Effect Of Indiscriminate Tourism On Environment
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This Blog is written by Shivani Agarwal from CPJ College of Higher Studies & School of Law, Delhi. Edited by Harsh Sonbhadra.
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INTRODUCTION
Travelling has always been in the blood of humans since ancient times. Vasco da Gama in the 14th century has discovered many new countries because of his passionate traveling. Ibn Battuta is another prominent example of a traveler. The hobby of traveling for pleasure, recreation, relaxation, exploration, or business is presently known as tourism. It has Classical antiquity; tourism exists long before the coinage of the word ‘tourism’ in 1811. Tourism can be domestic as well as international.
In 1976, the Tourism Society of England defines it as: “Tourism is the temporary, short-term movement of people to destinations outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities during the stay at each destination. It includes movements for all purposes.”
The ‘World Tourism Organization‘ defines tourism generally, in terms which go “beyond the common perception of tourism as being limited to holiday activity only”, as people “traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure and not less than 24 hours, business and other purposes”.
The present scenario has shown tourism as an industry and hence an important sector in the economy. Earlier it used to be a passion now it has become an established sector with full services of lodging, accommodation, travel, fixed fares, site seeing, tour packages, hotels, advertisements, etc. It has become a major source of income for a nation and much country’s sole GDP is dependent on tourism. The Maldives is an island nation in Asia. Its economy is based on tourism as it contributes 66.4% (2018) to the GDP. Many of us have heard people going to Thailand for recreation and most importantly for business purposes and making it a hotshot tourist destination contributing 21.6% (2018) to its GDP. There are many more such examples thus becoming a major source of foreign exchange and bounding the nations to promote tourism at their best.
In the era of globalization, tourism helps to promote one’s culture and traditions. Indian saris due to tourism have become world-famous. It provides people with livelihood increasing their standards of living. Moreover, it is the best source to find oneself and release there stress, anxiety, and depressions. It employs many people and sometimes it is the only way to earn money. Festivals are an important part of life. Many countries have their popular occasions like the bullfight and tomato festival in Spain or Rath yatra at Odisha in India or Fez festival of Morocco or Timkat at Ethiopia and many more have become famous world over.
But have you ever wondered what impact does tourism has on the environment and ecosystem? Well to start with tourism has both positive and negative impacts on the environment. The quality of the environment, both natural and man-made, is essential to tourism. However, tourism’s relationship with the environment is complex. And danger comes from indiscriminate tourism.
IMPACTS OF TOURISM ON ENVIRONMENT
Positive impact
1) There are many inaccessible places in the world where one can go. But thanks to passionate travelers now we not only have access to these areas but these are growing day by day.
2) Nature is always taken for granted, with growing tourism environmental laws its protection has inspired many to take action. It is a way to raise awareness of environmental values and it can serve as a tool to finance the protection of natural areas and increase their economic importance.
3) Tourism has helped establish nature reserves globally. By establishing wildlife reserves, species will be protected from hunting or poaching. In many instances, endangered species have begun to thrive again in their natural habitats.
4) Tourism has also increased awareness among the people and has brought people closer to nature and the environment.
Negative impact
1) Africa and Asia have a large tribal population who live in harmony with nature for centuries. They remain in isolation despite the effort from the governments. But because of tourism, they have become prey to exploitation from the tourist who interferes in their lives and cultures. Governments in the greed of making more tourist spots have also recklessly destroyed their land and inhabitants. To protect themselves there land and culture which they behold dear they have become criminals and the environment gets destroyed.
2) Tourism puts pressure on natural resources of the place like water, food supply, beaches, and coral reeves. Due to increased effort in providing good facilities to tourists, it has increased pressure on many other resources such as minerals, fossil fuels, soils, forests, and wildlife. It rises especially in one season leading to higher demands and hence more exploitation.
3) Tourism also increases the content of solid waste in the environment which destroys the natural beauty of the place as well as causes disturbances in the natural habitat. Solid waste has majorly affected the beach areas and destroyed marine life. Sunscreen used by the people causes danger to marine life. At the beaches or oceans, people use to throw plastics which also endanger lives inside the water.
4) Tourists also have a bad habit of littering garbage in public areas on roads, scribbling on the walls, and ancient monuments destroying the beauty and environment.
5) Mass tourism is also linked to increased levels of pollutions. Due to an increase in tourism over the last decade, the pollution level has also increased.
6) Water is one of the most critical natural resources. The tourism industry generally overuses water resources for hotels, swimming pools, golf courses, and personal use of water by tourists creating water pollution. This can result in water shortages and degradation of water supplies, as well as generating a greater volume of wastewater. It damages nature leading to its exploitation.
7) Air pollution by vehicles, especially at major attraction sites causes harm to the environment. This is due to improperly maintained exhaust systems of the vehicles. Pollution in the form of dust and dirt in the air may be generated from open ill-maintained sites.
8) Some of the impacts of air pollution can be felt from sites like Ajanta and Ellora temples. The Taj Mahal has been turning yellow because of acid rain the effect of air pollution.
9) Mass tourism can only be achieved with simultaneous infrastructure development, the cost of which falls on the environment. Forested areas are cleared to make hotels and lounges. This also damages the water resources, degrades the land, and many more.
10) Badrinath and Kedarnath in India are famous tourist hotspots because of the religious importance and also as north India faces extreme heat, it is a cool place to rest. There were large construction activities taking place in those areas which have destroyed its beauty and natural habitats. As nature heals himself, in 2013, there were large landslides which now can be seen as a punishment for damaging nature.
11) Waste management is a greater problem with the coming times. With tourism growing, grows the waste is being impossible to manage. And becomes boon to the nation as heaps to garage lies.
12) With a boom in privatization, the informal and low-scale jobs in tourist places are often displaced by huge hotel and restaurant chains which damage the environment utmost.
13) Furthermore, it leads to an increase in prostitution, crowding, congestion, drugs and alcohol problems, and increased crime levels.
14) Congestion at the tourist spots is also harmful to the environment. With the time when accessibility to the areas has increased it is becoming a major problem to handle. For example, a terry fountain in Rome sees congestion of such a level that there is no space to keep afoot.
PRESENT LAWS FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
Currently, different countries follow different laws to control the ill effects of tourism on the environment. For example, in Vietnam, visitors can enter the vast and famous Phong Nha cave, but they must stick to a well-built walking path and refrain from physically touching anything in the cave. Other nations have taken more drastic measures, such as Ayer’s Rock in Australia, which will cease allowing visitors to climb the giant red mythical rock starting in 2019.
Cities all over the world are going green as tourists are often attracted to clean, green cities. India has started Swachh Bharat Mission to provide its tourist with clean and green India. Norway has steadily been tackling climate change and plans to cut emissions in half by 2020. In Iceland, the country’s volcanoes have created the biggest geothermal heating system in the world, providing locals and visitors with clean electricity and renewable energy.
Many global cities are maintaining large urban green spaces, incorporating pedestrian-only areas, building safe bicycle infrastructure, raising awareness about recycling, and building with green materials. These cities want to be eco-friendly destinations, and tourism undeniably pushes this.
In 2018, Hawaii passed a bill banning sunscreen that can harm coral reefs. The law prohibits the distribution of sunscreen that has two toxic chemicals, which are damaging to coral life. Visitors on some of Hawaii’s beaches range in numbers from 2–5,000 swimmers per day, contributing to the estimated 14,000 tons of sunscreen that has been deposited in the oceans.
Africa’s mega-fauna are of great economic value to the countries. Reserves protect much of the continent’s endangered wildlife making African safaris popular. In Botswana, the government has kept visitor numbers lower than what they can handle to manage the environment, much of which is protected in nature reserves. The reserves allow for tourists to learn about local wildlife from a distance and to support the well-being of their habitat. Namibia was the first African country to add the protection of the environment to its constitution. Since then, it has been restoring populations of cheetahs, lions. In Kaziranga National Park in India, for example, park rangers have resorted to shooting rhino poachers to protect the species.
ECOTOURISM
Ecotourism is responsible for travel in a natural environment without damaging nature. It ensures that the impact of tourism remains minimal as compared to mass tourism. It helps educate the traveler; provides funds for conservation; directly benefits the economic development and political empowerment of local communities, and fosters respect for different cultures and human rights. Tourist destinations are shifting to low carbon emissions following the trend of visitors more focused on being environmentally responsible for adopting a sustainable behavior. Every country has adopted ecotourism but it has also failed to protect nature and instead become the means to further the economic growth damaging nature.
FUTURE LAWS FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
Native governments are taking steps to protect the environment and also promoting tourism in a manner that doesn’t destroy nature. But still, we have to go a long way in the environmental tourism industry.
The number of tourists must be limited to the tourist destinations especially to nature savvy spots. This would reduce the negative impacts on the resources of the place.
This will also help nature to breathe and also the tourist to enjoy their trip. Proper regulatory measures should be taken which ensures the safety of the ecosystem as well as help in the development of natural flora and fauna. Damages and littering must be prohibited. Renewable sources must be developed to protect the environment from pollutions. Strict measures must be taken by the governments to curb deforestation for the creation of hotels and amusement parks.
Afforestation must be encouraged so to restore the damage done to nature. Waste management and pollution prevention techniques should be implemented which would minimize the impact of waste and pollution on the environment. Harmful creams and products must be banned from taking at the beaches and oceans. A trail may be built through the forest to allow tourists to visit the area, which will bring in income in a variety of ways. Guides may be hired to offer tours of the protected area, teaching about local flora and fauna and raising environmental awareness. Transportation, accommodation, and restaurant infrastructure may be created in a manner that doesn’t damage nature.
When visiting any other country we must treat it as our own and try not to damage it. There is a trend where people visiting other counties damage the monuments they visit or litter the garbage. Heavy penalties must be imposed on such people to set an example that nature must be treated properly.
At the international level, laws, rules, and regulations need to be formulated the must be accepted by every nation to protect the earth from the negative impacts of tourism.
Countries must take a pledge to promote sustainable tourism or ecotourism by subtracting all its criticisms.
CONCLUSION
Tourism cannot be evaded; it has the potential to turn the misfortune of the nation into a fortune. It is a source of employment, foreign exchange, and social development. However, this must not be done at the cost of nature which sustains us. Sustainable tourism must be promoted because this is the only way to protect the environment and its diversity. Tourism should be developed in such a way that it accommodates and entertains visitors in a minimally destructive manner. The environment must sustain & support native cultures. Tourism and environment must go hand in hand because without one the other cannot be sustained.
REFERENCES
(1) https://medium.com/@filloy/positive-impacts-of-tourism-series-part-1-environment-b2fac14477be
(3)https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292157428_ENVIRONMENTAL_EFFECTS_OF_TOURISM
(4) International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism. “The AIEST, its character, and aims”. Archived from the original on 26 November 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2008.
(5) “UNWTO technical manual: Collection of Tourism Expenditure Statistics” (PDF). World Tourism Organization. 1995. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2009.