Creating equitable destinations

This article was written for Uncover magazine - Meaningful Leisure Experiences. 

Authors: Ellen de Groot is a lecturer and researcher at the Academy for Tourism, Breda University of Applied Sciences. Jeroen Klijs is professor of Societal Impacts of Tourism, Breda University of Applied Sciences.

Although this vision is ambitious, it is not pure fiction. Destinations are gradually shifting from marketing to management. Placemaking and benefit-sharing become key parts of the tourism agenda, recognising that good places to live are also good places to visit. There is a trend of destinations focusing on residents’ needs and becoming aware of the distribution of both the costs and benefits of tourism. 
Simply more income, spreading tourism, creating jobs, or attracting high-spending visitors does not automatically make tourism fairer. Often, tourism benefits a few while relying on public resources, placing burdens on the wider community and sometimes putting residents’ needs in competition with visitors’.  For more equity in tourism we need to better understand how value is created and distributed, especially for underserved and marginalised groups.
The project and report ‘Creating Equitable Destinations’ aims to help Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) and local government bodies to manage and distribute tourism’s value to better serve communities.

What was done? 
Researchers from Breda University of Applied Sciences, NHL Stenden, and the Travel Foundation embraced this challenge with funding from CELTH. In addition to a literature study, the research includes 25 international case studies where tourism aims to meet local community needs. The research identifies 25 equitable outcomes from tourism, linked to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and 40 interventions (‘mechanisms’ in the report) to better distribute tourism’s value, ensuring more communities in destinations benefit. These interventions include practices like taxes and revenue sharing, business incubation and training, licensing and zoning, community enterprises, and product development. The research also highlights the need for monitoring frameworks to better account for the distribution of costs and benefits, the quality of benefits (such as jobs), and access to opportunities and local resources. The new KPIs in the report will help destinations to identify issues early and demonstrate the contribution of tourism.

Common language 
One need established during the project was creating a common language to build productive dialogue. This began, for example, with understanding equity. Equity is not the same as equality. Equality means treating everyone the same, while equity focuses on fairness and justice, ensuring disadvantaged groups get what they need based on their specific situation. This means equity is not a top-down process, but it is about listening to what is necessary. The report establishes that in tourism, equity is a key principle of sustainable tourism that addresses fairness in access, use, and distribution of goods and benefits (and costs) from tourism development to meet the needs of both current and future generations.
Another important aspect of this common language is the use of the word ’community’. It is easy to see communities as one big group of similar people, but they are far from homogeneous. They consist of subgroups with varying interests and power levels. Some groups may benefit from tourism while others bear its costs. Inequalities exist among social classes, genders, ethnicities, and between residents and visitors. Recognising the diversity and differing needs within local communities is crucial when considering the benefits and costs of tourism.
Equity types 
Based on the literature research, five types of equity were distinguished and used to categorise the previously mentioned outcomes and interventions.

Economic equity
One equity issue in tourism is the concentration of economic benefits among a few. Economic leakage, where tourist expenditure does not stay in the destination’s economy, is a major obstacle. High international investments and low local business participation result in high leakage. Another concern is the labour market, which often attracts unskilled or semi-skilled workers, including young people, women, and migrant workers for low-wage, seasonal jobs. The report explores ways to reduce leakage and create local economic opportunities. 
Economic equity refers to ensuring access to economic opportunities, promoting a broader and fairer representation of the local workforce and locally owned businesses within the tourism supply chain.

Environmental equity 
While tourism can pose environmental risks to local communities, it also has the potential to promote nature conservation by sharing best practices and raising awareness about environmental standards. Additionally, tourism stakeholders can contribute to climate adaptation efforts benefiting vulnerable local communities. 
Environmental equity refers to fairness in the distribution and maintenance of environmental resources and amenities to ensure sustainable development, preventing any group from being disadvantaged by environmental burdens or risks due to tourism. Currently major issues include climate justice, ecological health, and resource distribution.

Spatial equity
Destinations refer to places, and tourism can enhance these places by investing in public facilities like transport, healthcare, and infrastructure. However, concentrated tourism can also lead to the creation of tourist enclaves, to replacing everyday infrastructure with services focused on tourists, and even to displacing residents. These issues can arise from prioritising tourist needs or privatising land, such as when residents lose access to beaches for leisure or fishing. Equitable destinations can protect and increase availability and access to public or shared infrastructure, public spaces and facilities. 
Spatial equity refers to the way public space and amenities are used, developed, distributed, or restricted by tourism development and the resulting advantages or disadvantages for different groups and destination communities.

Cultural equity
Cultural equity is often less tangible but highly sensitive due to its ties to value systems. Debates about cultural appropriation are not uncommon in tourism, as there is a delicate balance between using and exploiting cultural authenticity. The lack of clear ownership of traditions, rituals, or traditional skills makes some communities vulnerable. Commodification of cultures can be an unintended result of developing tourism products. Additionally, touristification can cause feelings of alienation among residents, undermining their sense of belonging. To ensure culture is respected, it is crucial to involve a broader range of stakeholders, including marginalised groups who are already facing social exclusion and discrimination, in how cultures are represented within tourism development. Museums, for example, are increasingly embracing this challenge by offering multiple local perspectives on history and art.
Cultural equity refers to fair representation and acknowledgment of all communities (different ethnic or religious groups, people with disabilities, various socio-economic or citizenship statuses, etc.) and their values in the development of tourism policy, products, and communications.

Tourism experience equity
This category highlights the stark contrast between opportunities available to tourists and the (harsh) everyday realities of local residents. Tourists often enjoy leisure, relaxation and experiences that locals might not afford or be allowed access to. With caution against social washing, this dynamic can support individuals in need.
Tourism experience equity refers to the values and initiatives that enable local participation in tourism experiences with particular focus on those who would not otherwise have access to these opportunities, for instance due to high costs.

Easier said than done
Creating greater equity within communities is complex and depends on specific contexts and societal structures. Understanding the interventions is just the first step; there's a long road ahead, and continual adaptation and development are necessary. This is a significant task for DMOs, and municipalities especially, since decision-making can be challenging. Who decides which interests to prioritise? Redesigning destinations might mean prioritising local community rights over tourists’ rights or tourism businesses' profits, or focusing on long-term benefits over short-term returns. Moreover, most equity-promoting interventions require a huge commitment and cooperation between public, private, and community groups. DMOs can lead, support, and coordinate these efforts.
While equity may be elusive, transitioning to a more equitable tourism model is essential and demands bold, deliberate actions. Emerging cases provide hope. For instance, the impactful case study  'Toxic Tours' at Tar Creek, US, transforms a neglected, polluted site into an educational resource by raising visitor awareness of industrial pollution from indigenous perspectives and highlighting environmental injustice. The project, appreciated by tourists, has spurred clean-up and community development.

More information
For case studies and recommendations, and access to the full report, please visit: www.thetravelfoundation.org.uk/equitable/.