Nevertheless and corresponding to wider scepticism, there are doubts about the depth of commitment and veracity of statement of intent and achievement which are often very general and not easily validated. Sustainability and ecotourism are prominent themes in a great deal of marketing, conveying assurances that products harmonise with and nurture natural and human landscapes(Wight,1993).Evidence of this is not always clear and may indeed be contradictory, suggesting attempts at 'greewashing'. There are also constraints of cost and control and the complex structure of the industry can frustrate the ability of individual companies to make any real difference (Miller,2001).Much still needs to be done industry wide and an outside catalyst may be required to accelerate the pace of progress (Forsyth,1995).
The principles of sustainable development have much in common with those of CSR and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. A company pursuing sustainable tourism is, by definition ,socially responsible while CSR incorporates some of the fundamental tenets of sustainability. However,sustainable development seeks to embrace all the participants in the development process and give equal weight to their voices. CSR maintains a company perspective and questions of profitability remain at the forefront, not to be eclipsed by social and environmental agendas.Sustainable development implies a deeper and commitment and is part of a debate which is relevant to most areas of human endeavour and informs private and public sector actions.In comparison, CSR pertains only to industry members and covers a particular and voluntary aspect of activity. It therefore occupies a position near the weaker pole of sustainability spectrum and should be assessed within the context of that discourse.