Tourism and the Environment

Environment– Concern for Tourist “Quality” tourism includes… Beautiful landscape Relaxed atmosphere Sunshine Healthy climate Attractive places for excursions

Hardin’s Tragedy of the Commons 1968 Paper Farmers share land (the commons) to graze cattle One farmer increases herd, others follow; profits maximized Land becomes overgrazed Lower quality milk Next generation and the loss of the commons Short vs. long term benefits

Free Market Impact Impact of free market view of tourism Consumption: well-being, “utility” Ignores: pollution, depletion of environmental resources Difficult to specify cost in market system Tourism– low cost of development; cost vs. environment Unspoiled environments become commodities

PPP– Polluter Pays Principle Emitting wastes= bearing costs Government tax? Punitive fine?

Debt-for-Nature Swaps Resource is “world’s” possession, so “world” can pay for it NGOs buy government debt for small amount Area is conserved; government gives up sovereignty on area of country Example: Ghana

Trends in Eco-Tourism “Local” prevents leakage Risk of “greenwashing” Sustainability Long-term Management People & place Examples: Bali “losmen” Senegal Casamance

Positive Environmental Impact? Conservation Rwanda’s Parc National de Volcans Garbage Removal Mt. Everest

Sources Holden, Andrew. Environment and Tourism. Second ed. London: Routledge, 2008. Print. Routledge Introductions to Environment Ser. McLaren, Deborah. Rethinking Tourism and Ecotravel. Bloomfield, CT: Kumarian, 2003. Print.