Tourism destination water management strategies: An eco‐efficiency modelling approach

Abstract

Abstract Faced with intensifying demand for and diminishing supplies of water, the sustainability of many tourism destinations is dependent on using innovative eco‐efficient strategies to manage water resources. However, the task of assessing the relative merits of various management strategies is challenging due to a complex array of water consumption and wastewater issues in tourism destinations. This research describes a systematic framework for identifying the key components of water management in tourism destinations and describes a “bottom‐up” modelling procedure for assessing the relative eco‐efficiency of various strategies for conserving this essential resource. It then applies the model to strategies being considered for implementation in Whistler, British Columbia—one of North America's leading mountain resort destinations. The research contributes to sustainable planning theory and practice by describing a forecasting model for assessing the eco‐efficiency of water management strategies in tourism destinations, and then illustrating its practical application in the context of emerging water management practices.