Ecological ideals, sustainable tourism and the heritage concept of an eco-village: the case of Arcosanti, USA

ABSTRACT

Arcosanti in Arizona, USA, is a yet-to-be completed ecological settlement which reflects the major ideas of Paolo Soleri, an Italian architect and philosopher, on an alternative type of city. Based on field research using interviews, participatory observation and the survey method it examines the relationship between tourism and eco-settlements, using Arcosanti as a case study, in order to discuss current approaches to sustainable tourism and to examine visitor profiles, perceptions, and attitudes. The data indicates that ecological settlements such as Arcosanti can be an attractive tourist destination and it is clear that although Arcosanti had started life as an urban experiment based on ecological and alternative ideas, today it is a place that attracts many visitors. Regardless of whether Arcosanti can be categorized as an eco-village or eco-city, its valuable attractiveness results from Paolo Soleri and his tangible/intangible heritage that contributes an income via sustainable tourism. The study concludes that Arcosanti is an excellent case which offers the promise that ecological settlements can have significant potential for sustainable tourism.

KEYWORDS:

• Sustainability
• eco-settlements
• tourism
• visitor attitudes
• Arcosanti
• USA

Notes on contributor

Mustafa Dogan was born in Istanbul in 1974. Between years of 2008–2014 I worked for Gökçeada Vocational School-Tourism and Travel Management in Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, as a tourism lecturer. I graduated as a doctor of Tourism Management from Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University in 2014. From 2014 to 2018, I worked as an Assistant Professor in School of Tourism and Hospitality Management in Batman University. I have been working in Batman University since 2014. In November 2018, I was promoted to Associate Professor. My major area focuses on sustainable tourism, ecomuseums, eco-villages and sustainable tourism.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

ORCID

Mustafa Doğan http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7648-8469