Positive impacts of Tourism on the Environment

Tourism has the potential to improve environmental quality in many ways.

1. Tourism can provide the incentive to develop land for commercial development. Examples ae
the theme parks that are located in previously unproductive mountain areas. Areas, which were
once occupied by informal settlers, such as some parts of Intramuros, are earmarked for
promenade construction by the Pasig River, which will widen the leisure options of city
residents.
2. Another positive effect is when abandoned mines are converted into tourism-oriented facilities,
such as a gold course. Not only does the land become more aesthetically pleasing, but also,
become more economically productive. Infrastructure improvement, such as airports, seaports,
expressways, and nautical highway systems not only benefits tourists, but the local population
as well. Not long ago, tourists to Boracay had to hire privately owned bancas to bring them to
the island from the mainland. These days, there are daily scheduled trips provided by the
transport business.
3. Essential amenities, such as piped water and electricity have replaced well-drawn water and gas
lamps. Town and cities that eye to be tourist destinations tend to beautify their areas, such as by
constructing beautiful boundary markers, landscaping, painted fences, and manicured hedges
along the main roads. They also exert effort to make their places clean and orderly.
4. Infrastructure built for travel and tourism could actually be designed to enhance or create
habitats for animals.

Tourism Impacts on the Environment

According to the United Kingdoms Overseas Development Institute (2007), tourism contributes to the
economy along three pathways. These are:

1. Direct Effects
2. Indirect Effects
3. Dynamic effects

Direct Effects are produced when tourists spend for such commodities as accommodation,
transportation, entertainment, and attractions. Such spending benefits industries that are involved in
accommodation services, food and beverage services, retail trade, transportation services, and cultural,
sports, and entertainment services. The main source of tourism-related spending are residents domestic
travel and tourism spending the business sectors domestic travel spending, visitor exports, and
individual government travel and tourism spending.

Visitor exports refer to spending by international tourists in a country. ]