Can tourism help to “end poverty in all its forms everywhere”? The challenge of tourism addressing SDG1

Abstract

SDG1 presents the global community with an important, but highly challenging goal. When discussing tourism’s potential to contribute to SDG1 to “end poverty in all its forms everywhere”, the multidimensional nature of poverty must be considered rather than focusing solely on economic deprivation. Specifically, we need to shift the focus beyond how tourism can foster economic growth, provide jobs and income, to considering sociopolitical aspects of poverty and how structural inequalities are impeding people’s development. The contradictions involved in poor people, in poor locations, with poor labour rights, putting on smiling faces to serve rich guests of former colonial powers and to clean up their messes, should not be overlooked if we are genuinely interested in challenging the negative aspects of global tourism and making it more equitable and sustainable in the future. Thus, if governments and tourism industry players wish to do more than pay lip service to SDG1, they will need to make some significant changes to the way in which they work. This article will draw inspiration from tourism businesses in Fiji that are addressing SDG1 and related goals, and discuss how they have the potential to contribute to longer-term sustainable development.

Keywords:

• Poverty
• pro-poor tourism
• SDGs
• well-being
• structural change
• employment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Regina Scheyvens

Regina Scheyvens is Professor of Development Studies at Massey University, where she combines a passion for teaching about international development with research on tourism and development. Two books have emerged from this research: Tourism for Development: Empowering Communities (Pearson, 2002), and Tourism and Poverty (Routledge, 2011). She has also written articles on themes such as backpacker tourism, ecotourism, empowerment, and sustainable tourism. Her most recent research examines the Sustainable Development Goals, the concept of “inclusive tourism”, and corporate social responsibility in tourism.

Emma Hughes

Dr Emma Hughes is a Research Development Advisor and researcher at Massey University. Her research looks at the impact of corporate community development in the tourism sector from community perspectives and at how the tourism industry is engaging with the Sustainable Development Goals. She has authored a number of articles on corporate social responsibility in tourism, focusing on Fijian case studies. Emma’s previous research has focused on indigenous activism and development, with co-author Sita Venkateswar, The Politics of Indigeneity: Dialogues and Reflections on Indigenous Activism (Zed Books, 2011).