Can Tourism be Sustainable? An International Perspective

Rupsha Chakraborty; Dipannita Chand

doi:10.35784/preko.8666

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Published: Jan 10, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35784/preko.8666

Issue Vol. 21 No. 1 (2026)

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Can Tourism be Sustainable? An International Perspective
Rupsha Chakraborty, Dipannita Chand

317-325
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Serhii Kozlovskyi, Illya Khadzhynov, Vladyslav Bolhov, Inna Akhnovska, Vladislav Kabachii, Volodymyr Kozlovskyi, Oleksandr Kozlovskyi

326-341

DOI

https://doi.org/10.35784/preko.8666

Authors

Rupsha Chakraborty

23dr0141@iitism.ac.in

Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad, India

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1522-0799

Dipannita Chand

dipannita@iitism.ac.in

Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad, India

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9441-4479

Abstract

Sustainability and tourism have had a long-standing relationship. Tourism as an industry has shifted towards making sustainable choices and implementing policies to align with the Sustainable Development Goals. However, this relationship has layers of complexities and is paradoxical in nature. Practising one within the other is a difficult task, as tourism, primarily, is driven by consumption and economic prosperity, sustainability propagates production, inclusivity and restraint for a better future. This paper discusses the nuanced relationship that sustainability and its three key tenets, namely economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection, share with tourism. It proposes a framework of measures to materialise sustainable development goals within the tourism industry in real time and practice and cites examples of such implementations from across the globe. In assessing the dynamism between sustainability and tourism, this paper highlights the need to strike a balance between the two and the significance of newer forms of tourism models, such as regenerative tourism, community-led initiatives, and sustainable practices, which can lead to an equitable and just future.

Keywords:

Selected:sustainable tourism, sustainable development, sustainability paradox, tourism, sustainability, SDGs

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Chakraborty, R., & Chand, D. (2026). Can Tourism be Sustainable? An International Perspective . Problemy Ekorozwoju , 21(1), 317–325. https://doi.org/10.35784/preko.8666

Author Biography

Rupsha Chakraborty, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad

Senior Research Fellow, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad

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