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UNIT 2: TOURISM, HOSPITALITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT – IMPACTS AND SOLUTIONS
049
Examples of Good Practice
The Dutch Government has developed and tested environment indicators that
function as a barometer of the health of travel and tourism. These indicators
were defined at the national, destination and consumer level using a number
of criteria, including tourism demand and supply, social and demographic
information, landscape and the physical environment, water, air, waste, and
noise.
COMMON QUESTION Does environmentally-sound tourism mean limiting
visitor numbers and the number of tourism businesses in a destination?
Environmentally-sound tourism does not imply limits, but rather the anticipation,
management and monitoring of the environment impacts caused by visitors
and the businesses needed to service them.
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For a start, if all tourism businesses and attractions reduced resource use
and lowered waste output, if local authorities ensured adequate supporting
municipal services (especially at peak season), if tourism sites worked on
visitor management to prevent environment damage and over-crowding, and
if visitors were told how they can enjoy a low-impact holiday, environment
damage could be greatly reduced.
COMMON QUESTION Is it more environmentally-sound to target a smaller
number of high-spending tourists, rather than larger numbers of backpackers,
campers and package-holidaymakers?
It is important to stress the effectiveness of good environment management,
rather than merely concentrating on visitor numbers. A small number of illinformed,
poorly supervised tourists tramping around in fragile areas can cause
considerable damage, while a larger number of well-organised groups can end
up having relatively fewer impacts.
It must not be forgotten that high-spending tourists demand luxury facilities
and services, and that providing these facilities and services (especially in
remote locations) generally causes serious and irreversible damage.
An argument in favour of package tourism is that most package tourists move
around in groups and generally spend their vacation concentrated around the
resort area. Since their impacts are limited to a specific geographical zone,
impact monitoring and management are greatly facilitated.