The tourism industry, we are told, is now the largest and fastest growing sector of industry around the world. Understandably, tourism is seen by many countries as a major source of much-needed foreign currency, a creator of jobs and a potential motor for economic development in poorer countries blessed with unusual and beautiful natural environments, heritage and climates. As travel and tourism grow, so does the demand for new hotels and resorts at affordable prices, many in ecologically delicate and desirable sites. So, environmentally, socially and aesthetically responsible hotel siting, design and construction is, in my view, the foundation from which the industry can develop sustainably. Hotels can be constructed cost effectively to enhance local culture and traditions to preserve a 'sense of place' and to minimise disturbance of the environment.
Good results can follow from consulting the local communities.
We can learn from local wisdom about building technologies which have worked for centuries, designed to respect a given landscape and to suit a particular climate. It is not always necessary to build anew, or to cover green-field sites in concrete and tarmac. More can be done with less. Ways can be found, for instance, to reduce the mass of hotel buildings by conceiving them as villages or clusters rather than monoliths. Traditional retail functions, craft workshops, cafes and restaurants can be included within the village concept to incorporate small-scale economic activity.