Tourism & Recreation Areas

Threat: Tourism & Recreation Areas[]

Definition[]

Tourism and recreation sites with a substantial footprint. Examples include ski areas, golf courses, resorts, cricket fields, county parks, and campgrounds.

There is a fine line between housing and vacation housing/resorts. Be careful not to confuse this category, which focuses on the habitat effects of recreation areas, with those in Recreational Activities, which focuses on the disturbance effects posed by recreation. (CMP)

Overview[]

The quality of the environment, both natural and man-made, is essential to tourism. However, tourism's relationship with the environment is complex. It involves many activities that can have adverse environmental effects. Many of these impacts are linked with the construction of general infrastructure such as roads and airports, and of tourism facilities, including resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops, golf courses and marinas. The negative impacts of tourism development can gradually destroy the environmental resources on which it depends.

On the other hand, tourism has the potential to create beneficial effects on the environment by contributing to environmental protection and conservation. It is a way to raise awareness of environmental values and it can serve as a tool to finance protection of natural areas and increase their economic importance. (http://www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/sust-tourism/environment.htm)

Global economists forecast continuing international tourism growth, ranging between three and six percent annually, depending on the location. As one of the world's largest and fastest growing industries, this continuous growth will place great stress on remaining biodiverse habitats, often used to support mass tourism. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_tourism)