21. An Evaluation of Sustainable Tourism in the Developing Countries of Asia Using a Sustainable Tourism–Measurement Model: A Comparison of India, Malaysia, and Thailand

Sustainable tourism, sustainable-tourism development, and sustainable-development principles are commonly used within the framework of sustainable development. Both tourism researchers and practitioners are trying to understand/develop, integrate, and apply the main concepts. In this process, the concept of sustainable-tourism planning was analyzed thoroughly, and the theory of sustainable strategies identified with appropriate optimal goals. The theoretical discussion has progressed considerably in this discussion at every forum across the nation. The problem is that the theoretical discussion seems to be too far ahead and too abstract compared with the development found on an operational level. Given the complexity of the issues surrounding the concept of sustainable tourism, the current chapter tries to provide a unified methodology to assess tourism sustainability based on a number of quantitative indicators. The proposed methodological framework (sustainable-tourism measurement [STM]) will provide a number of benchmarks against which the sustainability of tourism activities in various countries can be assessed. The methodology used includes the following steps: identification of the dimensions (socio-economic, cultural, ecological, infrastructural, etc.) and indicators, method of scaling, and chart representation. To illustrate the usefulness of the STM, tourism sustainability was assessed in the developing Asian countries of India, Malaysia, and Thailand. The preliminary results show that a similar level of tourism activity across countries might induce different economic benefits and might have different consequences for the socio-ecological environment. Therefore, the STM is a useful tool to assess the heterogeneity of developing countries and detect the main problems each country faces in their tourism-development strategy.