Specific plans and actions can increase tourism’s benefits or decrease the gravity of a negative impact.
It is important for communities to understand the wide scope of impacts and endeavor to agree on what
positive impacts to emphasize. It is wise to acknowledge and identify possible negative impacts so
actions can be taken to minimize or prevent them. A clear statement of the community's vision of
tourism should be an integral part of a community’s comprehensive plan.
Active planning directs tourism toward the goals of the community, clarifying tourism’s role and uniting
multiple interests.
Planning is not enough. Active implementation and management of plans and prompt attention to
emerging tourism issues will maximize positive and minimize negative impacts. Monitoring and
addressing community attitudes should be an ongoing part of the management effort. Good monitoring
efforts can identify trouble areas and give leaders an opportunity to defuse community reactions and
make timely changes before a crisis occurs. Unfortunately, few communities are so proactive