Impacts of International Tourism on Environmental Change - Coursework Example

INTERNATIONAL TOURISM AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE Name Student Number Course Tutor Date Executive Summary This is a tourism research report that looks at the contribution of international tourism on climate change. The first section introduces the report giving a sneak peak of what is to be included in the report. The following section then covers the impacts of international tourism on climate change, tackling all possible issues of climate change in relation to international tourism a represented in literature. The next section then looks at the environmental change that results from the issues identified in the previous section. The next section then looks at the predicted impacts that are likely to affect international tourism in the next ten years. The conclusion then gives a closing remark of the report making necessary recommendation. The list of references referred to when compiling the report is then given at the end of the report. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Impacts of International Tourism on Environmental Change 4 Environmental Change Issue Affecting International Tourism 6 Predicted Impacts of Climate Change on International Tourism in the next Decade 6 Conclusion 7 Bibliography 9 Introduction There has been growing international awareness about the pace at which the environment is changing and the myriad of effects that this comes with both on humans and nature itself. International tourism has in the recent past developed due to globalization that has made it possible to travel and communicate easily. International tourism can be defined as the movement of a person or group of people from their area of residence across borders into various destinations for business, leisure and other activities for not more than a year (Scott, Hall & Gössling, 2012). In relation to international tourism, climate change is not a localized event but rather an issue that already affects the tourism industry and the various destinations across the globe. The major concern in international tourist is the emission of greenhouse gases through transport, accommodation and other human activities in the sector (Scott, Hall & Gössling, 2012). Tourism is a climate sensitive sector of the economy and is also growing to be a major contributor to climate change in a variety of ways. The issues of climate change have different implications on international tourism. This report explores the contribution of international tourism to climate change and predicts the future of international tourism in the next ten years considering the climate change issues. Impacts of International Tourism on Environmental Change The tourism industry is climate dependent especially the sea and sun tourism as well as sports tourism. However, activities within the industry have been associated with climate change in the recent past and is a growing concern for both policy makers and practitioners in the hospitality industry. According to World Tourism Organization & United Nations Environment Programme (2008), environmental change refers to the modification or variation of the former stable state of the surroundings of organisms in a variety of methods that have significant consequences on the environment itself. The most visible and most discussed environmental change in the context of international tourism is the elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere compared to the levels prior to globalization (Reddy & Wilkes, 2013). Debates have been centered on this issue with most people arguing that the industry is responsible for a significant amount other than the 5% being published in various literature (World Tourism Organization, & United Nations Environment Programme. 2008). Regional tourism is also part of international tourism and it would go without saying that various infrastructural developments have been instituted so as to make the industry thrive and support the global economy. The tourism industry depends majorly on the flow of tourists from one place to various designated destination (World Tourism Organization, & United Nations Environment Programme. 2008). As a result there has been the need of transport, accommodation and additional activities for the good of the tourists. These activities combined have been estimated to emit 5% of all the greenhouse gases present in the world. UNTWO (2011) notes that climate change has grown to be the bone of contention in the tourism industry being that it affects tourism and at the same time it is contributed by the international tourism industry itself. Gössling (2011) asserts that in the sector wise the transport industry has the largest share of emissions noting that the aviation transport industry that international tourism is dependent on contributes 40% of all the emissions in the industry. 32% is further attributed by car transport that is also a major form used to access remote tourist destinations (UNTWO, 2011). This is closely followed by the accommodation services and facilities such as international hotels among others that contribute 32%. UNTWO (2011) also suggest that the other forms of transport such as motorboats, cruises and motorcycles combined with other anthropogenic activities contribute the remaining 7%. As can be seen therefor there is a direct and indirect role played by international tourism in environmental change. The activities stated above are those meant to bring up infrastructural developments in the tourism industry. For example trees are cleared to pave way for building and construction of international hotels (UNTWO, 2011). These hotels use refrigerators, cooling systems, and washing machines among others that use propellants that emit greenhouse gases such as chlorofluorotetracarbon (CFCs) that have the capacity to deplete the ozone layer of the atmosphere (World Tourism Organization, & United Nations Environment Programme. 2008). Carbon dioxide is also released from burning of fuels in when cooking it accumulates in the atmosphere to undesirable levels causing the depletion of the ozone layer and thus global warming (UNTWO, 2011). Apart from the CO2 release into the atmosphere there has been cases of oil spillage leading to the pollution of both land and water (Hall, Scoott & Gössling, 2013). There has been an increase in the number of wastes at the tourist destination sites leading to the death of microorganisms and thus loss of diversity. Environmental Change Issue Affecting International Tourism The accumulation of greenhouse gases has been linked through most studies to environmental change. The major impact of this has been global warming due to the depletion of the ozone layer of the atmosphere that prevents the entry of cosmic rays into the earth (Ramasamy & Swamy, 2012). Resulting from this has been the increase in the number of mutations in organisms some which lead to extinction of organisms and thus loss of biodiversity (Hall et al., 2013). Elevated temperatures increase evaporation that has been linked with desert like condition and increased precipitation. Drought like conditions also reduce biodiversity as the few organisms and plants that can survive harsh conditions die and become extinct (Ramasamy & Swamy, 2012). Animals are also likely to shift their habitats into other ecologically suitable habitats (Hall et al., 2013). The increased levels of temperature have also resulted to melting of the glacier at the polar region as well as on top of mountains (Reddy & Wilkes, 2013). This has led to the rise of the sea levels that has caused erosion as well as the submergence of coastal beaches. There has also been shift of seasons making the mating of organisms and flowering of plants impossible (Reddy & Wilkes, 2013). Those organisms that are unable to reproduce get extinct (Ramasamy & Swamy, 2012). The spillage of oil has caused the death sea animals as well as land animals, further leading to loss of biodiversity. Predicted Impacts of Climate Change on International Tourism in the next Decade Climate plays a very integral role in the tourism sector as a whole. There are consequences on international tourism with the rate at which climate change is being experienced. First off, the sport activities that depend on favorable climatic conditions will be affected by the change. This is likely to increase the cost of operation in the industry (Becken & Hay, 2007). For example, there is need to artificially produce and generate snow for skating and skiing, which is expensive due to the costly resources required. The international tourism statistics are likely to reduce in the next decade following the shift of seasons that attract tourists (Becken & Hay, 2007). Additionally, increased precipitation will mean that some field dependent tourism events will not be carried out effectively thus negatively impacting the competitiveness of the industry (Reddy & Wilkes, 2013). The agricultural industry is also likely to be affected, this will directly have an impact on tourism as there will be limited number of tourists that can be handled. Storms are also likely to increase thus the destruction of structures (UNTWO, 2011). This could also be caused by the presence of acid rain that also erodes the structures some of which are tourist attraction sites. The increase in air pollution is likely to cause an increase in smog in the atmosphere. This could lead in accidents that cause loss of life and thus loss of revenue for the government and loss of profits in the sector (Ramasamy & Swamy, 2012). The increased levels of perturbation of the environment are also likely to cause the elevation of vector borne diseases leading to some destinations being unfavorable for visits (Becken & Hay, 2007). The bottom line of all the above identified issues and their aforementioned effects will reduce the profitability and market share of the tourism industry. This will make it hard for the sector to perform in the next decade, calling for necessary affirmative actions from various stakeholders. Conclusion There is a significant contribution of international tourism to climate change. As have been seen in the report, the industry has direct and indirect contributions on climate change. The sectors that tourism is dependent on are the key sources of the climate change. This includes transport and accommodation sectors of the economy. In sum the emissions from the international tourism industry accounts for 5% of all emissions on the earth. The accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere has led to global warming that has had the discussed effects leading to climate change. Global warming has been the center of most discussions for environmental lobbyists. The other environmental change issue affecting the tourism industry is air, water and land pollution that also results into impacts in the industry. The report has also made a decade based prediction on the impacts of the discussed climatic issues on international tourism. This is an indication that policy makers and the stakeholders in the industry should champion for sustainable practices so as to balance the effects. Bibliography Becken, S., & Hay, J. E. 2007 “Tourism and climate change: Risks and opportunities”. Clevedon, UK: Channel View Publications. Gössling, S. 2011, “Carbon management in tourism: Mitigating the impacts on climate change”. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Hall, C. M., Scoott, D., & Gössling, S. 2013, “The Primacy of Climate Change for Sustainable International Tourism”. Sustainable Development, 21(2), 112-121. Ramasamy, R., & Swamy, A. 2012, “Global Warming, Climate Change and Tourism: A Review of Literature”. Special issue: Sustainability, Tourism & Environment in the Shift of a Millennium: A Peripheral View, 6(3), 72-98 Reddy, M. V., & Wilkes, K. 2013, “Tourism, climate change and sustainability”. New York: Routledge. Scott, D., Hall, C. M., & Gössling, S. 2012, “Tourism and climate change: Impacts, adaptation and mitigation”. London: Routledge. UNWTO. (2011, December). Tourism and Climate Change. Retrieved from http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/docpdf/climatechange.pdf World Tourism Organization, & United Nations Environment Programme. 2008, “Climate change and tourism: Responding to global challenges”. Madrid: World Tourism Organization. Read More