fabric;

was pedestrianised and the five year

- without damaging local rural environ-

monitoring showed significant extra

ment; and

pedestrian numbers and prosperity

Liwithinpublic expenditure limitations.

compared with the rest of the town

The extent to which the different sue-

centre. In Conwy the High Street has

cess criteria are threatened suggests the

been more recently and more modestly

policy priorities. Chepstow’s plans for

repaved but carswere not fully excluded.

modest growth with an emphasis on

Car and coach parking outside the walls

extending the length of stay, encourag-

has been brought into use by re-opening,

ing public and personal (cycle and foot)

for pedestrians, an ancient gate to the

transport rather than impersonal (pri-

town, which had been blocked off by

vate car) transport aims to meet the first

19th century railway construction.

criterion - carbon usage - but will re-

Rather than damage to the urban

quire constant monitoring: over the five

fabric, in Chepstow the tourists have

years the high 80% level of private car

justified restoration of historic buildings

access has not changed and length of stay

and streets, and in Conwy the restoration

both for day and overnight visitors has

of further special historic buildings, such

increased. In Conwy’s case, the opening

asPlasMadocbyCADW, mayhelp relieve

of the A55 Expressway right through to

the existing magnets.

Chester and the motorway network be-

The crucial additional aid from the

yond threatens to increase long distance

Wales Tourist Board (under Section 4 of

car-borne dayvisitors, although improved

the 1969 Development of Tourism Act,

coach parking is helping to increase the

which has been repealed for England)

coach visitor proportion. The re-opened

made the improvements possible. Both

railway station may also help.

towns are becoming more attractive and

In Chepstow’s case, the second

are helping to focus visitors on

criterion was not a problem - less than

themselves, where commerce and

5% of inhabitants do not welcome extra

employment can benefit in a relatively

tourism. In Conwy that figure for the

robust built environment. The more

malcontents was 15%: still seemingly

ecologicallysensitive andflne countryside

small but the trans-European nature of

around them can then be explored by

the study allowed us to compare it with

foot, cycle and public transport.

the very heavily imposed upon Alcudia

Whether the existing level and form

in Mallorca. Even there only 20% were

of tourism either locally or nationally is

apparentlyagainst tourism growth. From

sustainable returns us to the paradox of

this we were able to conclude that a level

benign or cancerous economic growth.

of 1/5 opponents to tourism among the

It may not be resolvable but that does not

residents suggests significant tourism

alterthe obligation to momtorand control

stress. Conwy’s 1/7 begins to showsome

change in tourism to make it MORE

signs of stress.

sustainable.

THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES

4 The best long-term interests of the

host community should be the primary

OF SUSTAINABLETOURISM

determining factor in selecting options

The ICOMOS Conference of 1990 in

for tourist development.

Canterbury agreed seven principles for

sustainable tourism which can be sum-

5 Educational programmes should as

marised as:

sist and invite tourists to respect tour

ismpolicy andshouldtake these factors

1 Comprehensive tourist development

into account.

plans are essential for developing any

tourist potential.

6 The design of buildings, sites and

transport systems should minimise the

2 It should be a fundamental principle

potentially harmful effects of tourism.

of any tourist development plan that

both conservation and tourism should

7 Good management should defined

benefit from it.

the level of acceptable tourism devel

opment and provide controls to main-

3 A significant proportion of revenue

tain that level.

earned from tourism should be applied

for the benefit of conservation, both

ICOM OS UK The United Kingdom branch of

nationally and regionally.

the International Council