainable tourism, and sustainable tourism development without differentiating meanings Therefore, the debate for precise definitions of sustainability terminology and their applications in the tourism literature, according to McDonald (2006) will undoubtedly continue

In the following section, principles of sustainability and sustainable development, based on different viewpoints and scopes of possible applications are described

2.3 Principles of Sustainability and Sustainable Development

As described, since 1990s, the growing awareness of environmentalism has paved the way for internationally sustainable approach to the development of tourism, thus required for the establishment of principles of sustainability

Jacob (1991), with attempt to operationalize principles of sustainability after the Rio Earth Summit, proposed three important principles concerning to the term

sustainability and how it could be implemented The first principle affirmed that institutions should incorporate environmental considerations into policy and practice in a logical and consistent way The second principle insisted that no depletion of the natural resource stock was justifiable thus there should be intergenerational equity with respect to the natural capital of the planet Finally, sustainable development should not be considered synonymous with economic growth

Bramwell and Lane (1993) although less specific than Jacob‟s criteria, outlined four

crucial principles for sustainability:

1 Holistic planning and strategy making;

2 Preservation of essential ecological processes;

3 Protection of both human heritage and biodiversity; and

4 Development in such a way that productivity can be sustained over the long term for future generations

In their discussion, Bramwell and Lane reaffirmed the importance of equity between nations and bridging the gap between the rich and the poor in the society that were previously mentioned in Our Common Future, which they believed must

be taken into consideration by the tourism industry

If principles of sustainable development are considered successful in tourism and have an important role in environmental protection and economic and social development, according to Burr (1995), they should,

1 Respect the culture and environment of the host area, the economy and traditional way of life, the indigenous behaviour, and the local leadership and political patterns;

2 Involve the local population in planning, proceed only with their approval and provide for a degree of local control;

3 Be undertaken with equity in mind, with the ideal of access to a fair distribution of benefits and costs among tourism promoters and host peoples and areas - now and in the future; and

4 Be planned and managed for the protection of the natural environment for future generations, planned in an integrated manner with other economic sectors, and assessed on an on-going basis to evaluate impacts and permit action to counter any negative effects

In Vietnam, according to Vietnam’s Agenda 21, the overall objective of sustainable

development is to achieve material prosperity, spiritual and cultural wealth, equity

of all citizens and consensus of the society, the harmony between humans and nature; development must represents the close, rational and harmonious combination of economic development, social development and environmental protection Detailed objectives for economically, socially and environmentally sustainable development and guideline principles to attain them are also described, briefed as below (Table 2.2)

On the global level, Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry: Towards Environmentally Sustainable Development adopted from the twenty-seven principles in Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992), identifies guiding principles to assist governments and tourism organizations to achieve sustainable development at local and national levels These guiding principles are highlighted below (Table 2.3)

Table 2.2 : Vietnam’s Agenda 21 – Principles for Sustainable Development

1 Human beings are the centre of sustainable development

2 Economic development is considered the central task in the coming stage of development

3 Environmental protection and improvement must be considered an indispensable element

of the development process

4 The development process must satisfy the needs of the present generation in an equitable

manner without causing problems to the life of future generations

5 Science and technology constitute the foundation and driving force for industrialization and modernization as well as for rapid, vigorous and sustainable development of the

country

6 Sustainable development is a must to mobilize to the utmost the participation of all concerned people in selecting decisions on socio-economic development and

environmental protection at the local and national levels

7 Independent and autonomous economy is actively integrated into international economy

for sustainable development of the country

8 Ensuring the economic, social development and environmental protection is closely combined with ensuring national defence and security as well as social safety and order.

Table 2.2: Vietnam’s Agenda 21 – Principles for Sustainable Development

(Decision No 153/2004/QD-TTg dated August 17th, 2004)

Table 2.3: Guiding Principles for Sustainable Development

1 Travel and tourism should assist people in leading healthy and productive lives in harmony with nature

2 Travel and tourism should contribute to the conservation, protection, and restoration of the

8 Nations shall warn one another of natural disasters that could affect tourists or tourist areas

9 Travel and tourism should use its capacity to create employment for women and indigenous peoples to the fullest extent

10 Tourism development should recognize and support the identity, culture, and interests of indigenous peoples

11 International laws protecting the environment should be respected by the travel and tourism industry

Table 2.3: Guiding Principles for Sustainable Development

(Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry, UNWTO 1996)

2.4 Sustainability Framework

Accompanied to the variety of definitions and principles of sustainability and sustainable development, models of sustainable tourism are established The “magic pentagon” of sustainable tourism of Müller (1994) (Figure 2.6), for instance, takes

for granted that sustainable tourism reflects a state of affairs where economic health, the well-being of the local population, the satisfaction of the visitors/tourists, the protection of the natural resources and the health of the local culture are in balance Any imbalance in this prism means a distortion and will negatively impact the benefits of all acts involved

Figure 2.6: The “magic pentagon” of sustainable tourism

(Müller, 1994)

Additionally, Spangenberg and Valentine (1999) introduce the Prism of sustainability inclusive of environmental, institutional, social and economic dimensions (Figure 2.7) In which, the environmental dimension describes the need

to reduce the pressure on the physical environment to within ecological system limits; the institutional dimension calls for strengthening people‟s participation in

political governance; the social dimension demands that all individuals have access

to the resources and facilities they need to live a healthy and dignified life; finally the economic dimension is to satisfy human needs for material welfare

Figure 2.7: Prism of sustainability

(Spangenberg and Valentine, 1999)

The model chosen to guide this paper is that of Hall et al (1997) – Model of

Sustainable Tourism Values and Principles (Figure 2.8) This model is based upon the core concept of sustainable development – the integration of environmental and

resource, social and economic goals in such a way that no one is given preference over the other in order to represent the intrinsic components of sustainable tourism development

Figure 2.8: Model of Sustainable Tourism Values and Principles,

(Adapted from Hall et al, 1997)

The principle of this model is that sustainable tourism is able to be achieved only when certain environmental & resource, social and economic goals are achieved in conjunction with each other At the point at which social goals and economic goals intersect, community based economics is said to be achieved; at the intersection of social and environmental and resource goals, lies conservation with equity; and when the economy and the environment intersect, there is an integration between the two The ultimate state occurs where all three spheres each intersects with the other, to form sustainable tourism at its core

2.5 Destination life cycle

The concept of destination life cycle was originated by Butler (1980), who defined that a tourist destination would progress through six stages of development from the exploration to rejuvenation or decline (Figure 2.9)

Figure 2.9: Destination life cycle model

1 Exploration stage: the earliest stage when there are just view tourist arrivals with little or no impacts on the natural and socio-economic environment of the destination

2 Involvement stage: the second stage when there are more tourists visiting to the destination and local community gradually responds to the opportunities created by tourism The natural and socio-economic environment has not been much affected by tourism

3 Development stage: the third stage when infrastructure serving tourists and tourism-related activities is much improved, destination image change, modern facilities and properties are built, perfect tourism market is established, professional sales and marketing campaigns bring more tourists

to the destination, and tourism work force may be dependant on experienced and skilful foreigners or emigrants

4 Consolidation stage: the fourth stage, when tourism-related activities and services are still increasing but the number of visitors declines The destination has much changed and local community may have bad impression towards tourism

5 Stagnation stage: the fifth stage when number of visitors and tourism growth rate stagnate due to the changing demands of tourists and the deterioration of the destination At this stage, tourism environment maximizes or exceeds its capacity thus causes socio-economic and environmental problems to the destination

6 Rejuvenation or decline stage: after the stagnation stage, the destination may become A renewed growth and expansion, or B minor modification and adjustment to capacity levels, or C readjustment to meet all capacity levels,

or D continued overuse of resources, non-replacement of aging plant and

decreasing competitiveness with other areas, or at worst E intervention of a catastrophic event, natural disaster, disease, war for instance

This concept of destination life cycle indeed has a linkage to sustainability By understanding the life cycle model of a tourist destination and monitoring its stages

of development, the planning and implementation of appropriate strategies and policies will help ensure the sustainable development at host destinations

CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH METHOD

3.1 The Case Study Method

Since this final project aims to examine the gap between theory and real life

practices in the “how” and “why” manner, it is designed as a case study This is

because, according to Yin (2003), these “how” and “why” questions are more

explanatory and “deal with operational links needing to be traced over time, rather

than mere frequencies or incidence”, hence likely to lead to the use of case studies

(Table 3.1)

Research Question

Requires Control of Behavioural Events?

Focuses on Contemporary Events?

Survey Who, What, Where,

Archival Analysis Who, What, Where,

Table 3.1: Relevant Situations for Different Research Strategies

(Yin, 2003)

Yin‟s definition of a case study is, technically “an empirical inquiry that

investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident”

(Yin, 2003) and that “case study inquiry copes with technically distinctive

situations in which there will be many more variables of interest than data points,

and as one result relies on multiple sources of evidence with data needing to converge in a triangulating fashion, and as another result benefits from the prior development of theoretical propositions to guide data collection and analysis” (Yin,

2009)

There are four types of designs for case studies: single case (holistic), single case (embedded), multiple-case (holistic) and multiple-case (embedded) In which, single case design, whether holistic or embedded is considered eminently justifiable only when the case represents: 1 a critical test of existing theory, 2 a rare or unique circumstance, 3 a representative or typical case or when the case serves a 4 revelatory or 5 longitudinal purpose (Yin, 2003)

In addition, Wellington & Szczerbinski (2007) stated that there are both strengths and shortcomings of the case study approach Case studies should be insightful, illustrative, accessible, strong on reality, and attention holding; yet, they may not be generalizable, representative, replicable, rigorous, or repeatable

Being applied the case study method; this final project is expected to take advantages of its strengths to result in an in-depth understanding of why sustainable tourism development is critical to this development stage of Cu Lao Cham and how

it should be implemented appropriately

3.2 Data Collection

Secondary data, defined by Veal (2006) “data which already exist and which were

collected for some other (primary) purpose but which can be used a second time in

the current project where the researcher is the secondary user”, is the major source

of data for the analysis of this case study By which, not only cost and time spent for data collection is saved but the breadth of data available is enlarged as well

Secondary data used for this final project is collected via statistic numbers and reports of Hoi An Chamber of Trade and Tourism, books, academic journals, official publications and internet search

Furthermore, part of data presented are from own experiences and observation during recent trips to Cu Lao Cham