A deep dive into the question: why is sustainable tourism important? Breaking down the negative impacts of mass tourism to better understand the importance of choosing sustainable alternatives.

Here’s what you’ll read about:

Why tourism matters

Tourism is more than you imagine. Before the pandemic hit, almost 1.5 billion people traveled internationally every year and the number is expected to rise now that most of the restrictions have been lifted.

This makes tourism one of the largest and fastest-growing industries worldwide. According to the World Tourism Organization,  it accounts for US$ 1.6 trillion of global exports and provides 1 in 10 of all jobs worldwide. Tourism is also a driving force of social development, cultural preservation, and environmental protection.

The negative impacts of tourism

Unfortunately, tourism activities are not always managed properly and generate negative impacts on the environment and local communities. Some of the most pressing issues include over-tourism, loss of identity, economic leakage, and environmental damage.

Over-tourism

The term is self-explanatory. Over-tourism refers to an excessive number of tourists visiting a place at the same time and affecting the lives of the residents and the environment.

Here are three examples.

1. Natural resources

Wherever we travel, we use up natural resources and reduce the availability of such resources for the local communities. For instance, those destinations that face water shortages regularly may see their issues exacerbated by tourism. Bali is a blatant example. September and October are the driest months of the year as well as the peak tourist season on the island. This means that tourists deprive the residents of the already scarce water supply. Hotels fill up pools for their floating breakfasts while the local communities struggle with water rationalization and lots of disservices.

2. Local services

The same goes for immaterial resources and public services. For example, Tram 28 in Lisbon is part of the public transportation system of the city. However, it became an attraction in itself due to the vintage look and its route touching all the popular landmarks. It is packed with tourists at any time of the day and residents are forced to find alternative ways to move around the area. It is often impossible to even board the tram.

3. Environmental damage

Over-tourism places a big strain on the environment too. Several natural sites around the world had to be closed to visitors to let them recover from mass tourism. The Boracay island in the Philippines has been closed for 6 months in 2018 as it was on the verge of an ecological catastrophe. The sewage and waste disposal systems designed for the local population of 30,000 people were (and still are) unable to meet the needs of almost 7 million tourists annually. After setting a cap on visitors, the installation of pipes, and beach clean-ups, the island reopened, but the environmental issues are expected to worsen in the near future.

Loss of cultural identity

Just like in many other industries, economic gains from tourism activities often take priority over people and their cultural identity. Popular destinations have almost completely lost their character and peculiarities to tourism.

How does that happen?

1. The commodification of culture

Culture is often reduced to a product to sell rather than heritage to preserve. Traditional clothing and festivals become costumes and theme parks, sacred handicrafts are mass-produced and sold as souvenirs, and old traditions are exploited and misrepresented to meet tourist demands.

For instance, the didgeridoo is a musical instrument typical of the aboriginal communities of the Northern Territory in Australia. It is commonly played in other areas to entertain tourists.

The truth is that those shows are only arranged by hotels and tourist establishments to meet their guests’ expectations. They are not an accurate representation of the local aboriginal culture.

The indigenous communities rarely benefit from these activities, rather potential profits are taken away from them by these businesses that offer (fake) cheaper alternatives.

2. Loss of cultural heritage and traditions

Think about Barcelona, Paris, Rome, and other popular mass-tourism destinations. They all look alike with chain hotels, international tour operators, and Starbucks stores at every corner. The local shops have been replaced for the most part by hosts of identical businesses that offer the same tours and souvenirs and provide all-but-authentic experiences.

A lot of traditional jobs (e.g. craftmanship) have been replaced by tourism-related activities just like some local languages are now endangered because they are less useful than English to communicate with foreigners.

3. Over-tourism pushes residents out of their cities

If you walk past the Morelli pharmacy in Venice, you’ll notice an electronic counter with red numbers in their window – that’s how many residents are left in the city (around 50,000 in 2022 versus 20 million tourists/year). It is estimated that about 700 people move out every year due to over-tourism, inflated living costs, and lower quality of life.

This is an extremely common trend all around the world and furtherly contributes to the loss of identity of destinations.

Economic leakage and pressure on locals

Economic leakage happens when the revenues generated by tourism are not retained within the destination and reinvested for the benefit of the local community. They are instead “leaked away” by foreign international corporations.

Think about the expenses you incur for a trip and where the money goes.

Most of the revenues generated from purchasing flights, travel insurance, and agency services will be collected by large global companies that are not based nor involved in the destination.

The money spent on visas, tourist taxes, and the likes, goes either to international foreign companies operating those services or to national authorities of the country with no guarantee that the money will be reinvested in the specific destination you visited (more often than not it’s not the case).

Finally, there are costs related to the trip itself such as accommodation, activities, transportation, food, and so forth. This is where our choices matter the most. Staying at a locally-owned hotel is more beneficial to the locals than choosing a chain resort owned by a large foreign company. And the same goes for eating and shopping at local businesses.

Such options may not be always available and economic leakage is sometimes difficult to avoid. It’s not easy to find out if certain products have been purchased from local suppliers or international providers, if a tour operator employs local people or foreigners, or if the money they spend actually benefits the community.

However, we should always do our best to support the residents and minimize the negative impacts they have to bear because of our presence.

Environmental damage

Mass tourism also puts massive pressure on the environment. It does damage and uses up resources at a faster pace than nature can restore itself. Destinations that attract visitors for their natural areas and biodiversity risk losing those exact “assets” they’ve become popular for.

The negative environmental impacts of tourism vary greatly depending on the criticalities of each destination.

1. Physical impacts

Physical impacts on the environment are immediately visible as soon as tourism starts developing. Building infrastructures likely causes deforestation, especially when vast spaces are needed within natural areas (e.g. ski resorts). Sourcing building materials may also be extremely impactful – for example, corals are regularly mined to make bricks or decorative elements.

There’s no shortage of issues once tourism activities are fully established either. Lots of companies make money off “unmissable experiences” that are extremely unethical and harmful to the environment. For example, sand dunes constitute a very delicate ecosystem, and surfing on them may cause incalculable damage. Very few countries have laws in place to forbid it and careless tour operators still offer dune surfing opportunities.

Oftentimes, visitors themselves are not aware of how to preserve the places they visit or just don’t care enough. For example, while it is illegal in most countries to take anything away from beaches, some people cannot resist the urge to bring sand and seashells home as a souvenir. A handful of sand doesn’t seem much but, multiplied by thousands or even millions of tourists, it is a significant loss.

La playa del Hierro in Fuerteventura became famous on social media as “Popcorn Beach” because it’s covered by rhodoliths, fossilized algae that are shaped like popcorn. These fossils are extremely important for the marine ecosystem but have almost completely disappeared because, although illegal, tourists keep taking them away.

2. Wildlife

Wildlife is another victim of mass tourism. The habitat destruction and ecosystem degradation provoked by tourism development result in the loss of biodiversity.

In addition, tourists directly cause disturbance to the wildlife in many ways. To name a few:

Noise may alter the nesting, hunting, and feeding habits of the animals;

When wild animals are forced to interact repeatedly with people, they will not fear humans anymore and will be exposed to poachers, ill-intentioned and similar risks;

The same goes for feeding wild animals which may become unable to procure enough food for themselves;

Wild animals may also have unpredictable reactions and injure or even kill tourists. Those animals will be likely culled because deemed aggressive and dangerous when they were just acting out of fear or after being provoked;

Interacting with the wildlife may also lead to zoonosis which is the transmission of infectious diseases from humans to animals and vice versa. Something innocuous like a cold could be fatal for many species.

Last but not least, tourism contributes to wildlife trade and captivity. Not all sanctuaries, zoos, and aquariums are ethical. A lot of them exploit and even abuse the animals while illegally catching or buying them.

To learn more, read this guide to finding ethical activities with wildlife.

3. Pollution and depletion of natural resources

Tourism activities are responsible for pollution and depletion of natural resources within the destinations and globally.

Around 8% of the world’s carbon emissions can be linked to tourism with transportation being the most impacting factor. It is also estimated that tourists produce twice as much waste as the residents and use 8 times more water than local people with much higher peaks in specific locations (Sustainable Travel International).

Noise and light pollution from tourism activities is another important factor. For instance, the exterior lighting of a hotel not only generates emissions through energy consumption but could also disorient turtles during the nesting season.

What is sustainable tourism?

All of these negative impacts of tourism may have you feeling like you have to choose between going on a trip and saving the planet. Thankfully, you can do both and that’s when sustainable tourism comes into play.

If more and more people started traveling more responsibly, not only could we minimize all these negative aspects but also generate benefits for the communities we visit and help the environment regenerate itself.

What is sustainable tourism exactly?

Definition of sustainable tourism

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) defines sustainable tourism as “Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities”.

In other words, tourism can be considered sustainable when the negative impacts it has or will have on the environment and the local communities are acknowledged and minimized while the positive contributions are supported and encouraged.

What does this mean in practice? How to determine if a tourism activity is truly sustainable?

Principles of sustainable tourism

There are three principles to keep in mind when it comes to sustainable tourism – environmental sustainability, economic sustainability, and socio-cultural sustainability. A tourism business or destination can only be considered sustainable when a balance is found between these three dimensions.

1. Environmental sustainability implies that tourism activities shouldn’t produce any negative impact on the environment and wildlife. They should instead contribute to conservation efforts through entrance fees to enter national parks, donations to relevant organizations, and direct involvement in conservation activities. The use of natural resources should be also limited as much as possible.

2. Economic sustainability refers to practices that promote the economic development of the community. Locals should receive a fair portion of the economic benefits coming from tourism – it could be in the form of jobs, through reinvesting in the community and/or partnering with local suppliers, and through ensuring good working conditions and equal opportunities.  

3. Socio-cultural sustainability is concerned with anything that affects the cultural heritage, the quality of life, and the well-being of the residents. The local culture should be promoted and adequately represented while physical sites should be preserved through investments. The needs and requests of the community shouldn’t be overlooked.  

Finding a balance

Finding a balance between the 3 pillars of sustainable tourism is not always easy.

For instance, mass tourism may sound great to some because a lot of people mean a lot of profits for a destination. However, it is detrimental to the environment and the local communities and the positives are totally outweighed by the negatives.

Similarly, some wildlife experiences are extremely profitable for the locals – a single elephant ride could cover all the weekly expenses of a South Asian family. But they are also extremely harmful to the animals and the economic benefits are not enough to justify the environmental impact.

Conversely, a complete ban on flights may seem a good solution for the environment, but it would also disrupt the economy of remote destinations and small islands. A more balanced solution could be avoiding flying when more sustainable modes of transportation are available and offsetting your emissions when you have no other option.

As you can see, there is no one-size-fits-all. Every case should be evaluated individually to find the best balance between the three dimensions.

Ecotourism vs sustainable tourism: what’s the difference

Ecotourism is a segment of sustainable tourism that is mainly concerned with the conservation and protection of natural areas and focuses on environmental impacts. It has become a much broader term these days and also includes socio-cultural and economic elements.

Here you can read the definition of ecotourism by The International Ecotourism Society, an organization that has been at the forefront of promoting ecotourism for over 30 years.

Responsible tourism vs sustainable tourism: what’s the difference

The definitions of responsible and sustainable tourism overlap almost completely. Responsible tourism places an emphasis on the behavior of individual travelers while sustainable tourism refers to practices and trends at the industry level. But these terms are used interchangeably in many contexts.

Read more on the website of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, the most important sustainability standard for the tourism industry.

Types of sustainable tourism

There exist several types of sustainable tourism. They are all grounded on the 3 dimensions of environmental, economic, and socio-cultural sustainability, but each emphasizes specific aspects. Some of the most popular are:

Community tourism, where visitors are hosted by a community and closely interact with the locals.

Green or nature tourism, revolving around natural areas and national parks.

Agrotourism, centered around farm-to-table food and agricultural activities.

Local tourism, also referred to as small-scale travel.

Voluntourism, in which visitors do volunteer work during their trip.

Rural tourism, prioritizing rural areas over urban ones.

Equitable tourism, promoting economic and social development through tourism.

Why is sustainable tourism important?

It is estimated that 1.8 billion people will be traveling internationally by 2030 and the number is expected to grow as traveling becomes more affordable and accessible (UNWTO). This means that all the negative impacts of tourism described in this article will only get worse if we don’t change the way we see travel.

There are so many opportunities out there and more are being created. It’d be a shame to pass on them until it’s too late. Mass tourism has already created irreversible damage to countless destinations and tourist sites, so we should do our best to preserve all the beauty we have left in this world.

You may feel your individual decisions are too small to actually matter, but every little bit counts. If enough people make responsible choices, certain unethical activities will become unprofitable and gradually disappear. For example, elephant rides have been banned in many national parks and nature reserves as more and more visitors learned about the animal abuse and exploitation that happens behind the scenes.

And there’s more – sustainable tourism is not just about minimizing the negatives. It also has a great potential to generate benefits for the local communities and businesses, the visitors, the environment, as well as anyone else indirectly involved in the industry.

Benefits of sustainable tourism

Sustainable tourism can truly have a positive impact on a destination from an economic, socio-cultural, and environmental perspective.

Economic benefits

To begin with, sustainable tourism sensibly reduces economic leakage and keeps the money within the local economy. This translates into several benefits for all the residents of the area and future visitors. The infographic below shows how tourists support not only the facilities they visit or stay at, but also the suppliers and service providers behind those businesses.

New jobs are created in different areas and more opportunities arise for the locals. This is particularly relevant for minorities and disadvantaged groups that are often left at the margins while others take advantage of their culture. The job market may become more accessible to women as well.  

Better work opportunities also contribute to higher tax revenues that governments can reinvest to improve the infrastructures in the area. It’s a win-win for the residents who see their quality of life improve and future visitors who can enjoy more efficient services during their stay.

© World Travel & Tourism Council: Travel & Tourism Global Economic Impact & Issues 2017 – March 2017. All rights reserved.

Socio-cultural benefits

The socio-economic impacts of tourism are often overlooked because the effects are long-term and not immediately visible during a stay of a few days. However, they’re just as important.

Sustainable tourism is one of the most effective ways to preserve cultural heritage. When tourists are educated and open to learning about the places they visit, the local community feels a greater sense of empowerment and pride. They value their history and are more inclined to pass down traditions and knowledge from generation to generation. Dozens of local languages, skills, and craft-making processes are naturally preserved with no need for external help.

This gives the local authorities a great incentive to act and preserve the cultural heritage through specific programs and initiatives. For instance, Italy has created a certification system to pinpoint traditional food from a specific area. Products have to meet strict criteria to earn the D.O.P. label which can be roughly translated as Protected Designation of Origin. This way, anyone can easily recognize truly authentic food, and local producers are motivated to keep the traditional recipes alive.

Environmental benefits

Sustainable tourism plays an important role in conservation and environmental protection. The more the local community and authorities see their natural environments as assets, the more they’ll be interested in preserving them.

For instance, safaris are very popular among tourists and, if done ethically, don’t harm the animals. In turn, they discourage practices like poaching or trophy hunting. After all, those animals are more valuable alive than dead and sold on the black market. A portion of the profits could be also reinvested in conservation projects starting a virtuous cycle of sustainability.

The same goes for natural areas and parks. Protecting the local habitats and biodiversity is necessary to attract visitors and, at the same time, creates benefits that go well beyond the tourism industry. The fees you pay to enter the reserves contribute to those efforts.

Finally, sustainable tourism is closely associated with lower emissions and pollution as well as a more equitable use and distribution of natural resources.

A short guide to being a responsible tourist

Where to start to become a responsible tourist?

Step 1 – Think about your past trips and make a list of the activities, tours, and experiences you’ve participated in. This should also include the modes of transportation to get to the destination(s) and the kind of accommodation you chose.

Step 2 – Identify the elements that generated the most impact (both positive and negative). If you fly often, transportation is probably the cause of a big chunk of your carbon emissions. On the contrary, a volunteer trip is beneficial to the local community and territory, so it counts towards the positive impacts.

Step 3 – Pick an item and learn how to improve it. You could start with something easy like replacing some of your travel items with eco-friendly ones, or something more demanding like switching to green modes of transportation. You can find more details and inspiration in these guides to accommodation, ethical wildlife tourism, local travel, and packing.

Step 4 – Keep trying and learning as you go. Becoming a responsible traveler is not always straightforward. Things may not work out immediately or there may not be sustainable alternatives that suit you at the moment. Just keep trying and adjust your decisions as you learn more about responsible travel.

Final thoughts

There’s no doubt sustainability is a huge consumer trend. There’s rapidly increasing demand from visitors seeking authentic connections with the local culture, heritage, and community.

Choosing responsible activities and attractions can make the difference between the extinction or survival of an endangered species, the protection or loss of delicate ecosystems, the preservation of cultures and traditions, or the gentrification of rural villages.

Traveling sustainably is easier than it sounds, just start somewhere and go on from there. A series of small steps can take you very far!

Resources

If you made it this far into this article and want to find out more, you can start with these extra resources.

1. Crowded Out: The Story of Overtourism – YouTube video (23 min.)

2. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council website

3. The International Ecotourism Society website

4. UN World Tourism Organization website

5. Carbon Footprint of Tourism – report by Sustainable Travel International