The Impact of Tourism on the Environment and Economy

Tourism

The tourism industry

Tourism is the temporary movement of people from their place of residence to another place in order to enjoy their free time. Tourism is therefore related to leisure. The development of the tourism industry involves creating the necessary transport and hospitality infrastructure to meet demand: airports, roads, accommodation, restaurants, etc. The main characteristic of the tourism industry is seasonal variation or seasonality.

Repercussions of tourism

It represents a significant source of revenue for a country. It creates jobs, but many of them are temporary, due to seasonality. It improves cultural relations between citizens of different countries. Destroys natural landscapes. In developing countries, the destination countries do not always get to keep the revenue generated. Instead, this money often goes to a developed country, where most of the major global tour operators are located.

Major areas of tourist traffic

Regions with temperate climates, significant cultural and artistic heritage or relatively untouched natural landscapes experience the highest levels of tourism.

Types of tourism:

• Sun and sea: coastal areas with a warm climate
• Mountains: hiking, natural areas
• Rural: peaceful villages and small towns with cultural and natural attractions
• Cultural: areas with a rich cultural and artistic heritage
• Religious: pilgrimages to holy sites
• Leisure: entertainment and leisure activities such as concerts, amusement parks
• Health: spas
• Sport and adventure: winter sports, water sports, hunting and fishing
• Business: trade shows, conferences

Ecological footprint: the impact of human activities measured in terms of the area of biologically productive land and water required to produce the goods consumed and to assimilate the wastes generated. It is the amount of the environment necessary to produce the goods and services necessary to support a particular lifestyle.

Sustainable development: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Environmentally friendly initiative that is based on current and future needs, the reduction in exploitation of resources, increase in use of renewables, investments in meaningful and beneficial technologies, and promotes a change to modern governments and industry.