INTRODUCTION TO

IMPACTS OF
TOURISM &
SUSTAINABLE
TOURISM
 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM
Sustainable tourism development meets the need of present tourists
and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the
future. It is envisaged as 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 and
services, and biological diversity
 Relationships Among Tourism Categories

Adventure
Tourism

Sustainable
Conventional Tourism
Tourism

Ecotourism

c Green consulting
Nature Tourism
Voluntourism
Based upon the millennium development goals of the world tourism organization
(WTO, 2003), additional emphasis has been placed on the economic as well as
environmental benefits of sustainable tourism. Sustainable tourism should:

→ Make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in

tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes, and helping to
conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.

→ Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and
living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to inter-cultural
understanding and tolerance.
THE IMPACTS OF TOURISM
The rapid growth of tourism in the twentieth century has produced both problems and benefits
for destination countries. Although tourism can bring economic advantages to a destination
country, it also brings with it serious long-term problems which, without careful control and
planning, can threaten the society.
THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF TOURISM (POSITIVE)
► Income
► Employment
► Balance of payments
► Investment and development
THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF TOURISM (NEGATIVE)
►Inflation & land values
►High leakages
►Seasonality
►Overdependence on tourism
IMPACT CONTROL MEASURES
►Develop tourism gradually so that local residents can have sufficient time to adapt to it and
understand it. It would also allow the government to properly plan, organize, and monitor
tourism.

►Maintain a scale of tourism development that is appropriate for the local as well as national
environment.

►Involve residents and their spokesmen in planning and decision-making so that they can
participate in determining the future of this sector.

►Apply the concept of tourism development zones.

►Make certain that residents have easy access to tourist attractions, facilities, and services
including reduced admission fee if necessary, and that important amenity features have public
access and are not preempted by tourism.
►Provide incentives to local ownership, management and operation of hotels and
other tourist facilities and services so that residents can receive direct economic
benefits.

►Develop strong linkages between tourism and other economic activities such as
agriculture, fisheries, handicrafts and manufacturing to help develop these sectors,
reduce leakage of foreign exchange through import substitution and spread the
economic benefits of tourism.

►Plan, develop, and organize tourism so that no area becomes too congested
with tourists, and residents can easily use community facilities and services.

►Train local people to work effectively in all levels of tourism, including

managerial and technical positions, in order to reduce the number of imported
employees and to lessen possible misunderstanding between tourists and local
employees.
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL IMPACTS OF TOURISM
►Tourism may have many different effects on the social and cultural aspects of life in a particular area
or destination, depending on the social and cultural strengths of that area or destination.

►The interaction between tourists & the host community can be one of the factors that may affect a
community as tourist may not be sensitive to local customs, traditions and standards. The effect can
be positive or negative on the host community.

SOCIAL IMPACTS (HOST-VISITOR INTERACTION) OF TOURISM (POSITIVE)

►Social change and multi-cultural understanding

►Adaptation to the realities of modern life and improvement of the host country’s lifestyle

►Use of foreign language

►Improved health conditions and disease control

 
SOCIAL IMPACTS OF TOURISM (NEGATIVE)
►Social saturation

►Changes in the social structure, behavior and roles

►Community problems

►Negative demonstrative effects

IMPACT CONTROL MEASURES
►Reducing the contact between hosts and guests by limiting the
carrying of the destination and by regulating the tourist flow.

►Separating the tourist and the tourists within tourist enclaves.

►Designing community education and citizen involvement programs

centered on tourism development, policy, and regulatory issues.

►Expanding human resources development and training programs in

all components of the tourism system to include social skills
(interpersonal relations and networking referral tactics).
CULTURAL IMPACTS OF TOURISM (POSITIVE)
►Inter-cultural communication

►Renaissance of native culture

CULTURAL IMPACTS OF TOURISM (NEGATIVE)

►Greed for money which induces people to part with family
heirlooms

►Loss or deterioration of traditional art & culture

Commercializing
IMPACT CONTROL MEASURES
►Develop programs which enhances tourism's contribution to intercultural
communication and interaction

►Incorporate local indigenous features within western-style structures such as

decorating hotel interiors with local paintings, murals and sculpture and encouraging
porters, maids and waiters to dress in native costumes.
 
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF TOURISM (POSITIVE)
►Conservation & appreciation of the environment

►Development of Attractions

►Historic Preservation

►Resident Benefits
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF TOURISM (NEGATIVE)
►Environmental conflicts

►Geological conflicts

►Resident conflicts
 
IMPACT CONTROL MEASURES
►General protective measures

►Regulation and control of tourist development