Tourism Development: Making Profit and Environmental Protection Meet - Research Paper Example

Tourism Development: Making Profit and Environmental Protection Meet (Add (Add (Add Tourism Development: Making Profit and Environmental Protection Meet Executive summary It is possible for tourism development and sustainability to coexist. Tourism development has adverse impact on nature. The impact includes pressure on resources, destruction of natural habitats, and pollution. However, it is possible to reduce this impact by adopting sustainable tourism. Sustainable tourism requires the cooperation and collaboration of various actors ranging from local community, local authorities, government, tour operators, and other interest groups. Part 1 Detailed Outline Identification of the problem Blue Lagoon Cruises has been experiencing considerable growth for the last 10 years. However, it has faced certain issues related to environment, which should be addressed to ensure further growth of the company. So it has become necessary to look into the connections between tourism development and environment. Also, it has become necessary to identify various models of sustainable tourism. The need Blue Lagoon Cruises, the newly acquired client company, is facing certain problems which are to be solved at the earliest in order to ensure continuous growth of the company as it has experienced in the last 10 years. One of the problems is related to meeting the environmental demands while ensuring tourism development. This executive report illustrates the relation between tourism development and sustainable environmental preservation and suggests various ways to achieve profit while protecting environment. Statement of the research problem This research project intends to investigate the impact of tourism development on environment and suggests various ways to introduce sustainable tourism development which ensures both profit and environmental protection. Who will benefit? This report will be highly helpful for the special stakeholder committee which consists of Blue Lagoon executives, investors, Kona government officials, various special interest groups like World Watch Group, and village groups. This report will give all these people a comprehensive understanding of the different models of tourism development, which ensure profit while addressing environmental concerns. Will the report be credible? This report will conduct the research by answering three queries. First of all, it will identify the impacts of tourism on environment by analyzing works like that of the United Nations. Secondly, by analyzing cases like Bonaire National Parks Foundation and the Blue Flag, this work will identify various successful environmentally sustainable practices adopted by various agencies around the world. Thirdly, it looks into cases like Green Globe, International Tourism Partnership to prove that it is in fact more profitable in the long term to adopt sustainable tourism. The study is reliable because the sources used are not opinions but based on actual case studies and researches. Part 2 Literature Review The article named ‘Sustainable Tourism, Environmental Protection and Natural Resource Management: Paradise on Earth?’ by Neto (2002) of United Nations reveals the connection between tourism development and environment. The writer acknowledges that the main environmental effects of tourism are “(a) pressure on natural resources, (b) pollution and waste generation and (c) damage to ecosystems (Neto, 2002). Also, he admits that even controlled tourism can lead to environmental degradation. Then, the scholar reveals that fast development of coastal and ocean tourism activities including snorkeling and scuba diving have a negative impact on coral reefs. Also, frequent boat tours and boat anchors, and thrill crafts have a negative impact on coral reefs. However, the main threat is from the anchor of boats and cruise ships. This is an important impact of tourism on natural resources. According to Nteo (2002), another important factor is pollution and waste generation; it involves the improper disposal of liquid and solid waste created by tourism industry. In addition is the contamination of marine water and coastal regions by the pollution created by hotels, marinas and cruise ships. According to the scholar, the quantity of liquid and solid waste produced by the cruise ships in the Caribbean Sea in a year is above 70,000 tons. Moreover, the scholar points out that instances of merchant ships disposing solid waste, sewage and cargo residues in coastal areas are common. Also, there are issues associated with the relatively high use of energy in the tourism industry for air conditioning, heating and cooking. Thus, tourism development often results a large number of local environmental issues like noise pollution, air pollution, and energy exhaustion. As the work moves ahead, the scholar also points out the impact of tourism development on ecosystems. The first allegation is that uncontrolled tourism negatively impacts wildlife habitats. A number of examples are provided by Neto (2002), including the impact of safari on the hunting and breeding habit of wild cats in the African national parks; the alterations in the feeding behavior of sharks, whales, and dolphins in the Caribbean Sea as a result of tour operations, and so on. According to the scholar (Neto, 2002), even flora is not free from the impact of tourism. It happens because they are cleared for the development of new facilities, fuel wood and also as a result of forest fire. Also, it is noted that increased tourism activity in the coastal areas leads to overbuilding in coastlines; thus, through the analysis of the various adverse impacts of tourism development on environment, the scholar reaches the conclusion that sustainable tourism is the only way to solve the issues while ensuring the growth of tourism. Sustainable tourism, according to United Nations sustainable development process, refers to tourist activities ‘leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems’(Neto, 2002). Thus, the scholar concludes that the main policy areas of sustainable tourism are ‘(a) the development of national strategies for sustainable tourism, use of economic instruments and regulatory mechanisms, (c) voluntary programs by the tourism industry, and (d) promoting sustainable tourism at international level’ (Neto, 2002). Neto (2002) points out that while promoting tourism, the government must take into account its impact on the environment. As the environmental impact is often felt locally, local authorities should be empowered through decentralization. Secondly, regulatory and economic mechanisms can be utilized. For example, there can be ‘integrated land-use planning and coastal zone-management’ (Neto, 2002). Another example is the Bonaire protected marine areas in Netherlands Antilles where visitors are charged to support environmental conservation. Though there was stiff competition from other scuba dives, it was found that visitors are only happy to pay higher prices to support environmental protection. Thus, the marine park generated enough revenue to manage its coral reef and mangrove ecosystems. There are various rules and regulations ranging from the entrance fee, compulsory orientation classes, ban on spear fishing, ban on anchoring, and regulations regarding the speed of vessels (Stinapa Bonaire, 2010). Similarly, there is the environmental management program known as Green Globe developed by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). In order to get Green Globe accreditation, various criteria like sustainable management, socio economic factors, cultural heritage, and environmental impact are all considered. As the Green Globe website indicates, there are plenty of evidences to show that adopting sustainable practices save operating costs and utility, become the employers of choice for potential candidates, attract ethical tourists, and gain better business (Green Globe, n.d). Similarly, there is the International Hotel Environment Initiative (International Tourism Partnership, 2012). Thirdly, there is the Blue Flag Program which runs in nearly eighteen nations in Europe. It involves offering incentives for effective improvement of the quality of beaches and coasts (Blue Flag, n.d). Also, the sustainable tourism development model developed by Pakdeepinit (2007) identifies, sustainable tourism marketing, tourism resources conservation, and public participation promotion are the components of a sustainable tourism model. Also, the various characteristics of sustainable tourism are tourist satisfaction, educative purpose, sustainable management, environment conservation, local benefit and public participation. Part Three – Conclusions and recommendations From the analysis, it becomes evident that there are various strategies which can be successfully adapted in order to ensure profit while ensuring sustainable environmental practices. The first thing is to ensure the participation and satisfaction of the local people, which can be achieved through local participation in decision making and income for the local people from tourism. Secondly, there should be governmental regulations on the use of environment and natural resources. Thirdly, as already seen, engaging in sustainable development strategies will help the company in gaining better image in the industry and more business in the long term. Thus, the first recommendation is to ensure the participation of government and local people in decision making. Secondly, the local community should be ensured profit from the tourist activity. Thirdly, the tourist practices should be environmentally sustainable. It includes use of energy, impact on and use of natural resources, disposal of waste, and noise pollution. Table Research Environmental impacts Sustainable strategies Examples for the coexistence of profit and sustainability Neto, F. (2002) Pressure on natural resources, pollution and waste generation, damage to ecosystems Neto, F. (2002) National strategies, use of economic instruments and regulatory mechanisms, voluntary programs by tourism industry, empowerment of local authorities Stinapa: Bonaire National Parks Foundation. (2010). Charging the visitors and using the money for environmental protection, compulsory orientation classes for the tourists, ban on spear fishing and anchoring of vessels The first park in the area to become self-sufficient Green Globe. (n.d). Benefits Saves operating costs, becomes ideal employers, attracts ethical tourists, and gains better business in the long term International Tourism Partnership. (2012). Sustainable practices lead to better business in hotel industry Blue Flag. (n.d). News Incentives offered for improving quality of beaches and coasts Pakdeepinit (2007) Ensuring tourist satisfaction, providing education, environmental conservation, public participation, and local benefit Annotated Bibliography 1. Blue Flag. (n.d). News. Retrieved from http://www.blueflag.org/ An initiative now exists in 18 European nations. It serves as an example to show how it is possible to continue tourism development while ensuring sustainability. 2. Green Globe. (n.d). Benefits: Green global members talk about benefits of Green Globe. Retrieved from http://greenglobe.com/register/benefits/ The website of Green Globe details the various factors involved in becoming sustainable. Also, it proves that the tourist operators who go sustainable get more profit in the long term. Thus, the site is useful to prove that it is possible for profitability and sustainability to coexist in tourism. 3. International Tourism Partnership. (2012). Responsible tourism through responsible leadership. Retrieved from http://www.ihei.org/ It proves that sustainable operations are possible in hotel industry too while ensuring profit. 4. Neto, F. (2002). Sustainable tourism, environmental protection and natural resource management: Paradise on earth?. United Nations, 1-17. Retrieved from http://www.mtnforum.org/sites/default/files/pub/1423.pdf This is a paper submitted to the International Colloquium on Regional governance and Sustainable Development in Tourism-driven Economies, Cancun, Mexico, 20-22 February 2002. The work details the pressure of tourism on environment, and suggests sustainable tourism as the only way out. The study collected information from 50 different sources from different parts of the world. Thus, the study seems highly useful in understanding the connection between tourism development and environment. 5. Pakdeepinit, P. (2007). A model for sustainable tourism development in Kwan Phayao Lake Rim communities, Phayao province, Upper Northern Thailand. Silpakorn University, 1-270. Provides a sustainable tourism model which shows how various factors like the participation of local people, regional authorities, government, and the tour operators should act together in order to ensure sustainability. 6. Stinapa: Bonaire National Parks Foundation. (2010). Bonaire national marine park: Rules and regulations. Retrieved from http://www.bmp.org/rulesandregulations.html Bonaire National Park is an example of utilizing sustainable tourism development to protect environment while ensuring profit. The information in the website proves that the park charges the visitors, and the amount is utilized for protection of the environment. It seems useful as a model of introducing sustainable tourism development. Read More