The terms sustainability and sustainable development are often linked with the natural
environment. However, in the tourism context, sustainable development can be related
to other fields, for example culture and heritage. Goeldner and Brent Ritchie (2009)
argued that the future of the tourism industry depended on protecting the region’s
environmental, heritage, and cultural resources. In addition, they said that sustainability
pertains to the ability of a destination to maintain the quality of its physical, social,
cultural, and environmental resources while it competes in the market place.