Overseas Training > 2009 > Toshinori Tanaka
Toshinori Tanaka
Sustainable Tourism for Human Security
Global Environmental Policy Laboratory, Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies
Place of stay: UNESCO Headquarter World Heritage Centre, World Tourism Organization (France, Spain)
Term: October 13 – October 28, 2009
As a member of HSE, I focus my studies on "Sustainable Tourism" (ST) in a World Natural Heritage Site called Ha Long Bay (HLB), Vietnam. Tourism industry is growing rapidly, making up more than 10 percent of the gross products and employment in the world. It is also estimated that this market will still mushroom with the development of populated countries such as BRICs. In Vietnam, the number of tourists is increasing rapidly in the last 10 years, and visitors to HLB has reached three millions, which is 10 times more than a decade ago. The industry is expected to create employment, investments, and infrastructure. The acquisition of foreign currency will enrich education and social welfare. On the other hand, if the tourism development prevails against local communities, it will bring on destruction of nature and culture, income imbalance, and other critical issues. I usually study ST from a local perspective, but this internship enabled me to visit UNESCO Headquarters and UNWTO, and research the topic from global perspectives.
