Towards sustainable mass tourism: Paradigm shift or paradigm nudge?

Abstract

This paper contends that the adoption of practices affiliated with sustainable tourism is neither broad nor deep within the conventional mass tourism industry, and that, at least in the more developed countries, this veneer sustainability on the supply side mirrors the pervasive veneer environmentalism that characterizes the demand side of tourism. As such, it indicates a 'paradigm nudge' that will only progress into a 'paradigm shift' if the consumer mainstream is sufficiently motivated to demand and patronize genuinely sustainable products and destinations within conventional tourism. The emergence of a charismatic spokesperson and the introduction of a demand-side certification programme are suggested as two ways to induce this transformation. The paper concludes by considering the role that could be played by the academic community in this transformation.