Sustainable Tourism Challenges Arising from Stakeholders’ Participation: Research Project in The Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands have become a trendy destination and tourist arrivals have rapidly risen in the past few years. The new unforeseen flows could negatively impact its unique, fragile landscape and the inhabitants’ tranquil lifestyle. Understanding the complexities of tourism development becomes, therefore, necessary to grant high quality tourism, protect the environment and respect every stakeholder’s needs and wants. Sustainability is crucial to prevent drastic changes and major exploitation of the land. The authors will examine tourism with a responsible development approach through stakeholders’ interviews, fieldtrip observations and academic material. The research will provide a concise overview of the Faroese tourism industry and the issues it faces. On this matter, active and conscious involvement of the locals might be the way forward and lead towards a revolutionary and respectful development of the industry.
Keywords: responsible tourism, sustainable tourism development, mass tourism, stakeholders, customer target, tourist behavior, co-creation