Travel ecology is community tourism planning approach uniting the themes of social development and ecological sustainability (Potts and Harrill In press; 1998; 1997). We argue that sustainable tourism and "sustainable community tourism development" have failed to emphasize the constraints and opportunities associated with the development of local social and political institutions. We contend that tourism planning should help create equitable, sustainable communities resilient enough to survive in a highly volatile international environment, rather than "sustaining" tourism or specific aspects of tourism development. The term travel ecology indicates theoretical affinity with the fields of political ecology and cultural ecology, as well as an attempt to move away from sustainable tourism models. From global political ecology, the approach incorporates an impact analysis of international economic and political conditions on community sustainability. From American cultural ecology, the approach borrows the environmental ethics of Leopold and Muir as well as the democratic pragmatism of John Dewey. The travel ecology approach is based upon six broadly conceived principles: discovery, mutuality, locality, historicity, potentiality, and enhancement. We view these principles as contributing to tourism planning theory, rather than constituting a definitive model or process:

1. Discovery is the beginning of dialogue among residents, during which they discover mutual fears and expectations. It is during this phase that the tourism planner must assist with the construction of goals and objectives, assist inventory development, facilitate public dialogue, and at times mitigate conflict between stakeholder groups. The sustainable tourism literature places little emphasis on potential conflicts arising over resource distribution and use. The travel ecology approach recognizes that conflict is a necessary part of the "good" community as a method of social learning.

2. Mutuality means residents engage in a common language emphasizing shared values, ideas, and concerns, while at the same time respecting individual perspectives. The travel ecology approach views sustainability as a matter of strengthening social networks and civic institutions. Many tourism planners fail to enlist local social and civic groups when building support for community tourism development. The creation of social capital becomes important to tourism development not only for generating hospitality that helps make a community a desirable destination, but also for sharing scarce resources required for creating a successful product.

3. Locality begins with the notion that environmental awareness toward environments such as rainforests and savannas begins with an awareness of common place environments. This is not to advocate an abandonment of "endangered" environments, only that awareness of locality is critical to the development of "sense of place"--often mentioned as an aesthetic component of sustainability. The travel ecology approach is based upon the belief that the community is both a socially constructed experience and an ecologically grounded place. Social networks and natural and built environments in which such networks takes place are mutually reinforcing elements of community.

4. Historicity or historical knowledge is indispensable to the tourism planning process. As sustainable tourism models often emphasize "best practices" grounded in the present, a community's historical patterns of land and resource use are often neglected in sustainable development plans and policies. Tourism planners should become thoroughly familiar with oral and written traditions that may serve as keys to understanding local cultures, if he or she is to fully appreciate how residents interact with one another and their environment. As some aspects of modernization lead to bureaucratic standardization and uniformity, the discovery of locality and the preservation of historicity become increasingly important to the maintenance of residents' sense of identity and self-esteem.

5. Potentiality refers to notions of growth and maturation along with integration. From this perspective, "sustainability" is perceived as a function of maintaining community health over time. Strong social networks, requiring intelligent and creative decision-making, must be built from a healthy population. Many conceptualizations of sustainable development leave out such ideas as education, health care, fitness, and nutrition. Ideally, the community is a setting within which individuals grow and develop to their fullest potential. In turn, a community of individuals actualizing their physical and intellectual potential may harness their collective abilities and resources toward enhancing the community for sustainability.

6. Enhancement means that tourism planners exercise their expertise and support within this larger democratic framework. Most tourism planners realize that tourists posses the same common needs as residents, including adequate housing, public safety, environmental quality, and cultural amenities. The key to meeting these needs is to empower community residents. If planners can consistently provide residents with long term organizational and technical support, then individuals and the community as a whole will be enhanced. The travel ecology approach should be considered as a framework for cultivating and enhancing existing community resources as well as developing or marketing those resources required for bringing the tourist into communities.

Journal Articles:

• Enhancing Communities for Sustainability:
  A Travel Ecology Approach