Evaluating ecotourism sustainability from the integrated perspective of resource, community and tourism

The sustainability benchmark for ecotourism sites may vary with respect to space and time. Using subjective measures as indicators reflect variation in these factors. In order to evaluate the sustainability of an ecotourism site, this study utilizes subjective measures to analyze the relationships between resource, community and tourism in sustainable ecotourism. A Taiwanese indigenous ecotourism site was taken as an example, and the Delphi technique was used to identify evaluation indicators of this tourist destination. Local residents, tourists and resource administration were interviewed to explore each group's perception of relationships with the remaining two groups. After results reflect local economic, social and environmental concerns. Furthermore, the evaluation variables identified can be reapplied to other destinations. The study provides a valuable tool for sustainable destination management. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.