What is Tourism?

Let's begin a new conversation around sustainable tourism by first discussing a simple definition of tourism.

Tourism is when people travel for leisure, business, or recreation. It can help the environment by creating job opportunities, but can also harm the environment if not carried out responsibly. Some of the ways tourism can harm the environment are air and water pollution, waste management, and climate change. It is important for people to be aware of these impacts and take steps to minimize them when traveling.  We will cover these impacts in greater details in future posts, but for the moment, let's talk about what tourism is.

What is Tourism?

Tourism is a form of travel that involves visiting places for leisure, recreation or business purposes. It is one of the world’s largest industries, if not the largest and contributes significantly to the global economy. As the number of people traveling for leisure and business continues to increase, so too does the environmental impact of tourism. Tourism can have both positive and negative impacts on the environment. 

On one hand, tourism brings money and resources into a region, stimulating the economy and creating job opportunities. This can, in turn, help to protect and conserve the environment by providing incentives for local communities to maintain and protect their natural resources. 

On the other hand, tourism can lead to increased pollution, and have a damaging effect on the ecosystems, habitats, and wildlife of the areas that it affects. As tourist numbers continue to rise, it is increasingly important to consider the environmental impacts of tourism. 

Some of the most common environmental impacts of tourism are water and air pollution, waste management, and climate change. Water pollution is a major issue in many tourist destinations, as the influx of visitors often leads to an increased demand for water resources. This can lead to over-extraction of groundwater, which can deplete aquifers and lead to water shortages. Furthermore, the increased demand for water can also lead to increased discharge of pollutants, such as sewage, into rivers and lakes. 

Air pollution is another environmental issue that is often linked to tourism. This is due to the large number of vehicles used to transport tourists around a destination, as well as the burning of fossil fuels to power hotels and other tourist attractions. This can lead to an increase in air pollution in the area, which can have a damaging effect on the local environment and human health. 

Waste management is another environmental impact of tourism. Tourists often generate a large amount of waste, including plastic packaging, food waste, and other items. This can lead to an increase in the amount of waste that needs to be disposed of, which can put pressure on local waste management systems and cause pollution if not properly managed. 

Finally, climate change is another environmental impact of tourism. Tourism requires energy to power hotels, transport, and other activities, and this energy often comes from burning fossil fuels. This can contribute to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, which can lead to global warming and climate change. 

In conclusion, there are many environmental impacts of tourism, such as water and air pollution, waste management, and climate change. It is important for tourists to be aware of these impacts and take steps to minimize them, in order to ensure that tourism has a positive impact on the environment.  In future posts we will discuss these environmental impacts in greater detail.  In closing, here are a few objective examples of the positive and negative impacts tourism can have on an environment in a destination community.

Learn more about the Blue Community and our 12 Strategies for achieving more sustainable tourism. 

Examples of positive environmental impacts of tourism:

- Creating job opportunities, which can incentivize local communities to preserve and protect their natural resources

- Bringing money and resources into a region, which can stimulate the local economy

Examples of negative environmental impacts of tourism:

- Over-extraction of groundwater and water pollution, due to increased demand for water resources

- Air pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels to power hotels and tourist attractions

- Increase in waste generation, which can put pressure on local waste management systems