Introduction
Sustainable tourism is a form of tourism that aims to minimize the impact that the tourists have on the local environment and communities in which they are travelling. Under sustainable tourism, the tourists are required to act responsibly and leave the place in the same or better shape than when they originally arrived. Sustainable tourism is connected to environmental conservation because in some countries, land is finite so preserving it for tourism purposes is an efficient use of the environmental resource because it serves a dual purpose (Muhanna 14). Preservation of the cultural, built and natural environment is at the root of sustainable tourism as the tourists are interested to see what the local area has to offer and show off that is different than what they have at home.
This preservation is a huge motivation for the initiation of sustainable tourism projects that will differ the use of the resource by the locals that could deplete and degrade the natural resources that the land has provided (Muhanna 14). By giving the locals an alternative method of using the land, through sustainable tourism, they will no longer have to work the land and take the resources from it. Not only will the environment be conserved, but also the health of the community and quality of life will improve. This paper will examine five reasons why the marriage between sustainable tourism and environmental conservation is important and beneficial for all parties involved.
Biodiversity Conservation
One of the greatest things about sustainable tourism is the positive impact it has on species conservation. The more pristine and preserved an environmental site is, the greater intrinsic value it has to tourists, which then relates into extrinsic value. Keeping these sites pristine means ensuring that the area has enough biodiversity to keep the area alive and thriving. When most areas are converted to farms, factories or other different land uses, the biodiversity of the area is almost completely lost. The loss of biodiversity is officially recognized a major problem worldwide and preserving it through tourism is one of the best ways it can be conserved (UNWTO 2). Through sustainable tourism, biodiversity is conserved and enhanced as areas are allowed to flourish and provide the ecosystem services that are necessary for human activities to function properly.
Biodiversity loss has led to the collapse of many ecosystems in the past, such as fisheries, which can have great economic impacts (UNWTO 2). Through diverting the ecosystem usage from other economic industries to sustainable tourism, biodiversity will be preserved and there will be less potential for economic losses other than if tourists stop coming to the location. Tourism business only need to take small steps to help conserve biodiversity on their sites.
Land Preservation
A second reason that sustainable tourism is great for environmental conservation is the fact that it preserves land in this finite Earth where land usage can severely degrade a location (Farajirad & Aghajani 40). Sustainable tourism works to keep an area alive and thriving so that tourists want to come and enjoy what they area has to offer. Changes in land use from intensive mono-cropping agriculture to returning the area to a species rich national park will preserve the land and restore it to a more natural state. When land is preserved the nutrients and topsoil can remain in tact and water systems are less likely to be polluted and degraded.
Sustainable tourism will work to regenerate lands so that it will attract a suitable number of visitors each year. Land needs to be preserved while it looking unspoiled to bring the tourists into the location. Creating protected areas and national parks will attract more tourists while conserving the environment at the same time. When the land use is changed, there will be economic gains or losses, so land owners need to be shown the economic benefits of preserving their land for sustainable tourism.
Increased Environmental Appreciation
A great way to improve sustainable tourism for environmental conservation is the fact that people become more immersed into the environment and give them a greater environmental appreciation that they will carry home with them and hopefully implement into their daily lives. When people see unspoiled landscapes or areas that have high biodiversity they have a deep connection with the environment and will become greater environmental stewards following the experience. This may also lead them to seek out further sustainable tourism options, demanding the industry shift to become as sustainable as possible.
When people are able to experience nature in its purest form they are able to realize the inherit worth in the natural world. This shifts their beliefs away from looking at nature as something that is simply there for human use to support their needs. They can appreciate all the ecosystem services provided by nature. They can see what a pristine environment should look like and take that message home and apply it to their daily lives, and maybe even take action if it is not. The increased awareness may even bring a greater quality of life to those who discover the inherit worth in the environment.
Generation of Revenues
One of the greatest aspects of tourism is that it brings revenue to a local community. Some communities may be struggling to develop an agricultural industry that has been impacted by drought and they have lost their crops. By bringing in tourism, they are shifting and guaranteeing their revenue stream by showing the tourists how they live their daily lives. Inviting tourists into an area means money is generated for the community through accommodations, restaurants, tours and entertainment. Tourism is growing at a rate of 10% per year and will continue to do so, with that comes a lot of tourist spending, they are willing and ready to spend their money and most are willing to spend it on sustainable tourism (Gossling et al. 16).
Tourism is a way to alleviate poverty and when people are brought out of poverty they have the ability to shift their focus and take care of their environment since they themselves are now out of poverty (Carter et al. 797). Tourism generates jobs and any industry that brings in employment to areas that may suffer from unemployment will boost the local economy. Under sustainable tourism revenue can also be generated from entrance fees to parks, from specialists that know the local flora and fauna and can pass on that knowledge and from local tour guides.
Improved Environmental Management
When a tourism business decides to be a sustainable tourism business it must carefully plan out and monitor how the facility or agency affects the environment. The entire facility needs to be environmentally friendly in how they manage the business so that it has the least impact on the surrounding environment and local community. Greater planning needs to be conducted in this situation to ensure that the facility does not degrade the environment in the long-term as well as short-term. Without the careful planning and development of sustainable tourism, the entire belief it is built upon will deteriorate along with the environment.
Tourism tends to be a resource intensive industry that uses a lot of one-time use or disposable items. In a sustainable hotel, they must take into consideration how washing the bedding every day impacts the local water supply. They must also think about how the facility manages their waste as tourists tend to eat out more, have take away containers, bottled water and many other waste items that they may not at home. A sustainable place must take this into consideration before starting a new facility anywhere since waste management is a huge environmental issue that the industry needs to take better care of.
Conclusion
Having discussed the five different reasons that sustainable tourism is a tool for environmental conservation, it becomes clear that the sustainable tourism sector will grow as the industry grows at the rapid rate. Each year more people are on the move with money to spend, hoping to see places that will awe them and feel like they got their monies worth. Tie the tourists wants with the locals needs to improve income sources, sustainable tourism is a step in the right direction. Once the locals realize the earning potential from sustainable tourism and environmental conservation, they will gladly want to start the projects and improve their environment. Not only will the locals be more invested in preserving their environment for the tourists, but they will also begin to see the intrinsic value in having a healthy environment to live in. When the environment is being taken care of the tourists will know they are also being taken care of and it gives them a deeper appreciation for the area. With all the positive impacts that sustainable tourism generates for environmental conservation, there will always be negative impacts as well. With the proper environmental management the negative impacts will be minimized under sustainability.
References
Carter, R.w. (Bill), Sokhom Thok, Vicky O’Rourke, and Tristan Pearce. "Sustainable
Tourism and Its Use as a Development Strategy in Cambodia: A Systematic Literature Review." Journal of Sustainable Tourism 23.5 (2015): 797-818. Web.
Farajirad, Abdoreza, and Somayyeh Aghajani. "The Relationship between Tourism and
Environment." Iranian Journal of Tourism & Hospitality 1.1 (Summer 2010): 39-48. Web.
Gössling, Stefan, Amata Ring, Larry Dwyer, Ann-Christin Andersson, and C. Michael
Hall. "Optimizing or Maximizing Growth? A Challenge for Sustainable Tourism." Journal of Sustainable Tourism (2015): 1-22. Web.
Muhanna, Emaad. "Sustainable Tourism Development and Environmental Management
for Developing Countries." Sustainable Tourism Development and Environmental Management for Developing Countries 4.2 (2006): 14-30. Web.
UNWTO. Tourism and Biodiversity – Achieving Common Goals Towards Sustainability.
Madrid, 2010. Web.
