The Government's vision for sustainable development is a very simple idea. It is about ensuring a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come. Tourism is woven through today's way of life and it is becoming increasingly important. A growing number of people travel for both business and leisure and many communities are the hosts at tourism destinations. It has a huge impact on the national and local economy, on lifestyle, culture, and on the use of resources.
Tourism is one of the most successful sectors of the UK economy.
The industry has the potential to grow rapidly. The economic and social opportunities associated with tourism will only be sustained if care is taken of the fabric on which tourism in the UK depends - the unique environment, heritage, culture, and the diversity of landscape and local communities. There is a vital need to ensure that tourism is developed and managed so that it makes a positive contribution to infrastructure developments, lifestyle, health, and cultural diversity, and to the quality of scenery, air and water. This paper looks at ways in which progress can be made in the longer term by helping tourism become more sustainable. The DCMS has identified seven inter-related issues concerning sustainable tourism in the UK on which it would welcome views.