A Framework for Sustainable Tourism Development in and around National Parks

The proliferation of tourism in U.S. national parks yields increasing demands for service and conservation programs that are consistent with a broad view of sustainability management. As such, there is a critical need for research regarding holistic perspectives on planning and monitoring sustainable development. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is a nonprofit, independent organization that develops and manages global baseline standards for sustainable travel and tourism, known as the GSTC Criteria. The GSTC Destination Criteria have yet to be widely applied to parks and protected areas (PPAs), yet these criteria may offer a useful guiding framework for sustainable tourism development in PPAs. Given the proliferation of visitation in some park areas, and that parks are operated as destinations, we sought to explore the applicability of the GSTC Destination Criteria to parks. Specifically, this study explores the utility of the GSTC Destination Criteria as a tool for assisting managers at Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) in developing and improving a destination-level sustainability plan. In August 2018, we conducted a sustainability evaluation using the GSTC Destination Criteria. Specific areas of success and improvement were identified and park managers are using this information to improve the park's strategic plan. We also discovered benefits of utilizing this framework, as well as barriers to its full implementation. For example, as a benefit, the GSTC Destination Criteria can be applied to evaluate sustainability performance without requiring managers or agencies to expend valuable resources in developing their own framework. And, by evaluating the sustainability performance using the GSTC Destination Criteria, park planners and managers were able to identify and prioritize future sustainability initiatives. Barriers or challenges included language disparities between National Parks and destination indicators, suggesting universal language and meanings for more applicability. We also noted a need for indicators to be compatible with US. national park policies and functions. Yet, these challenges were not necessarily insurmountable and we conclude there are more benefits than challenges for Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Our results of this evaluation are reviewed and critiqued within our broader assessment of the utility of the GSTC Destination Criteria in national park planning.