Barcelona Field Studies Centre

Sustainable Tourism: Case Study Contrasts

Sustainable Tourism: the development of an area for tourism using techniques and approaches that will help to preserve the environment and culture for the future.

Maldives Machu Picchu Yosemite
Visitors per year

500,000

450,000

4,200,000

Management scheme cost

N/A¹

$6,100,000²

$441,000,000

Importance to the national economy

High

High

Low

Importance to the local economy

High

High

High

Tourist jobs filled by local people³

50%

90%

100%

Leakages

High

High

Low

Main transport used to visit

Air

Train

Car

Entry fee None US$20 US$20
Severe environmental impact
Severe social and cultural impact
Indigenous people disconnected from their culture
Sustainable management plan

Control tourist numbers
Reduce tourist numbers
Reduce tourist facilities
Increase tourist facilities    
Small scale developments
Buildings blend-in
Segregate tourists from local population
Facilities reserved for local population
Restrict car access
Ban on plastic bottles
Licensed tour operators only
Compulsory use of local guides
World Heritage Site

¹ The Maldives tourist industry was developed using Development Aid and private investment based on sustainable strategies from the building of its first resort in 1972.
² Funded by 'debt for nature swap' with Finland
³ Estimated data