Even worse, this tourism frequently induces poorly planned, land-intensive development. Source: People and the Planet. Physical impacts are caused not only by tourism-related land clearing and construction, but by continuing tourist activities and long-term changes in local economies and ecologies.
In Yosemite National Park US , for instance, the number of roads and facilities have been increased to keep pace with the growing visitor numbers and to supply amenities, infrastructure and parking lots for all these tourists. These actions have caused habitat loss in the park and are accompanied by various forms of pollution including air pollution from automobile emissions; the Sierra Club has reported "smog so thick that Yosemite Valley could not be seen from airplanes".
This occasional smog is harmful to all species and vegetation inside the Park. Source: Trade and Environment Database. Deforestation and intensified or unsustainable use of land Construction of ski resort accommodation and facilities frequently requires clearing forested land. Coastal wetlands are often drained and filled due to lack of more suitable sites for construction of tourism facilities and infrastructure.
These activities can cause severe disturbance and erosion of the local ecosystem, even destruction in the long term. There are countries with coral reefs. In 90 of them reefs are being damaged by cruise ship anchors and sewage, by tourists breaking off chunks of coral, and by commercial harvesting for sale to tourists.
One study of a cruise ship anchor dropped in a coral reef for one day found an area about half the size of a football field completely destroyed, and half again as much covered by rubble that died later. It was estimated that coral recovery would take fifty years. Source: Ocean Planet. Return to cover page. Source: Idahonews Solid waste and littering. Source: People and the Planet Physical impacts are caused not only by tourism-related land clearing and construction, but by continuing tourist activities and long-term changes in local economies and ecologies.
Construction activities and infrastructure development The development of tourism facilities such as accommodation, water supplies, restaurants and recreation facilities can involve sand mining, beach and sand dune erosion, soil erosion and extensive paving.
In addition, road and airport construction can lead to land degradation and loss of wildlife habitats and deterioration of scenery.
Marina development Development of marinas and breakwaters can cause changes in currents and coastlines. Furthermore, extraction of building materials such as sand affects coral reefs, mangroves, and hinterland forests, leading to erosion and destruction of habitats. In the Philippines and the Maldives, dynamiting and mining of coral for resort building materials has damaged fragile coral reefs and depleted the fisheries that sustain local people and attract tourists.
Overbuilding and extensive paving of shorelines can result in destruction of habitats and disruption of land-sea connections such as sea-turtle nesting spots. Coral reefs are especially fragile marine ecosystems and are suffering worldwide from reef-based tourism developments. Tourism development can put pressure on natural resources when it increases consumption in areas where resources are already scarce.
Some of the most common noted examples include using up water resources, land degradation and the depletion of other local resources. The tourism industry generally overuses water resources for hotels, swimming pools, golf courses and personal use of water by tourists.
This can result in water shortages and degradation of water supplies, as well as generating a greater volume of waste water. In drier regions, like the Mediterranean, the issue of water scarcity is of particular concern. Because of the hot climate and the tendency for tourists to consume more water when on holiday than they do at home, the amount used can run up to litres a day. This is almost double what the inhabitants of an average Spanish city use.
In recent years golf tourism has increased in popularity and the number of golf courses has grown rapidly. Golf courses require an enormous amount of water every day and this can result in water scarcity. Furthermore, golf resorts are more and more often situated in or near protected areas or areas where resources are limited, exacerbating their impacts. An average golf course in a tropical country such as Thailand needs kg of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides per year and uses as much water as 60, rural villagers.
Important land resources include fertile soil, forests, wetlands and wildlife. Unfortunately, tourism often contributes to the degradation of said resources. Increased construction of tourism facilities has increased the pressure on these resources and on scenic landscapes. Animals are often displaced when their homes are destroyed or when they are disturbed by noise.
This may result in increased animals deaths, for example road-kill deaths. It may also contribute to changes in behaviour. It may also contribute towards aggressive behaviour when animals try to protect their young or savage for food that has become scarce as a result of tourism development.
Picturesque landscapes are often destroyed by tourism. Whilst many destinations nowadays have limits and restrictions on what development can occur and in what style, many do not impose any such rules. High rise hotels and buildings which are not in character with the surrounding architecture or landscape contribute to a lack of atheistic appeal. Forests often suffer negative impacts of tourism in the form of deforestation caused by fuel wood collection and land clearing.
For example, one trekking tourist in Nepal can use four to five kilograms of wood a day! There are also many cases of erosion, whereby tourists may trek the same path or ski the same slope so frequently that it erodes the natural landscape.
Sites such as Machu Pichu have been forced to introduce restrictions on tourist numbers to limit the damage caused. Tourism can create great pressure on local resources like energy, food, and other raw materials that may already be in short supply. Greater extraction and transport of these resources exacerbates the physical impacts associated with their exploitation.
Because of the seasonal character of the industry, many destinations have ten times more inhabitants in the high season as in the low season.
A high demand is placed upon these resources to meet the high expectations tourists often have proper heating, hot water, etc. This can put significant pressure on the local resources and infrastructure, often resulting in the local people going without in order to feed the tourism industry. Tourism can cause the same forms of pollution as any other industry: Air emissions; noise pollution; solid waste and littering; sewage; oil and chemicals. Transport by air, road, and rail is continuously increasing in response to the rising number of tourists and their greater mobility.
One study estimated that a single transatlantic return flight emits almost half the CO2 emissions produced by all other sources lighting, heating, car use, etc. I remember asking my class to calculate their carbon footprint one lesson only to be very embarrassed that my emissions were A LOT higher than theirs due to the amount of flights I took each year compared to them.
Point proven I guess…. Anyway, air pollution from tourist transportation has impacts on a global level, especially from CO2 emissions related to transportation energy use. This can contribute to severe local air pollution. It also contributes towards climate change. Fortunately, technological advancements in aviation are seeing more environmentally friendly aircraft and fuels being used worldwide, although the problem is far from being cured. If you really want to help save the environment, the answer is to seek alternative methods of transportation and avoid flying.
You can also look at ways to offset your carbon footprint. It also causes distress to wildlife and can cause animals to alter their natural activity patterns. Having taught at a university near London Heathrow for several years, this was always a topic of interest to my students and made a popular choice of dissertation topic.
In areas with high concentrations of tourist activities and appealing natural attractions, waste disposal is a serious problem, contributing significantly to the environmental impacts of tourism. Improper waste disposal can be a major despoiler of the natural environment. Rivers, scenic areas, and roadsides are areas that are commonly found littered with waste, ranging from plastic bottles to sewage. Cruise tourism in the Caribbean, for example, is a major contributor to this negative environmental impact of tourism.
Cruise ships are estimated to produce more than 70, tons of waste each year. The Wider Caribbean Region, stretching from Florida to French Guiana, receives 63, port calls from ships each year, and they generate 82, tons of rubbish.
On average, passengers on a cruise ship each account for 3. Whilst it is generally an unwritten rule that you do not throw rubbish into the sea, this is difficult to enforce in the open ocean.
In the past cruise ships would simply dump their waste while out at sea. Nowadays, fortunately, this is less commonly the case, however I am sure that there are still exceptions. Solid waste and littering can degrade the physical appearance of the water and shoreline and cause the death of marine animals. Over the past six decades, tourism has experienced continued expansion and diversification, and it has become one of the fastest growing and most important economic sectors in the world, benefiting destinations and communities worldwide.
New policies are also needed to reflect and incorporate ongoing advances in technology. The tourism industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. On a local, national, and international level, tourism is economically and environmentally significant.
Tourism has the capacity to help build communities and instigate positive environmental change. Tourism development can put pressure on natural resources when it increases consumption in areas where resources are already scarce. Tourism brings prosperity to the region and provides employment to the locals of the region. However, when tourism becomes unsustainable in nature, it can have disastrous consequences on the environment.
Some of the ways in which tourism adversely impacts the environment have been mentioned below:. Transport by air, road, and rail is continuously increasing in response to the rising number reported that the number of international air passengers worldwide rose from 88 million in to million in When a large number of tourists are involved, it invariably leads to a greater use of the transportation system.
We all are aware of the fact that emissions from automobiles and airplanes are one of the biggest causes of air pollution. When a large number tourists use these modes of transport to reach a particular attraction, it pollutes the air both locally and globally.
In many places, buses or other vehicles leave their motors running to ensure that tourists return to comfortable air-conditioned vehicles. The World Counts. Shop Support. All Challenges. Get a Counter. In This month This week Today. Put this counter on your website. Shop Thousands of Verified Sustainable Products. Visit the Arbor Marketplace. Shop Products. Find ethical companies when you are browsing.
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