Sustainable tourism, cultural practice and competence development for hotels and inns in Denmark

Sustainable tourism requires educators, tourism practitioners and industry representatives to adopt the principles of sustainability into their daily practice and managerial vision. A plethora of scholars have spent decades discussing the socio-economic issues of tourism and related managerial implications. However, there is little evidence that the integral aspect of sustainability, particularly socio-cultural sustainability, has been systematically addressed, particular in areas of material and non-material wellbeing, equitable relationships between host communities and tourists and quality of life. Drawing on multi-sited anthropological research, the article examines the dynamics of tourism, society and culture and reports on learning, equity, collaboration and mutual respect in the context of the inns and hotels in Denmark. Examining cultural practice in the context of sustainable tourism using a case study serves to shed some empirical light on its relevance and utility. The paper concludes that cultural practice is not only a useful mechanism for successful competence development but a legitimate and integral part of sustainable tourism.