Tourism and the Environment Environment Concern for

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: wellbeing, “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. Mc. Laren, Deborah. Rethinking Tourism and Ecotravel. Bloomfield, CT: Kumarian, 2003. Print.