Tourism is known as one of the major contributors to the global economy delivering 10.9% of world Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 1996 (UNWTO 2003). It offers economic benefits to industrialized and developing countries alike by satisfying society‘s curiosity of the unusual and people‘s need for leisure. It is one of the most visible global industries, physically linking opposite sides of the globe, involving all levels of society and supporting many industries. Most sources agree that tourism is the largest industry in the world and also the one that has most growth (Nordin 2003:14). As a result of rising incomes and increased leisure time the tourism industry is seeing a positive growth, with impacts on sectors indirectly linked with tourism. It was earlier argued that because of the rising significance of tourism in the world, there is potential for making tourism industry a vehicle for local, peripheral development. Given the knowledge we have regarding the economic power and influence of the tourism industry it makes sense that its presence is also felt socially and environmentally. The multitude of unsustainable activities embedded in the main characteristics of conventional mass tourism, leading to pressures at the tourism destination; suggest that, tourism, by its very nature, might be threatening its own existence. This represents a key challenge for sustainability in the industry (Budeanu 2003, Robinson 1999, Tepelus 2005).…