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Abstract
This paper addresses the need to transform tourism practices with others. Its contribution is a critical conceptualization of how collaborative tourism design can facilitate sustainable transformation. Recognizing SDG #17 to “Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development” we argue that collaboration – not only partnerships and cooperation – should be a central tenet for intentional change. Collaboration rests on the hypothesis that the sum is more than its individual parts. We introduce how the collaborative design (co-design) of tourism contributes a unique range of processes, methods, tools and notably an attitude of mind that enables its practitioners to, with others, explore, reveal, encompass and address issues and nuances in an overall sustainable tourism co-design process. This understanding deliberately challenges the notion that a sustainable development process can be planned and micro-managed with pre-determined outcomes. Examples from Denmark and Norway illustrate how sustainable tourism co-design intentionally aims to transform human relations, encourage stewardship and demonstrate how such a practice does not reach for quick-fix solutions. Findings indicate that we have yet to realize the power of collaboration, stewardship and “other-regarding” ethics to guide actions underpinning SDG#17 for more sustainable and resourceful futures.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Janne Liburd
Janne Liburd Professor, D.Phil, Ph.D., Professor and Director of the Centre for Tourism, Innovation and Culture at the University of Southern Denmark. By ministerial appointment, Janne is the Chair of the UNESCO World Heritage Wadden Sea National Park. She is a cultural anthropologist: her research interests are in the fields of sustainable tourism development, innovation and tourism higher education.
Eva Duedahl
Eva Duedahl, Ph.D. Fellow at the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences Faculty of Business and Social Sciences. Eva researches on collaborative design in relation to sustainable tourism development transitions. She was a research assistant and tutored postgrad sustainable tourism development courses at the University of Southern Denmark and is currently involved in the tourism bachelor programs at the Inland Norway University.
Chris Heape
Chris Heape, Ph.D., Independent design research consultant and design facilitator. Chris has worked for the past 25 years as designer, design researcher and design educator, for the most at the University of Southern Denmark. For the past 6 years, Chris has focused on introducing design education processes and methods to tourism education and research. Chris is now an independent design research consultant and design facilitator.