Tourism's Impact on the Environment

This assignment examines the environmental impact of tourism by analyzing two scholarly journals. The student compares the findings, highlighting the detrimental effects of activities like scuba diving and boating on coral reefs and marine life. The analysis also considers the increased carbon emissions from tourism transport and the need for sustainable strategies to mitigate these impacts. The student's reflection emphasizes the importance of promoting responsible tourism practices and raising awareness among tourists about environmental conservation.

Running head: TOURISM PLANNING ENVIRONMENT
Tourism Planning Environment
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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Table of Contents
Critically evaluating the tourism related issue.................................................................................2
Comparing and contrasting the two research papers.......................................................................3
Reflection on learning......................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................7

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Critically evaluating the tourism related issue
Around 5% of the global economy is contributed by the tourism industry with an estimated
annual growth of 6.2%. As mentioned by Gladstone, Curley and Shokri (2012), analyzing the
impact of tourism on the environment is hardly studied despite the adverse consequences.
According to this journal, it can be seen that the coastal regions attract the high number of
tourists, as this allows the tourists to enjoy both the scenic beauty of sea and land. The tourism
related issue discussed in this journal is to evaluate the impact of tourism on the environment.
According to the journals, it can be said that tourism imposes a severe threat to the environment.
Moreover, this journal specifically highlights the environmental impacts on the gulf coastal
region. Increase in the number of tourists in the gulf coastal area has increased to 22.9 million.
Due to the increase in the number of tourists, gulf countries had build suitable, comfortable and
adequate number of infrastructures. An excessive number of infrastructure within a limited time
in the gulf region has resulted in the loss of coral reefs, wetlands, sandy embayment and
mangrove forests. As a result, the loss of habitat in the coastal region is prevalent. The activity
undertaken and performed by the tourists such as SCUBA diving poses potential threats to the
marine species due to the boats. Environmental damage also includes coral breakage and damage
along with littering the marine and the coastal environment.
However, as argued by Lee and Brahmasrene (2013), tourism poses an adverse
environmental hazard by facilitating a higher rate of carbon dioxide emission. The journal
demonstrates a close relationship between economic growth and emission of carbon dioxide. As
tourism contributes largely to the overall economic growth of a country, the environmental
impact also increases. Due to the economic growth of the country, the rate of development

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within the country reaches its peak. The government emphasizes on using the money gathered
from tourism for developing their nations without considering the environmental impact.
Moreover, the tourists also impose a subsequent threat to the environment of the host country.
For example, excess use of transport facilities by the tourists for exploring the cultures and
heritage of the host country contributes to the carbon emission. This one aspect is difficult if
control, as the tourists visit host countries for relaxing and fun and avails comfortable, relaxing
and luxuries measures for exploring the host country. Therefore, use of more transport facilities
results in increased carbon emission for the host country. On the other hand, new business
establishments such as factories and industries are facilitated due to increased GDP of the host
country due to tourism. Though the new business ventures contribute to the economy and
employment of the country, the environmental aspect lacks sufficient consideration. The gases
released by the industries and factories are highly toxic and consists of greenhouse gases such as
carbon dioxide that is extremely harmful to the environment. Therefore, it can be said tourism
contributes largely to the carbon dioxide emission thereby, posing a severe threat to the
environment.
Comparing and contrasting the two research papers
As mentioned by Gladstone, Curley and Shokri (2012), tourism poses a severe threat to
the coastal and marine environment of the host country. However, as argued by Lee and
Brahmasrene (2013), tourism results in the economic growth of the country that has a
detrimental effect on the environment. Tourism contributes greatly towards increasing the GDP
of the country. The government of the countries uses various promotional strategies to attract
people from around the world. This is a business strategy undertaken by the countries and their
government to increase the economy. More the number of tourists more will the economy of the

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countries. Therefore, the economy collected by the government from the tourism sector is used
by the government for developing and shaping their own country by developing employment,
providing educational needs and building business for the country. The GDP gathered from the
tourism industry is used by the country to facilitate the growth of buildings, factories, and
industries. The growth of industries and factories contributes largely to the carbon emission of
the country. The researcher to accumulate data from 22 countries used secondary data from 1988
to 2009. Use of secondary data collection technique allowed the researcher to compare and
contrast of the rate of carbon dioxide emission over the years. As a result of the comparison, the
researcher was able to conclude that the rate of carbon dioxide emission has increased due to the
economic growth of the country due to the tourism sector. However, the researcher could have
also used primary data collection technique to understand the present view of the tourists and the
governmental officials on the impact of tourism sector on increased carbon emission.
On the other hand, Gladstone, Curley and Shokri (2012), discusses that tourism adversely
affects the marine and coastal environment more compared to any other environmental aspect.
The tourists perform a variety of fun loving and relaxing activities in the water without
considering the marine ecosystem. Additionally, even the host country does not consider the
potential threats that the marine ecosystem encounters due to the leisure activities offered by
them to the tourists. The leisure tourist activities pose severe threats for on the marine life that
includes both marine flora and fauna. Due to activities such as scuba diving, boating, and river
rafting, the bottom of the water bodies is hampered and damaged. The increased amount of
excitement and surface tension due to the water activities also disturbs the life of the marine
fauna. For example, breakage and damage of the coral reefs are highly noticed. In order to
accommodate and provide comfortable facilities for the increased number of tourists, the

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government permits the organizations for construction in the areas thereby, hampering the
coastal environment. The researcher compared the records of the total number of tourists that
visit the Gulf or coastal areas with the water activities preferred by the tourists. The comparison
thereby, helped the researcher to determine the water sport that causes the major hazards in the
coastal regions.
Reflection on learning
After critically evaluating both the journals, I have learned that tourism has potential
threats on the environment. According to me, the government and the organizations of the
countries emphasize more on increasing their tourism, as tourism increment will eventually
result in economic growth. Moreover, the organizations and government of the country also
emphasizes on providing luxurious facilities and comforts to the tourists. This is because the
country wants to create an overwhelming image of their tourism thereby, attracting more visitors.
As a result, the tourists’ spots have seen an increased number of hotels and restaurants with time.
However, the government and the organizations fail to consider the impact of tourism activities
and development on the environment. According to me, the government of the country needs to
promote sustainable tourism for the visitors. Sustainability will help in maintaining tourism by
facilitating economic growth but avoiding adverse environmental impact. Both the journals
emphasize on the adverse impact of tourism on the environment both in terms of marine and air.
The journals also compare and contrast the previous and recent data in order to evaluate whether
adverse impact of tourism on the environment has increased or decreased. Furthermore, the
journals also discuss the major cause and effect of environmental hazard due to tourism.
However, on the contrary, the journals fail to shed light on the possible recommendations that
can be used by the organizations to conduct tourism without hampering the environment. The

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journals fail to mention the sustainable strategies that could be possibly used by the government
and the organizations for conducting tourism.
Both the journals helped me in gaining knowledge about the present scenario of the
impact of tourism on the environment. According to me, sustainable strategies need to be
developed and implemented by the government and the country for conducting the tourism. As
discussed in one of the journals tourism transport leads to excessive amount carbon dioxide
emission. Therefore, as a sustainable strategy, the country can allow the tourists the use of
battery cars or bicycles for exploring the country. This will provide an opportunity for the
country to provide healthy and environmentally friendly tourism experience. From the journals, I
have learned that tourism is an important aspect of the economy of the country, as it helps in
increasing the overall GDP. Therefore, more tourism states more economic growth for the
countries. The journals have helped in providing me with adequate knowledge about the adverse
impact of tourism on the environment. From the journals, I have also learned that the adverse
impact of tourism on the environment has increased from the past years. This is because of the
ignorance among the tourists about the impact of tourism on the environment. Therefore,
according to me, the government of the host and the home country need to emphasize of
spreading awareness about the adverse impact of tourism of the environment along with
promoting tourism of the country. Spreading awareness among the tourists will help in
prohibiting and mitigating the major activities related to tourism thereby, reducing the adverse
environmental impact.

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References
Gladstone, W., Curley, B. and Shokri, M.R., 2012. Environmental impacts of tourism in the Gulf
and the Red Sea.
Lee, J.W. and Brahmasrene, T., 2013. Investigating the influence of tourism on economic growth
and carbon emissions: Evidence from panel analysis of the European Union. Tourism
Management, 38, pp.69-76.