Effectiveness of Environmental Policy in Popular Tourist Destinations

Abstract

This study deals with the critical link between environmental policy and the growing tourism industry in popular and frequently visited tourist destinations. The aim of the research is to evaluate the effectiveness of environmental policy in tourist destinations and the relationship between environmental protection indicators and tourist attractiveness. The study employs graphic comparison and an interdisciplinary approach that combines the ecological sphere and sustainable tourism policy analysis to identify the complex relationship between political measures and their environmental, social, and economic consequences. Thematic research and data analysis revealed the absence of a dependency between a country’s tourist attractiveness and the state of the environment (effectiveness of state environmental policy), travel and tourism development, and sustainable development policy. The research emphasizes the lack of standardized evaluation indicators as an obstacle to policy effectiveness evaluation. The findings gave grounds for the adaptive and context-sensitive propositions to facilitate cooperation between stakeholders, including public authorities and the tourism sector, in order to jointly create approaches that promote responsible tourism practices and environmental protection. The study provides practical recommendations for the development of evaluation criteria that comprehensively consider both environmental and economic factors in continuous monitoring systems. The research contributes to the discussion on achieving a harmonious balance between a thriving tourism economy and the preservation of the natural heritage of the busiest tourist destinations. The prospects for further research include identifying additional factors influencing the popularity of tourist routes in different countries.