Tourism in a doughnut economy

The “doughnut” model represents a novel perspective to determine preferred paths of industrial development. A tourism aligned doughnut is yet to be articulated, however. This paper identifies the main elements of the Doughnut model, contrasting its framework with the SDG agenda and outlining challenges in achieving a “safe and just operating space” for humanity, between an ecological ceiling and a social foundation. It then identifies several pathways through which tourism can move toward this space. The paper highlights the advantages and challenges of downscaling the Doughnut to national, regional, city, and business-enterprise levels, identifies barriers to stakeholder adoption of Doughnut-aligned tourism strategies, and outlines a research agenda that advances tourism scholarship consistent with Doughnut principles. The paper concludes by emphasising the need for deeper inquiry into tourism’s transition toward alternative development trajectories for tourism development grounded in ecological integrity and social justice.