标题:Sustainability and Local Tourism Branding in England’s South Downs 原文: This paper reports on a stakeholder consultation exercise that examined the tourism industry’s perception of developing a local tourism branding scheme within the South Downs’ protected areas in south-east England. The research shows that such schemes could offer potential benefits that are recognisable by the tourism industry, while helping to meet the statutory aims of the protected area. The paper records the perceptions of small tourism businesses, their fears, awareness of tourism impacts, perceptions of sustainable tourism and of local branding, and key criteria connected to the anisation of a local tourism branding scheme. The conclusion lists the mendations for the implementation of a local branding scheme, including grassroots stakeholder consultation that encourages ownership and participation, institutional frameworks that support capacity-building and the importance of developing core values within a local brand. doi: Keywords: tourism branding, protected areas, sustainability, stakeholder con- sultation, small/medium enterprises, South Downs Introduction It is widely recognised that the development of sustainable tourism is essential to the future of both the tourism industry and the protected areas (Dewhurst & Thomas, 2003; Ceballos-Lascurain, 1996; Eagles et al., 2002; Europarc Federation, 2001; International Union for Conservation of Nature, 1994). Contemporary tourism is characterised by numerous collaborative initiatives between different stakeholders that include a diverse range of grassroots and institutional actors (Vernon et al., 2005). The importance of collaboration and partnerships for achieving sustainable development was articulated in the 1987 Brundtland Report and subsequently became enshrined in Local Agenda 21. Increasing awareness of tourism’s environmental impacts and recognition of the responsibility of tourism businesses for those imp
