Understanding sustainability, corporate social responsibility and responsible tourism in literature vs practice

Abstract

This paper provides evidence of the gaps in literature vs practice with regard to three sustainability and tourism related concepts: environmental sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and responsible tourism. A conceptual framework on the linkage between these concepts, as described in the literature, is developed and juxtaposed with a framework developed from content analysis of 30 interview transcripts where tourism accommodation industry stakeholders discuss their understanding of these concepts. Results reveal significant areas of overlap between theory and practice with outliers unique to the geographical and industry context. This highlights the importance of taking the local context into consideration in academic research and enquiry relating to industry and practice. These findings are relevant for academics and policymakers who aim to develop policy solutions to address sustainability challenges and improve CSR and responsible tourism uptake in their respective local contexts.