Tourism and the

Environment
 Carrying Capacity (How Many is too
Many)
 Physical Capacity: limit on actual # of
users that can be accommodated in a
region
 ie, # of roads, size of parking lots, etc.
 Environmental Capacity: limit on # of
users before a destination is undesirable
 ie, subjectively defined, and varies by
season
 Ecological Capacity: max level of users
Determining Carrying
Capacities
# of visitors
 Amount of use per visitor
 Quality of resource mgmt design
 # of area residents and their needs
 Related to quality of life
# of other users of the resources
 ie, industrial users and
farmers/ranchers
Environmental Impacts
 Annoying (crowded) to Destructive
 Air Pollution
 Noise Pollution

 Crowding

 Vegetation/Wildlife harm

 Historic site deterioration

Environmental Dimensions
 Images
 Result from cognitive maps
 Perception of place, when not there
(marketing)
 Organic
 Developed thru visitation, pictures,
friends
 Induced
 Generated through marketing (staged)
 Imagery = expectations = satisfaction
Social & Cultural Impacts
 Culture= practices of a society
 Tourism can positively effect:
 More money for a community
 Improves standard of living and
education
 bring people together = peace, new
tastes
 increases “critical mass” (trinkets!)

 Can preserve historical/natural sites

Consequences of
Tourism on Culture
 Social Carrying Capacity
 Demonstration Effect (=
resentment)
 Loss of Culture and Traditional jobs
 Best jobs go to foreigners
 Crime and moral character change
 Loss or change of Language
 Acculturation!
EcoTourism Principles
 Tourism should blend in w/ local
culture
 ie, matching architecture to locale
 Focus on existing scenic/activity
opp’s
 Local ownership/mngmt of services
 High proportion of local materials
used
 Use native supplies, food, etc.
Environmental Principles
 Social vs. Physical
 = give ambience/atmosphere
 Authenticity! (the feel or flavor)
 Really seeing and experiencing a
place
 Staged authenticity
 Emerging authenticity = over time

 Environmental Perception
 Built on collection of images (effects
MKT)
Mass Tourism vs.
Green/Eco
Mass Tourism Alternative
 Large  Small Scale
 Unplanned  Planned
 Uncontrolled  Controlled
 Poor labor  Preservation
education  Local
 Scattered dvlpmt. Development
 $$ to multi-  $$ stays local
national  Shared Benefits
 Benefits?
As a Positive Force!!
 Fosters Conservation of Wildlands
 Fosters Conservation of Wildlife
 Preserves Historic Buildings
 Communities Prosper =
Rejuvenates
 City Center (Main Street Program)

 Versus tourists use, abuse & leave!