Fourteenth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

An important percentage of luxury tourism focuses on travel to less developed and poorer countries, especially SIDS, where high-end hotels and resorts are located, offering a paradise-like experience enforced by spectacular natural ecosystems (Giampiccoli et al., 2021). For more than half a century, the people of Seychelles have worked hard to position the islands as a premier destination for a luxury tourist providing an inspiration to other SIDS. Now, this vision embraces sustainability to preserve its enchanting views, sandy and clean beaches, turquoise ocean, and Creole culture and traditions (Kueffer et al., 2013). The study examines ideas behind sustainable luxury tourism and applies them to seven high-end resorts in Seychelles that promote themselves as both luxurious and sustainable to reflect on the extent to which this is possible to achieve in practice. The criteria of sustainability adopted for this research was based on nine SDGs selected specifically by the UNDESA for SIDS. They cover Food Security, Gender Equality, Access to Clean Water and Sanitation, Affordable and Clean Energy, Responsible Consumption and Production, Life below Water, Life on Land, and Partnerships for the Goals. The assessment of luxury was based on: Furnishing, Exclusivity, Premium Brand, Prestige, Room Pricing, Solitude, Targeted Marketing, Uniqueness and VIP access.