dossier sur le tourisme et le développement durable

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Tourism and the Environment
• Cleanliness and hygiene. A survey carried out in Cyprus demonstrated, for instance, that tourism had
contributed to cleanliness by reabsorption of waste, the withdrawal of bulky waste and efforts in
cleaning.
• The quality of bathing water and sanitation. Tourism is susceptible to anything that can compromise
bathing: oil slick, bacteriological contamination, eutrophication (Figure 22 and Figure 23). With regard
to oil slick, it is important to remember that the probability of a major accident in the Mediterranean
cannot be ignored, given the intensity of traffic there. The number of incidents is increasing: 81 were
reported between 1981-1990, compared to 99 from 1991-1995. Tourism is a strong argument for
greater security in sea transport.
Many preconceived ideas exist, however, concerning tourists’ environmental awareness but it is
difficult to distinguish their real concerns. The appeal of a quality environment is getting stronger
especially in mature destinations, together with an increase in the demand for better comfort,
better facilities, more guarantees against climatic hazards (swimming pools, air conditioning,
etc.), trends that are potentially a threat to the environment. They contribute to the artificialising
of areas and to consumption of natural resources. Tourists are generally only aware of the more
visible problems such as sanitary and waste ones or pollution, but other problems that are just
as important but less visible can exist. Demand for the quality of the environment depends first
of all on transparency and the spreading of information about these problems. Monitoring of the
quality of bathing water, for instance, has increased the demand for quality. In return local
authorities are encouraged to implement ambitious sanitation policies.
Figure 22 : Localisation of the 268 alerts and accidents concerning pollution by hydrocarbons reported in the Mediterranean between
1977 and 1995
Source: RAC/REMPEC, 1996