The sustainable tourism in 21st Century: Evaluating the environmental, economic, socio-cultural challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Sustainable tourism is a crucial topic in the 21st century, given the growing concerns about environmental, economic and socio-cultural changes. This research
seeks to assess the environmental, economic and socio-cultural implications, as well as opportunities, of sustainable tourism using a qualitative literature review.
The study uses an interpretivist approach with a systematic review of academic papers indexed in Scopus to synthesise the main themes and trends.
The results show that tourism has a major impact on environmental issues like carbon emissions, climate change and resource scarcity (Lenzen et al., 2018).
However, tourism is critical in contributing to economic growth through job creation and regional development (Amin & Budilestari, 2025). In terms of sociocultural impacts, tourism fosters cultural exchange and supports community development while posing issues related to cultural commodification (HigginsDesbiolles, 2018).The research also reveals a disconnect between sustainability and practice, and the need for holistic approaches and governance (Sharpley,
2020). The study concludes that sustainable tourism should be achieved through a harmonious integration of environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects
with innovation and policy initiatives.