The Environmental Impacts of Tourism

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The Environmental Impacts of Tourism

• The Heritage Environmental Rating Programme

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• any person that spends more than one night
  away from their place of residence.
• UN World Tourism Organisation

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The Types of Impact from Tourism

• Environmental
• Socio Cultural
• Economic

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Environmental Impacts
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The Global Eco-Impacts of Tourism

• Loss of Biological Diversity
• Excessive land use leads to impacts on
  vegetation wildlife mountain, marine and
  coastal environments.
• Introduction of exotic species
• Depletion of the Ozone Layer
• Refrigerants propellants air travel
• By 2015, half of annual Ozone destruction will be
  from air travel
• Climate Change
• Tourism accounts for 50 of traffic movements
  worldwide
• Air traffic accounts for 2.5 of CO² production
• 594 million travelers in 1996 1.6 billion by
  2020

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National Eco-Impacts of Tourism

• Depletion of Natural Resources-
• Water Resources
• Local Resources
• Land degradation
• Pollution-
• Air pollution and noise
• Solid waste and littering
• Sewage
• Aesthetic pollution
• Physical Impacts-
• Construction and Infrastructure Development
• Deforestation and unsustainable use of land
• Marina developments

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South African Tourism Statistics

• Tourism arrivals 2005/6 7.2 million
• Tourism growth expectations 8.25 p.a.
• Main tourist attractions
• Cape Town and Robben Island
• Garden Route
• Johannesburg
• Kruger National Park
• Average stay per visitor in 2006 2.6 days
• Number of accommodation establishments 23 000

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Significant Sites and Locations

• World Heritage Sites
• Cradle of Mankind Gauteng
• Greater St Lucia Wetland Park KZN
• Robben Island Western Cape
• Drakensberg Park KZN
• Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape Limpopo
• Cape Floral Kingdom Western Cape
• Vredefort Dome Free State
• Other Sites of Significance in South Africa
• Bo-Kaap Tsitsikama Route Namaqualand Aliwal
  Shoal Wild Coast Pondoland Kalahari National
  Park Lowveld Escarpment SA National Parks

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South Africa and Mass Tourism

• Robben Island A Case Study
• Visitor numbers increased from 9000 in 1996 to
  over 360 000 in 2003
• Environmental degradation included
• Collapse of sewage and water systems
• Species destruction from uncontrolled access
• Waste and litter increase
• Energy consumption and resultant contamination
• Poor environmental control and introduction of
  alien species
• Infrastructure development in conflict with EIA

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The Hidden Cost of Tourism

• Every visitor uses or creates
• 450 litres of water
• 75 kw of power
• 4kg of waste
• 120kg of CO²
• Every Day

The Hidden Cost of tourism to South Africa in
2005/6 R1,82 billion
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Emissions

• High Altitude Emissions
• Less than 30 of arrivals are by air.
• Internal air travel 47
• Vehicle and Fossil Fuel Impacts
• Energy-related impacts per person of 75kg CO²
• Travel-related impacts of 120kg o CO² per day
• Other Impacts
• Coal fires braais heating food preparation etc

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Resources

• Water
• Increased consumption from visitors to areas
• Increased use for aesthetic purposes
• Higher wastage through operational activities
• Land
• Land-use changes affecting agricultural
  performance
• Restriction on movement
• Alienation
• Solid Waste
• Higher waste levels from operational activities
• Unrestricted and mismanaged dumping
• Groundwater contamination
• Sewage

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Physical Impacts

• Construction and Infrastructure Development
• Deforestation and Unsustainable Use
• Marina and Jetty Development
• Other
• Trampling
• Anchoring and marine activities
• Ecosystem change

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South Africa 2010

• An estimated 400 000 fans
• Direct Impacts
• 2.5 billion litres of water
• 420 000 megawatts of power
• 23 000 tons of waste
• 180 000 tons of CO² through travel
• National Long-term Impacts
• Winter period of high domestic demand
• Long-term ecological and environmental impacts
• Community and heritage impacts?

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The Future?

• More responsible tourism practice
• Greater consumer awareness
• National waste management initiative
• International awareness
• Long-term vision

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