| dc.description.abstract | At the Biesbosch, a statuary wetland, for almost 600 years people have lived with and fought
against the water. Now it is a national park, and the water is more under control, but finding the
balance between nature and economy continues. The managing authorities of National Park De
Biesbosch have put an effort over the past years into becoming more sustainable, by practising
sustainable tourism management. Given the importance of the Biesbosch in that area for both
working, living and enjoying, it is important to understand how sustainable tourism works and is
applied by the managing authorities. This thesis has found that the governance structure is unique
joint management, that successfully understands which impacts to be aware of, and how to account
for them by applying current concepts and principles of sustainable tourism. I argue that the
successful managing of sustainable tourism derives from the actual understanding of the importance
of sustainable management of national parks, and the ability to create partnerships and learn from
others. The sustainable tourism management at National Park De Biesbosch could be improved by
better engagement of tourists and local residents in planning and management of policies, better
suiting new developments to the actual needs of the eventual users and by facilitating better
circumstances for respectful behaviour in the national park, possibly by improving social control through tourism engagement with an online platform. | |
