Topic 7:
“Tourism is destroying the local environment”What’s your opinion?
Travelling is a beautiful thing. It helps us to learn about the world, try new experiences,
taste different kinds of food. But, unfortunately, if people don’t travel sustainably, tourism
can have many negative effects on any [Link]’s my opinion about negative effects of
tourism to the local environment.
I must say that these issues can be created by both international and local travel, so we
need to understand what damage exactly we can cause.
The first effect is that Destruction of nature and habitat loss
Any development requires some interference with nature. Very often the infrastructure is
built without any sustainable development plan or environment protection policies.
Therefore development comes at the cost of nature.
New areas of land need to be cleared for new hotels and roads. Animals lose their natural
habitat and have to move to a new location. Often animals get into a conflict with people
when protecting their territory or looking for food. Unfortunately, most of the times animals
are at loss.
Waste disposal problem is a significant contributor to the degradation of the environment.
If untreated sewage water is dumped into the ocean, it negatively affects marine life. When
another waste is disposed of incorrectly (for example, dumped in the forest or in the river),
it may damage the area with the toxins that the waste releases over time.
Increased number of vehicles, higher levels of noise, deforestation and pollution disturb the
ecological balance of the region.
The second effect is that Pressure on the resources of the area
This is one of the inevitable negative effects of tourism. When you stay in someplace,
obviously you use local resources. You use water and electricity, you get a vehicle to move
around, you eat local food and buy produce. Therefore if too many people stay in one place,
over time the local resources get depleted.
The third effect is that Loss of the cultural identity of the place and community
Very often local people start copying the lifestyles of tourists. They dress up as tourists,
they talk and behave like them, which may result in the loss of native customs and
traditions.
To satisfy the needs of the tourists often the locals need to change their traditional style of
life. Shops are supplied with products for tourists, hotels are designed and built in a
“western” style, small family restaurants become pubs because of the demand. Slowly a
small sleepy town becomes a party place that never sleeps. And local people have no choice
but to adapt.
The fourth effect is that Congested human and vehicle traffic
Heavy traffic affects both tourists and locals. Local people can’t run their errands the way
they used to. They have to adjust their schedule or even a route, to avoid the tourist crowds.
And the tourists waste their time inside the car, instead of enjoying the beauty of the place.
Another negative side of heavy traffic is the air pollution caused by exhaust gases. The
more cars, the worse the air quality. Same happens due to increased air traffic
The fifth effect is that Increased prices on goods and services
We all know that tourist areas tend to be more expensive than in other places. While it’s
good for the business owners, this can negatively affect the locals. During the high tourist
season, the prices of essential goods rise, making them less affordable for the locals.
For example, people have to pay more to enjoy a meal in their favourite restaurant, just
because it because too popular with tourists.
Often small business owners have to shut their businesses because they simply can’t afford
to pay an increased rent. Same applies to young businesses that would like to open a
store/cafe in a tourist area, but just can’t afford the rent. Instead, foreign investors come and
purchase the land and business, leaving locals with nothing.
The next effect is that Increased pollution (plastic, noise, light, sewage)
The more people are in one place, the more waste is accumulated. First of all, it’s plastic
waste, such as water bottles, takeaway containers, different packaging, plastic bags, etc.
To accommodate an increased number of tourists many more hotels and other facilities have
to be built. More lights in the buildings, more lights and LED signs on the streets, create
light pollution in the area. Before it was a small village on the island, where people used to
go to bed with the sunset. Now it’s a town bustling with nightlife.
Same happens with sound pollution. With the grows and development comes the noise from
the people, cars, bars and night clubs. Both light and sound pollution create an adverse
environment for the animals that live in that area, pushing them away from their original
habitat.
The last effect is that Destruction of historical monuments and natural landmarks
Sometimes tourists damage historical monument or natural landmarks. Some of them do it
by accident. But there’s also quite a big percentage of people who do such acts of vandalism
on purpose.
Leaving a signature on a stone or a statue is vandalism, as well as making a graffiti in a
national park. Sticking a chewing gum to the Stonehenge stones or climbing a statue to take
a selfie can create irreparable damage. Unfortunately,a large number of landmarks has been
already destroyed by tourists.
All the negative effects of unsustainable tourism cause irreparable damage to an area and
the [Link] is why it’s so important for everyone to learn to travel responsibly and in an
eco-friendly way.
However, I must confirm that tourism is a green industry. It has the power to uplift
communities from poverty, bring us many benefits and helps advertise our country over the
world. Remember “We have only one planet, so let’s all be its responsible residents”