Tourism v Environment (Geography in general)

Member Name: thespurs

Product:	Geography in general
Date:	21/02/05 (3135 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tourism creates jobs for hundreds of thousands of people globally, It helps to strengthen national economies, Going on holiday is fun for those involved

Disadvantages: The envirionment suffers as a result, Habits and climates are destroyed, Animal species come under threat

I have recently had to write a mini essay for geography at school. We have been closely studying tourism, in its many forms, in the past term or so. I wanted to share with you what I handed in to my teacher, because it is a fairly important arguement that I have chosen to write about. I would appreciate any feedback you can give me on it.



Question: The environmental impact of recreational activities is almost always harmful.


There isn’t any doubt that certain forms of recreation will have an impact on the environment. The environment of many areas is very fragile and extremely susceptible to incursions by those who seek to use it for their pleasure. The breeding habits of certain animals may be changed by people using their environments, plants and trees may be damaged or trampled over and the overall balance of the small ecosystem is likely to be impacted upon in some way.


The natural environment in which we all live, is very delicate and needs to be taken care of if we are to ensure that people will have something to enjoy in the future. It is much easier to damage the environment, than it is to repair it. It can take a matter of hours to fell an acre of mature trees, but as long as 30 years to replace them. If we protect the environment efficiently, then we will have a much better chance of getting a lot from it. There are certain things, that once destroyed or damaged, may never recover and others that will never be restored their full glory. The effective management of the environment is key.


The mass tourism that dominates much of Mediterranean Europe and areas further a field, does undoubtedly have an impact on the environment. To enable the construction of tourist buildings, such as hotels, clubs and shops leads to the removal of plants and trees as well as construction on the beaches. These buildings also scar the coastlines of once beautiful stretches of shore and the ecosystems are damaged forever. These large scale tourist centres, also produce an awful lot of waste. They often divert sewage into the sea and rivers, inundate land fill sites and also lower the local water table to meet the demands of local tourists.


The activities that take place on open water, such as sailing, water-skiing and other sports do have an effect on the environment. The noise generated by powerful speedboats will scare animals in the area and in some cases will drive them out of their habitat. The noise will also affect creatures living below the surface. The water itself is also likely to become polluted with various chemicals. The boats are likely to produce fumes and waste and people may dump things. The paint on the underside of boats starts to peel off after time and it leaves a dangerous oxide in the water that reduces oxygen levels and damages wildlife.


There are certain groups who are in favour of enjoying the natural environment, whilst preserving it for others and the future. Green tourism, is a manor in which people are at one with the environment and they do their best to maintain it. In recent years it has very much become a trend, the thing to do. It is a chance for the world weary traveller, to experience something new and different. These sorts of holidays and trips do tend to cost more money and the facilities tend to be of a lower standard, but the benefit to the environment is more of an issue


In Kenya for example, the type of Safari holiday people can take is changing. Instead of staying in a posh hotel, that produces lots of waste and uses lots of water, people can stay in small cabins or in tents. These tend to be on a much smaller scale and therefore the environment will not be overwhelmed. The tourists have local Masai guides, who educate them on how to get the most out of the surroundings without damaging them.


It could be argued that all forms of tourism have an effect on the environment. Even if people are on a ‘green’ vacation, they may still have had to fly to the destination and use cars/taxis to get their location. This means that they will be adding to the problem of global warming and therefore damaging the environment even further. However, it is only a drop in the ocean and it is better that if they want to holiday, that they do the majority of it the ‘green’ way.


There is a strong case that people should be allowed to enjoy themselves to the full if they have the chance. They should be allowed to splash out on extravagant holidays and recreational activities. The holiday makers and leisure seekers are at the end of the day, driving a global industry that shows no sign of a slow down. The number of people employed in tourism internationally is huge and a vast majority of those rely on tourism for their livelihoods. If the tourists stopped visiting areas in the developing world, then those living there would be in ruin. They would have no income and not other jobs available to them. It’s like anything, you can’t have it both ways in this case the environment has to take the strain of tourists and their ever increasing demands.


It is definitely true to say that the majority of global tourism has a negative impact on the environment. There does need to be as strict a control as possible on new construction in areas that wildlife is vulnerable and the plants and trees at risk. The majority of resorts and destinations around the world rely on the natural environment to attract visitors, so it should be in their interest to protect it and make sure that they can still make a living from it in the years to come. If we continue to exploit the environment at the rate that we are doing, soon there will be relatively little left to enjoy.

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