Tourism: Past Achievements, Future Challenges EXPLORING COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY POTENTIAL IN NATURE BASED TOURISM: THE FAR SOUTH COAST NATURE TOURISM AND RECREATION PLAN

Often nature tourism development is viewed as a path to changing the economic industry base, security, and by implication towards creating community sustainability in rural areas. This paper argues that a sole focus on economic growth is too narrow a representation of the linkages between the tourism industry and host communities. It asserts that community sustainability is better seen as an integrating, encompassing concern for the cultural, social, economic and environmental sustainability potential of the community in a particular locality. The objectives of the 2004 Far South Coast Nature Tourism and Recreation Plan are presented as a means of illustrating the challenge in developing a sustainable future for Australian rural communities