LOOKING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE IN TOURIST DESTINATIONS

Abstract

This paper analyzes several factors of environmental change that affect a tourist destination along its cycle of evolution identifying for this purpose some of the existing interdependent bonds within the conceptualization of a tourism/environment system. A tourist municipality case study illustrates the impact of environmental change on the local tourist competitiveness to focus afterward on management practices responses aimed at minimizing the negative impact on the environment resulting from the local tourist activity itself. Finally, a series of conclusions derived from the analysis conducted are presented.