Investigating the Impact of Travel & Tourism in the UK.
Investigating the Impact of Travel & Tourism in the UK.
Introduction.
The leisure and tourism industry has grown rapidly over the past 30 years; growth can be both positive and negative.
The growth of the industry means there are various impacts on the surrounding environment.
These impacts are put into three categories: Environmental, Social and Economic.
Method.
I needed to find information on the main economic, environmental, social and cultural impacts of travel and tourism. I found this out from various books (see bibliography) and information given in lectures.
I also had to find industry examples that highlight control measures, which have been put into place. I found this information from case studies, information given in lectures and books (see bibliography).
Findings.
Environmental Impact.
Any form of development will bring impacts upon the physical environment; it is inevitable that tourism will be associated with environmental impacts.
It is not possible to develop tourism without incurring environmental impacts, but it is possible to manage tourism in order to decrease the amount of negative impacts.
The main positive environmental impacts associated with tourism include:
* The preservation/restoration of ancient sites and historic buildings such as Stonehenge and Warwick Castle. These buildings are important to our natural heritage.
* The maintenance of forests such as The New Forest as it is considered to be "environmentally sensitive" because of its unique landscape.
* Reclamation to industrial land, which has become derelict and has been, regenerated for leisure use, for example the London Docklands.
* The management of resources, this refers to the creation of facilities using natural resources, for example coves, nature trails and country parks.
Tourism can also have negative environmental impacts. In the UK negative impacts of tourism are not only concentrated on the countryside areas, but also can be found in cities and on the coast.
These can include:
* Destruction of natural resources- the growth of tourism in rural areas has meant that new roads, motorways, by passes and car parks have been built spoiling the appearance of the landscape. For example heavy visitor numbers in the Lake District travelling by car means towns having increased numbers of cars travelling through the towns. An example is Ambleside, where tourist traffic has become such a problem that the local council suggested that a bypass should be constructed to avoid the increase in pollution.
* Construction of man made features-The building of large visitor centres and attractions will drastically alter the appearance of landscape. For example the visitor centre and several connecting attractions at Lands End in Cornwall.
* Tourism can create Physical erosion wear by the wearing away of soil and vegetation by walkers, horse-riders, cyclists, cars and motorcycles.
* Litter is both an eyesore and a threat to safety.
* Congestion and overcrowding in popular holiday areas where there are too many people and too many cars.
* Pollution can be created, not only water and ...
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* Construction of man made features-The building of large visitor centres and attractions will drastically alter the appearance of landscape. For example the visitor centre and several connecting attractions at Lands End in Cornwall.
* Tourism can create Physical erosion wear by the wearing away of soil and vegetation by walkers, horse-riders, cyclists, cars and motorcycles.
* Litter is both an eyesore and a threat to safety.
* Congestion and overcrowding in popular holiday areas where there are too many people and too many cars.
* Pollution can be created, not only water and air but also noise pollution.
* Another environmental impact is the loss of habitats like flora and fauna.
Tourism can also have environmental impacts on the quality of air, water, and noise levels.
Other pollution problems are sewage disposal into water and the use of powered boats on inland waterways.
Mass tourism in specific areas can also lead to erosion of paths an example of this is in the Peak District, where walkers have damaged the paths in remote areas where there is restricted vehicle access.
The negative impacts can be corrected by management and funding from the local authority. Some places even have a tourism strategy where they have planned in advance by action planning and setting targets to minimise the impacts caused by tourism. They also want to increase the potential that tourism has by using a sustainable way.
Economic Impacts.
Leisure and Tourism has an ability to create jobs, this is one of the main econonmic benefits and this is often the main reason why an area considers tourism as an option for economic development.
Revenue is generated by leisure and tourism facilities, this is very important to an area and is an important part of the multiplier effect.
Positive Impacts.
The positive impacts are:
* Increased revenue for the specific area as visitors will spend money. They purchase a variety of goods and services such as accommodation, transport and entertainment services. They will also spend money in local shops and attractions.
* More jobs are created during construction and for the local people in the new attractions and shops, which can be created due to the new tourism trade.
* Regeneration of regions, for example Docklands in London, Albert Dock in Liverpool and the Castlefields development in Manchester.
Negative Impacts.
The negative impacts are:
* Many rural areas are at risk, as village shops are being replaced by facilities for visitors.
* Land and house prices may rise in the area as tourists may buy holiday homes/2nd homes; this will make it difficult for the local people to buy property, and may result in the local residents moving away from the area.
* The local residents may incur a rise in their council tax in order for a tourist information centre or to fund promotional literature, such as advertisements about the area.
* The local residents may change jobs to work in the "exciting new industry" which can have economic implications for both the new businesses and the existing ones who have lost their staff.
Also if there is a shortage of labour in one industry they may need to import staff from other countries, which will then result in additional economic leakages as income that will be earned from this labour, may be repatriated.
Socio-cultural Impacts.
As many of the main reasons for tourist travel are concerned with social and cultural experiences for example meeting new people and exploring cultural sites, the industry can be said to have positive effects. Host communities too can benefit from the impacts of tourism in a number of ways such as:
Positive Impacts.
* Revitalisation for visitors of neglected regions, the re-birth of local arts and crafts, refurbishment of local architecture and greater understanding of cultures.
* At a local level the provision of leisure facilities and amenities gives people the opportunity to improve the quality of their lives and to take part in community activities for the benefit of all.
* They can benefit from the mixing of people with different lifestyles and from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. This is achieved most effectively through the types of tourism that are designed to bring visitors into direct contact with their hosts and to experience their way of life.
Negative Impacts.
Leisure and Tourism can cause great inconvenience to both communities and individuals. People living in popular tourist areas can have their day-to-day lives disrupted as a result of the intrusive anti-social behaviour of tourists. An example is the village of Lacock near Chippenham where each year 500,000 visitors go to admire the village, and they intrude on the local community by not allowing them to have privacy.
* Overcrowding- An influx of tourists at the height of the season forces local residents to endure the inconvenience of disruption to their normal daily routines. This can lead to resentment and hostility between visitors and host communities. It is a particular problem in small rural communities that often lack the infrastructure and services of sufficient scale to meet tourists demands for example the fishing ports and villages in Cornwall and Devon.
* Distortion of local customs- Tourists are sometimes presented with a commercialised and stylised presentation of a destinations cultural identity for example its music and dance, which may lack authenticity.
* Loss of traditional industries- Traditional industries such as fishing, forestry, mining and agriculture can be lost when workers are tempted by jobs in tourism. Craft industries maybe lost if tourist area substitutes local goods for mass-produced tourist goods.
* Fragmentation of communities- Tourist areas that prove popular with visitors may develop large communities of second-home owners and expatriates whose ability to pay higher prices for housing and land tends to force local people to move away from the area and may change political and cultural activities permanently.
* Rise in social problems- Tourism can be the catalyst for a variety of social problems and anti-social behaviour. The tourists themselves may behave badly, while the temptation of tourism can lead local people into increased criminal activity, including fraud, prostitution, sex tourism, drug abuse and vandalism. Tourism accelerates and exacerbates many of these social impacts.
Conclusion.
The economic impact of tourism on a host economy can be positive but it also has its negative aspects. Some communities would not be able to survive without tourism as this brings in revenue for the area.
Many people worry that the development of tourism causes serious damage to some communities. These impacts can be corrected with the right management and funding and through sustainable tourism that will benefit everyone in the future.
It is impossible to develop tourism without occurring environmental impacts; these can be both positive and negative as it was confirmed earlier. Some places even have a tourism strategy where they have planned in advance by action planning and setting targets to minimise the impacts caused by tourism. They also want to increase the potential that tourism has by using a sustainable way.
The socio-cultural impacts can have specific implications such as crime, and it can also influence individual's lifestyles.
Tourists can also transmit these impacts back to their originating countries.
The impacts all relate to one and another to create a positive and negative side to tourism, but most of the time the negative side is only portrayed to give tourism an exaggerated negative image.
Bibliography.
Cooper, C. Fletcher, J. Gilbert, D. and Wanhill, S. 1998, Tourism Principles and Practice, Second edition, Longman, USA.
Davidson, R. 1993, Tourism, Second edition, Longman, Singapore.
Holloway, J.C. 1998, The Business of Tourism, Fifth edition, Longman, USA.
