The impacts of tourism

Most of us, like the Robinberry family, have had the chance to experience tourism impacts, whether as a tourist (consumer), a provider, and/or someone who has noticed such impacts while observing tourists.

That tourism will have an impact is inevitable and positive impacts are actively sought out by local communities and authorities alike.

There are, however, several things that need to be considered when analysing tourism in an area or region:

• How beneficial are the impacts to the local community?
• Is it beneficial enough for the local community to have tourism or does the price that they are paying outweigh the benefits?
• Are there appropriate ways to maximise the benefits and minimise the negative impacts of tourism?
• What can be put in place to ensure that the local people are not negatively affected by tourism?
• Can the local action assist the community or does the wider region need to be involved?

A range of tourism options have developed as an alternative to mass tourism, which is seen as mostly destructive to local populations, but which is the most sustainable?

Your task

Before we look at the impacts and alternatives in more detail:

Which impacts do you think are the most difficult to tackle?

Which ‘alternative’ would you recommend to the Robinberry family who are looking to reduce the negative impact of their travels?