ABSTRACT

The case is designed to encourage the students to understand the dimensions of sustainability and the importance of human values in determining whether tourism will be sustainable. It can be used for an introduction to a course on sustainability, as it helps the students develop a clear understanding of a sustainable and unsustainable situation. Also, the case could be adapted to use in beginning or advanced tourism management courses in a unit on evaluating environmental performance. It has been pretested in an evaluating environmental performance class at the University of Calgary and an environmental design course at Bamfield Marine Station on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, as well as other courses. The case was successful in stimulating lively, thought-provoking discussions in both situations. Because the case is flexible it can be adapted to any form of outdoor recreation or tourism activity that involves local stakeholders. Also, the case can be adapted to a local setting. Because the case draws from diverse stakeholder groups reflecting differing values and perceptions, it is well suited for role-playing. Role-playing or presentation of issues by the students will encourage participation and stimulate discussion of the impact of differing human values and demands.