Yang Yang, Fran Walker, Bianca Avram, Sara Jouni and Elodie Gueguen

References:
Getting There..
Activities and travel associated with tourism
contribute to climate change through emission of
greenhouse gases. 20% of tourist travel is by air, but
this accounts for 75% of their emissions.
Global warming and erratic weather due to climate
change influence the attractiveness of touristic
destinations and the operating costs in resorts (e.g.
cooling and irrigation) and damage repair.
Climate change has resulted in sea level rise and
ocean warming causing ecosystem shift and
destruction.
It also determines seasonality in tourism demand
driving tourism away from coastal regions to cooler
areas during the increasingly hot summers.
The development of high-speed affordable national
and international rail travel to compete with air travel
would help to reduce tourism-related emissions.
Moving Forward
Growth of ecotourism could reduce tourisms impact
on marine environments by facilitating interaction
between tourists and locals and incorporating
protection of nature into enjoyable tourist activities.
Eco-labeling schemes such as the Blue Flag
programme also encourage coastal protection by
rewarding areas for displaying educational material and
managing beach and water quality.
Governments can reduce the impact of tourism by
introducing strict regulations for hotel developers and
tour operators and by supporting local conservation
such as mangrove re-plantation and green
development in transport and energy both locally and
globally.
Costal regions, with beautiful beaches and clean water in warm environments, attract both biodiversity and high numbers of
tourists. The vast tourist industry, which plays a huge role in the economy of these areas, is threatening natural habitats and
marine species. This paradox is creating tough decisions for areas that rely on coastal tourism; if economic growth is to
continue then the growth of tourism is essential, but the current level of natural damage and resource use cannot be
sustained as it is destroying the environment on which tourism depends.

TOURISMS PARADOXICAL IMPACT ON COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS
Activities and Resource Use
Tourism is the largest economic sector, contributing 10% of
the world GDP, one in twelve jobs globally, and 35% of world
export.
However, tourism significantly contributes to global resource
use; using almost as much energy as Japan and 30% of the
Earths fresh surface water annually.
Increased demand for seafood results in overfishing and
causes algal blooms and eutrophication due to the decrease
in coral grazers.
Visitors from all over the world bring with them invasive
species that act as a threat to the flora and fauna. In San
Francisco Bay, there are at least 234 invasive species.
Building infrastructure facilitates tourists access to the sea
but such disturbances also destroy marine biodiversity and
coral reefs.
Coastal Urbanisation
Economic progress which results from the growth of
tourism leads to land clearance and degradation.
Forests, mangrove lands, and wetlands are being
destroyed by developers in order to build infrastructure
and services such as hotels and their car parks to golf
courses and marinas.
Inefficient waste water treatment as well as runoff
during the construction phase can increase sediment
load and nitrification and add up to the degradation of
fresh water and eventually coral reefs. 90% of the coral
reefs in the Caribbean are claimed to be destroyed due
to pollution and exploitation.
Each year, tourists create 35 million tons of solid waste-
the same amount that France produces each year.
In Haiti and Costa Rica, beaches have been closed due
to raw sewage from hotels.
The significant growth in the tourism industry, which has grown annually by an average of 9% since 1985, creates an
immense strain on natural environments. Costal areas are under considerable pressure due the construction of
infrastructure, the increase in pollution, sewage and erosion and the rise in carbon dioxide emissions, leading to climate
change. The impact of tourism can be managed through government regulation and support of local conservation combined
with the growth of ecotourism and many other initiatives such as eco-labeling of beaches.