Tourism is one of the world's most important and fastest-growing industries, accounting for 10% of global GDP, 7% of global exports, and one out of every ten employees. However, this growth is not without its negatives. According to UN Environment research, the tourism industry's consumption of key resources (energy, water, land, and materials) is increasing in lockstep with its production of solid waste, sewage, biodiversity loss, and greenhouse gas emissions. Commercial Tourism would increase energy consumption by 154 %, greenhouse gas emissions by 131 %, water consumption by 152 %, and solid waste disposal by 251 % by 2050. This article will explain to you the Impact of Commercial Tourism on the Environment which will be helpful in preparing the Environment Syllabus for the UPSC Civil Service exam.

Impact of Commercial Tourism on Environment

Tourism Industry

• Tourism is defined as a recreational or business activity that involves individuals visiting local and worldwide points of interest and trying new activities and experiences.
• Many countries around the world, like the Maldives, the British Virgin Islands, China, and Seychelles, rely heavily on tourism as a source of revenue.
• The tourist business is the world's largest, contributing up to USD 2.9 trillion to GDP, with the top destinations being France, the United States, Spain, China, and Italy.
• Tourism is also one of the fastest-growing industries on a worldwide scale, generating revenue for many governments.
• However, while mass international, as well as local inbound tourism, has various good effects on the environment, it is not without its drawbacks.

Impact of Commercial Tourism on the Environment

Depletion of Water Resources

• One of the most important natural resources is water, particularly fresh water.
• For hotels, swimming pools, golf courses, and personal usage of water by tourists, the tourism industry frequently overuses water resources.
• This can lead to water shortages and the deterioration of water sources, as well as the generation of more wastewater.
• The issue of water scarcity is of particular significance in drier places such as the Mediterranean.
• The amount of water consumed each day might reach 440 liters due to the hot heat and the tendency of travelers to consume more water while on vacation than they do at home.
• Golf course upkeep can deplete freshwater supplies as well. Golf tourism has grown in popularity in recent years, and the number of golf courses has exploded.
• Golf courses use a huge quantity of water every day, and this, like other forms of excessive water extraction, can lead to water scarcity.
• Overpumping can cause salty intrusion into groundwater if the water comes from wells.
• Golf resorts are increasingly being built in or near protected areas or places with limited resources, aggravating their negative effects.

Depletion of Water Resources by Commercial Tourism

Depletion of Local Resources

• Tourism can put a lot of strain on local resources like energy, food, and other raw materials, which are already scarce.
• The physical consequences of these resources' use are amplified by increased extraction and transportation.
• Because of the industry's seasonal nature, several destinations have 10 times the number of visitors in the high season compared to the low season.
• These resources are in high demand in order to meet the high expectations that tourists often have (proper heating, hot water, etc.).

Land Degradation

• Minerals, fossil fuels, fertile soil, forests, wetlands, and wildlife are all important land resources.
• Increased tourism and recreational facility construction have put more strain on these resources and picturesque settings.
• The use of land for accommodation and other infrastructure supplies, as well as the usage of building materials, can have a direct influence on natural resources, both renewable and nonrenewable, in the provision of tourist facilities.
• Deforestation induced by fuel wood collecting and land clearing is one of the most common negative effects of tourism on forests.
• One trekking tourist in Nepal, for example, can consume four to five kg of wood every day, despite the fact that the country is already suffering from deforestation.

Air And Noise Pollution

Air Pollution

• The number of international flight passengers worldwide increased from 88 million in 1972 to 344 million in 1994.
• As a result of this surge in air travel, tourism currently accounts for more than 60% of all air travel and hence accounts for a significant portion of air emissions.
• According to a study, a single transatlantic return flight generates about half of the CO2 emissions produced by all other sources (lighting, heating, car use, etc.) consumed a year by an average individual.
• Acid rain, global warming, and photochemical pollution are all linked to emissions from transportation and energy production and consumption.
• It also has the potential to lead to severe local air pollution. Some of these consequences are unique to tourist activities.
• For example, tour buses frequently leave their motors running for hours while guests go on excursions because they want to return to a comfortable air-conditioned bus, especially in extremely hot or cold nations.

Noise Pollution

• Noise pollution from airplanes, cars, and buses, as well as recreational vehicles like snowmobiles and jet skis, is an ever-increasing problem in today's world.
• It causes disturbance to wildlife, especially in sensitive places, in addition to causing annoyance, tension, and even hearing loss for humans.
• Snowmobile noise, for example, might lead animals to change their regular activity patterns.

Solid Waste and Littering

• Waste disposal is a serious problem in locations with high concentrations of tourist activities and appealing natural attractions, and inappropriate disposal can be a major detriment to the natural environment.
• Cruise ships in the Caribbean, for example, are projected to generate more than 70,000 tonnes of rubbish per year.
• Some cruise lines are working hard to eliminate waste-related impacts today.
• Solid waste and litter can harm the environment by degrading the appearance of the ocean and coastline, as well as causing the mortality of marine species.
• Trekking tourists generate a lot of waste in mountainous regions.
• Tourists who go on expeditions leave their trash, oxygen cylinders, and even camping gear behind.
• Some tourist-popular pathways in the Peruvian Andes and Nepal have been nicknamed "Coca-Cola trail" and "Toilet paper trail."

Sewage

• Increased sewage contamination is frequently associated with the construction of hotels, recreation centers, and other facilities.
• Wastewater has contaminated the seas and lakes that surround tourist destinations, causing flora and fauna to suffer.
• Sewage runoff harms coral reefs by encouraging the growth of algae, which covers filter-feeding corals and makes it difficult for them to live.
• Changes in salinity and siltation can have far-reaching consequences for coastal ecosystems. Moreover, sewage contamination might endanger human and animal health.

Aesthetic Pollution

• Commercial Tourism frequently fails to combine its structures with the destination's natural elements and local architecture.
• Large, imposing resorts with a variety of architectural styles can look out of place in any natural setting and may conflict with the native structural architecture.
• Many places have allowed extensive developments along coastlines, valleys, and picturesque routes due to a lack of land-use planning and building rules.
• Tourism facilities, as well as supporting infrastructures such as roads, employee housing, parking, service areas, and trash disposal, are all part of the sprawl.

Physical Impacts

• The tourism industry, on the other hand, has a lot of severe environmental consequences.
• The growth of the tourism industry has also resulted in a variety of physical consequences.
• This includes the development of structures, marinas, and roadways, among other things.
• Sand mining, beach and sand dune erosion, and the loss of wildlife habitats are all possible consequences of tourism development.
• These side effects of tourism expansion are typically unseen by tourists, but they can have disastrous consequences for the ecosystem.
• Animals may be moved from their natural habitats, and construction noise may disturb them.
• The fauna in the vicinity would have been severely harmed as a result of this.
• Unsustainable Use of Land: Clearing forested areas is frequently required in the construction of ski resort lodging and infrastructure.
• Land may also be cleared to provide materials such as timber for the construction of tourism destinations.
• Similarly, coastal wetlands are frequently drained due to a lack of other locations.
• Hotels, parking lots, and swimming pools have been built in areas that used to be home to a diverse range of vegetation and fauna.
• Marina Development: The construction of marinas and ports can also add to tourism's harmful environmental effects.
• Changes in currents and coastlines can be caused by the construction of marinas and breakwaters.
• These changes can have a wide range of consequences, from temperature changes to erosion spots to the ecosystem as a whole.

Coral Reefs

• Coral reefs are among the most vulnerable marine ecosystems. They are being harmed all around the world as a result of reef-based tourism initiatives and tourist activity.
• Evidence suggests that shoreline development has a number of effects on coral.
• Sedimentation in the water might stifle growth. Tourist trampling can harm or even kill coral.
• Ship Groundings can scrape the seabed's bottom, killing the coral. Sewage pollution can have negative consequences.
• All of these factors contribute to the global decrease and shrinkage of coral reefs.
• As many creatures rely on coral as a habitat and food supply, this has a larger influence on worldwide marine life and ecosystems.

*To know more about the topic, click this link Coral Reefs

Contributor to Global Warming and Climate Change

• Tourism contributes significantly to the emissions of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, which has been scientifically established to be the primary cause of rising global temperatures and changing climates.
• This is due to the fact that tourism comprises individuals moving from their homes to new destinations.
• Increased greenhouse gasses, which trap the sun's rays, are blamed by environmental experts for rising global temperatures.
• Carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas that is emitted into the atmosphere mostly as a result of the combustion of natural gas and fossil fuels in the production of electricity, in industries, and in the powering of automobiles.
• Tourism accounts for more than 55 % of global traffic activity, and as a result, it produces about 3% of total carbon dioxide emissions.
• As the number of tourists increases over time, so will the amount of pollution produced, and climate change is likely to intensify.

Tourism Areas - Restoration Steps

• Declaring Ecologically Sensitive Regions: According to the Kasturirangan report, the majority of the Western Ghats region should be designated as an ecologically sensitive area to protect it from the effects of development.
• Ecotourism: Making tourism more sustainable by adopting an ecotourism strategy that puts the least amount of strain on natural resources. Instead of building resorts and hotels in sensitive areas, promote local stays. For example, the Mangalajodi model from Odisha.
• Citizen Participation: In order to quickly reverse the exploitation of the ecology, citizens must band together. Citizens can guarantee that government decisions on environmental protection are implemented with great care. For example, social organizations may hold marches to raise awareness of the garbage disposal system.
• Suitable Industries: Here, industries that create the least amount of environmental damage can be promoted. For example, instead of manufacturing, consider the service industry. The Northeast BPO promotion strategy aims to accomplish this goal.
• Sustainable Development: Sustainable development is one of the most important solutions to the problem of negative impact. Infrastructure, like tourism, requires an approach in which activities are not exploited. Reduce your use of plastics and petroleum-based fuels, for example. This can help to minimize pollution to some extent.
• Awareness Campaigns: Locals can be actively involved in conservation operations by educating them about the impact of damage caused by activities such as rampant tourism, reckless development, and pollution.

Conclusion

To summarize, even while promoting commercial tourism, environmental sustainability is a major problem. This necessitates the use of healthier and more sustainable tourism methods, including ecotourism. It is critical for everyone's engagement and effort to always conserve and safeguard the environment when vacationing or in a foreign land, as it has been demonstrated that tourism and the surrounding ecosystems, as well as natural resources, can coexist in a mutually beneficial manner. Efficient management and adequate planning, aided by rigorous regulation and proper interpretation, are also essential for raising environmental consciousness among both locals and tourists.