Dundee as a sustainable tourism destination

Description

This report reviews Dundee as a sustainable tourism destination, using peer reviewed and opensource material. Focussing on local to global outcomes, it critically reviews the destination through three lenses of sustainability: developing place; visitor experiences and leadership. A SWOT analysis is used to capture the current destinations internal inputs. While a PESTED exercise was undertaken to identify potential external challenges and aid forecasting to inform further sustainable destination development. This includes a brief reflection on the potential impact of coronavirus COVID-19.
The report establishes that the destination has made a conscious transition from industrial legacy. Building upon a business and convention tourism base to embrace emergent opportunities in leisure and cultural tourism. Initially driven by economic regeneration, there is evidence of recent sustainable initiatives also being progressed that align to sustainable tourism.
The report finds that while there is much that has been achieved to date in developing the destination, there are still challenges to overcome. The sectors that comprise the tourism industry have been consolidated in recent years, yet they remain mainly sectorial focused. It is argued that a strategy that looks to align interests and actors will be better placed to help make Dundee an exemplar of sustainable living and tourism in the future.
The report ends with a series of recommendations that build upon 5 themes highlighted within the report:
• Seeing sustainability is a journey
• Continuing to invest in community well-being
• Looking to develop holistic approaches to sustainability
• The need for sustainable metrics and standards
• Building upon the existing collaborations and partnerships

Period	10 May 2020
Degree of Recognition	Local