Tourism: A Tool for Destruction or Conservation - Part I
Approximate Read Time: 6 minutes
References:
1. Lenzen, M., Sun, Y. Y., Faturay, F., Ting, Y. P., Geschke, A., & Malik, A. (2018). The carbon footprint of global tourism. Nature Climate Change, 8(6), 522.
2. Eijgelaar, E., & KINDEREN, D. D. (2014). Carbon offsetting: motives for participation and impacts on travel behaviour. In Understanding and Governing Sustainable Tourism Mobility(pp. 145-163). Routledge.
3. Gössling, S., Hall, C. M., Peeters, P., & Scott, D. (2010). The future of tourism: Can tourism growth and climate policy be reconciled? A mitigation perspective. Tourism Recreation Research, 35(2), 119-130.
4. Kahn, D. (2017, August 15). Carbon Offsets Really Do Help Lower Emissions. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/carbon-offsets-really-do-help-lower-emissions/
5. Milano, C., Cheer, J. M., & Novelli, M. (2018). Overtourism: a growing global problem. The Conversation. Retrieved from: https://theconversation. com/overtourism-a-growing-global-problem-100029
6. Gössling, S., & Peeters, P. (2015). Assessing tourism's global environmental impact 1900–2050. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23(5), 639-659.
Images
a. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Great_Wall_of_China_July_2006.JPG#file
b. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:People_with_umbrellas_on_the_Great_Wall_of_China.jpg
"Kel, when is the last time you went on a trip."
"It's been a while......why?"
"You're grumpy. You always get grumpy when you don't travel."
Let the research begin, April 2019
I love to travel. It is one of my favorite things about life. I grow as a person every single time I go on an adventure. I always learn something new. I try not to take my expectations with me, because it will almost always go differently than planned, and usually for the better.
Which is why I have to face some hard facts. There are a lot of people out there working hard to make travel sustainable and to try and raise awareness about the negative environmental impacts....but it is complex and difficult. Most travelers (sometimes me included) don't want to hear these facts. We would rather be blissfully ignorant as we step onto that plane to go somewhere new, somewhere different, somewhere exciting.
The truth is...we cannot ignore the impacts travel leaves on this world. Can we make travel more sustainable? How can we lessen our impact, or, better yet, leave a positive impact?
To start, we need to look closer at the challenges we face.
A quick note: This post will include citations for anyone who are interested in seeing where I pulled my information from. Whenever I am referencing an article or website you will see brackets [ ] with a number in it. At the bottom of the page will be a numbered list of the references I used. At certain points an article, website, or youtube video will be directly linked within the discussion. I am not affiliated with any of the organizations mentioned.
Carbon Emissions
The words 'climate change', 'Carbon/CO2 Emissions', and 'Greenhouse Gases' are seen more and more in the news and scientific research. We are witnessing climate change and tourism is not a bystander. A recent study [1] was done which showed that International tourism is responsible for 8% of global emissions. That doesn't sound like a lot, but keep in mind that global emissions is now measured in billion tons.
To start, we need to look closer at the challenges we face.
TL;DR - For a quick overview of tourism's hidden costs, see the video below.
The Travel Foundation. (2019, March). Tourism's Invisible Burden.
A quick note: This post will include citations for anyone who are interested in seeing where I pulled my information from. Whenever I am referencing an article or website you will see brackets [ ] with a number in it. At the bottom of the page will be a numbered list of the references I used. At certain points an article, website, or youtube video will be directly linked within the discussion. I am not affiliated with any of the organizations mentioned.
Carbon Emissions
The words 'climate change', 'Carbon/CO2 Emissions', and 'Greenhouse Gases' are seen more and more in the news and scientific research. We are witnessing climate change and tourism is not a bystander. A recent study [1] was done which showed that International tourism is responsible for 8% of global emissions. That doesn't sound like a lot, but keep in mind that global emissions is now measured in billion tons.
You may have heard of the term 'Carbon Footprint', but do you know what it means? I had a vague idea, but in order to make responsible decisions, I needed to learn more. I found this quick YouTube video helpful.
Simpleshow. (2012, December). Simpleshow explains the Carbon Footprint.
You might have heard of Carbon Offsets. Efforts to minimize or pay back the effect of your carbon footprint. There is a lot of debate about this subject [2,3,4], but one thing is true: we need to find a way to make our footprints smaller. I believe this issue cannot be fixed only by improved technology. The real challenge will be changing our behavior.
Overtourism
I had not heard of this term before, but it is becoming more prevalent in the discussion of tourism. As I may have mentioned before, tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, and continues to outpace expectations. The growth of the industry is surpassing the ability of communities to meet ever increasing needs and demands of tourists. Infrastructure must be updated, local people can no longer afford housing in popular areas, waste production has significantly increased, and we see degradation of historical landmark and animal habitats from the overcrowding of visitors [5].
When I think of a sea of tourists, one of the first things that comes to mind is the Great Wall of China. It is a place I would love to visit someday, but I am daunted by the immense crowds commonly found there.
[a]
[b]
Overcrowding is not just an issue for the local community members, but also for the tourists themselves. It can take away from the experience or even make it unpalatable. This is why recognizing carrying capacity is so important. Limitations need to be recognized and respected.
Habitat Destruction / Biodiversity Loss
Even with the best of intentions, tourists can leave a devastating trail. Visitors can have a damaging effect on sensitive ecosystems (such as Coral reefs) and put extra strain on already limited resources [6]. Habitat destruction leads to a loss of biodiversity (....hey, Kel....what is Biodiversity?).
Suffering of Indigenous CommunitiesUnfortunately, there are many causes for concern regarding tourism and indigenous communities. The economic benefits of tourism does not always make it to the local communities of the destination. Cultural traditions are treated as commodities. Local people are displaced to create national parks or tourism destinations. There is even a worry about visitors diluting the culture and traditions of communities. These are not issues to be taken lightly and should be considered when you are choosing to visit one of these areas. Because of these concerns, tourists are not always welcome by local communities.
Kel, that was a bit rough....
Today's Task
Overtourism
I had not heard of this term before, but it is becoming more prevalent in the discussion of tourism. As I may have mentioned before, tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, and continues to outpace expectations. The growth of the industry is surpassing the ability of communities to meet ever increasing needs and demands of tourists. Infrastructure must be updated, local people can no longer afford housing in popular areas, waste production has significantly increased, and we see degradation of historical landmark and animal habitats from the overcrowding of visitors [5].
When I think of a sea of tourists, one of the first things that comes to mind is the Great Wall of China. It is a place I would love to visit someday, but I am daunted by the immense crowds commonly found there.
How I imagine the Great Wall of China
[a]
What it actually looks like
[b]Overcrowding is not just an issue for the local community members, but also for the tourists themselves. It can take away from the experience or even make it unpalatable. This is why recognizing carrying capacity is so important. Limitations need to be recognized and respected.
Habitat Destruction / Biodiversity Loss
Even with the best of intentions, tourists can leave a devastating trail. Visitors can have a damaging effect on sensitive ecosystems (such as Coral reefs) and put extra strain on already limited resources [6]. Habitat destruction leads to a loss of biodiversity (....hey, Kel....what is Biodiversity?).
John E. Marriott took a hard look at how mass tourism in Banff national park and how it affects the park's wildlife in the video below. This is not an uncommon occurrence.
EXPOSED with John E. Marriott (2017, May).
EXPOSED Ep. 09: Balancing Tourism with Conservation in Banff National Park.
Suffering of Indigenous CommunitiesUnfortunately, there are many causes for concern regarding tourism and indigenous communities. The economic benefits of tourism does not always make it to the local communities of the destination. Cultural traditions are treated as commodities. Local people are displaced to create national parks or tourism destinations. There is even a worry about visitors diluting the culture and traditions of communities. These are not issues to be taken lightly and should be considered when you are choosing to visit one of these areas. Because of these concerns, tourists are not always welcome by local communities.
Kel, that was a bit rough....
I know, I'm sorry. But, part of this blog will be looking at the hard truths. I've briefly outlined a few impacts of tourism and provided many resources for anyone who is interested in looking further. This was a hard post to write, but it is an important starting place. We need to know WHAT to change so we can figure out HOW to change.
Today's Task
What are some of your concerns about the impact of traveling? Have you witnessed any of these impacts yourself? Leave a comment and let me know.
References:
1. Lenzen, M., Sun, Y. Y., Faturay, F., Ting, Y. P., Geschke, A., & Malik, A. (2018). The carbon footprint of global tourism. Nature Climate Change, 8(6), 522.
2. Eijgelaar, E., & KINDEREN, D. D. (2014). Carbon offsetting: motives for participation and impacts on travel behaviour. In Understanding and Governing Sustainable Tourism Mobility(pp. 145-163). Routledge.
3. Gössling, S., Hall, C. M., Peeters, P., & Scott, D. (2010). The future of tourism: Can tourism growth and climate policy be reconciled? A mitigation perspective. Tourism Recreation Research, 35(2), 119-130.
4. Kahn, D. (2017, August 15). Carbon Offsets Really Do Help Lower Emissions. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/carbon-offsets-really-do-help-lower-emissions/
5. Milano, C., Cheer, J. M., & Novelli, M. (2018). Overtourism: a growing global problem. The Conversation. Retrieved from: https://theconversation. com/overtourism-a-growing-global-problem-100029
6. Gössling, S., & Peeters, P. (2015). Assessing tourism's global environmental impact 1900–2050. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 23(5), 639-659.
Images
a. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Great_Wall_of_China_July_2006.JPG#file
b. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:People_with_umbrellas_on_the_Great_Wall_of_China.jpg
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