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Plastic pollution is one of the major environmental challenges of our time, and tourism has an important role to play in contributing to the solution.

Much of the plastic used in tourism is made to be thrown away and often can’t be recycled, leading to large amounts of pollution.

of tourism is in coastal areas

Tonnes of plastic in the ocean each year, increase during tourist season.

• Each year, an additional eight million tonnes of plastic end up in the world’s oceans where it is responsible for the deaths of up to one million sea birds, 100,000 sea mammals, marine turtles and countless fish.  
• With 80 per cent of all tourism taking place in coastal areas , plastic from the sector can be a large contributor to this pollution.
• During peak tourist season, marine litter in the Mediterranean region was found to increase by up to 40 per cent.
• In-land and urban tourism can also contribute to marine plastic pollution, with huge amounts of plastic pollution ending up in rivers and getting carried into the oceans .
• If current trends continue, our oceans could contain more plastic than fish by 2050. 

The production of more than 300 million tonnes of new plastic every year also depletes natural resources and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.

• More than 99% of plastics are derived from oil, gas and coal — all of which are dirty, non-renewable resources.  
• If current trends continue, plastic could account for 20% of the world’s total oil consumption by 2050.  
• The process of extracting, transporting and refining those fossil fuels, then manufacturing plastic, pollutes billions of tonnes of greenhouse gases.
• If growth in plastic production and incineration continue, cumulative emissions by 2050 will be over 56 gigatons of CO2e, or 10–13% of the total remaining global carbon budget.  

of plastics o made from oil, gas and coal

Of tonnes of greenhouse gases. o come from making plastics, of oil consumption o could be from plastics by 2050, the global tourism plastics initiative aims to stop plastic ending up as pollution while also reducing the amount of new plastic that needs to be produced.

To realise this vision, tourism companies destinations commit to eliminate the plastic items they don’t need; innovate so all plastics they do need are designed to be safely reused, recycled, or composted; and circulate everything they use to keep it in the economy and out of the environment.

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Integrating circular economy principles in tourism, share this content.

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Circular Economy

Circularity represents a strategic approach for the tourism sector, notably from the point of view of minimizing its environmental impacts, including waste and pollution as well as CO2 emissions, given the potential of a circular economy to decouple economic growth from resource use.

Integrating circularity and further advancing resource efficiency in the tourism value chain represent an opportunity for the tourism sector to embrace a sustainable and resilient pathway.

The COVID-19 crisis raised awareness of the importance of local supply chains and the need to rethink how goods and services are produced and consumed, both key elements of a circular economy .

For tourism businesses, the circular economy can bring competitiveness, not only in connection with opportunities for innovation, differentiation and the diversification of income streams, but also as government and investors are increasingly looking at environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies.

For tourism destinations, the circular economy offers the opportunity to enhance the sustainable development impacts of tourism , generating wellbeing for the local population through the creation of new jobs and more inclusive local value chains, thus creating a virtuous circle between businesses and territories.

For tourists, the circular economy brings an opportunity to leave a positive footprint, to travel with purpose, and can lead to multiplier effects when it comes to the transformation of the whole tourism ecosystem through behaviour change.

The extensive and transversal value chain of tourism offers numerous opportunities to think how can we make longer, better, more circular use of the materials and products that we utilize to deliver our service, creating value and partnerships, and bringing landfill waste as close to zero as possible. Successfully transitioning to a more sustainable and resilient tourism model through the application of circular economy principles will depend on active public private collaboration and partnerships, inter-governmental cooperation, effective policies and policy instruments and financing.

UN Tourism is supporting the shift towards a circular economy in tourism value chains through plastics within the framework of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative , and through food within the framework of the Global Roadmap for Food Waste Reduction in the Tourism Sector :

• Transforming food value chains in tourism The Global Roadmap for Food Waste Reduction in Tourism is a new framework that aims at promoting the uptake of food waste reduction strategies by tourism stakeholders to enhance the contribution of the sector to sustainable food systems. The Roadmap supports the implementation of SDG12.3 and aims to raise awareness among tourism stakeholders of the opportunities deriving from a more sustainable and circular management of food, with special emphasis on reducing food waste as a cost-effective and environmentally responsible strategy.

Circularity represents a key enabler within the framework of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism which aims to accelerate mitigation and adaptation efforts from tourism stakeholders.

All the initiatives are implemented under the umbrella of the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme.

Related links

• The Ninth Environment for Europe Ministerial Conference (UNECE Conference)
• G20 Bali Guidelines for Strengthening Communities and MSME as Tourism Transformation Agents: A People-centred Recovery
• UN Tourism Recommendations for the Transition to a Green Travel and Tourism Economy

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Baseline Report on the Integration of Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns Into Tourism Policies

Ministers Agree to Advance Circularity and Climate Action in Pan European Tourism

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Report: How marine plastic pollution impacts countries that rely on tourism

by India Glyde, University of Wollongong

Pristine beaches full of plastic waste. Picturesque rivers clogged by rubbish and discarded objects. These are not the sights that you find in travel brochures.

But for many countries around the world, which rely on tourism to support their gross domestic products (GDP), these are frequently becoming the sights that greet tourists.

Professor Alistair McIlgorm, from the Australian National Center for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) at the University of Wollongong (UOW), said marine plastic pollution is becoming an increasingly urgent issue in the African coastal locations of Tanzania and Zanzibar, which rely on tourism to drive the local and national economies.

As the lead researcher and consultant on a recent World Bank PROBLUE study into the costs of environmental degradation from marine plastic pollution in Eastern Africa, Professor McIlgorm has seen the problem firsthand. He said, as with all plastic pollution, prevention is better than the cure.

Professor McIlgorm conducted the research alongside Dr. Jian Xie, Senior Environmental Specialist at The World Bank. Titled " The Costs of Environmental Degradation from Plastic Pollution in Selected Coastal Areas in the United Republic of Tanzania ", the report was published by the World Bank last month.

The World Bank study sought to measure the environmental costs of marine plastic pollution in two sites—Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Zanzibar Island in the Zanzibar Archipelago—by estimating the economic impacts on fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, health, and the marine ecosystem.

The World Bank is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. ANCORS is the only multidisciplinary university-based center of its type in the Southern Hemisphere dedicated to delivering specialized research, advisory services, education and training in ocean law and policy, maritime security, and marine resources management.

This is the first study of its kind that determines the cost of environmental degradation caused by marine plastic pollution.

"The project found that across the two sites, in 2019, there was a measurable impact of US$28 million, two thirds of which is being borne by the tourism industry ," Professor McIlgorm said.

"Zanzibar is a popular tourist destination, and the project used survey responses from tourists to show the impact—approximately US$13.7 million—that marine plastic pollution has on how tourists feel about the destination. This study is a significant development in estimating the tangible impact of plastic on marine industries and the environment."

Both Tanzania and Zanzibar have experienced considerable population growth and urbanization in recent years, the report found, and with that has come an increased demand for products that contain plastic. However, Professor McIlgorm said, like much of the continent and indeed the world, there is not the infrastructure to support disposing of those mountains of plastic.

Sustaining healthy oceans and the responsible consumption of resources are both part of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, and are central to a health future for countries and territories in East Africa.

While the study focused on Tanzania and Zanzibar, it is a problem that countless countries throughout the world, who rely on tourism, are grappling with.

"There are immediate actions that can be taken, such as beach cleaning in the tourist season. But in the longer term, the challenge is how to increase the effectiveness of waste management systems. How can hotels reduce plastic in their operations? How can companies that host tourists better improve their plastic waste management?" Professor McIlgorm said.

"Plastic waste leakage contaminates beaches and marine ecosystems and creates economic losses in local economies. Globally, only ten percent of total plastic waste is recycled and 14 percent is burned. The rest is either buried or remains unmanaged, which is how it can so easily enter waterways and the ocean."

While the research is specific to the coast of East Africa, Professor McIlgorm said there are lessons that can be applied globally about the cost of marine plastic pollution to a town or country's economy, and the need to find ways to address this urgent global problem.

"One of the main problems in Tanzania and Zanzibar, and in many other parts of the developing world, is dealing with plastic before it enters the ocean. The Tanzania government introduced legislation banning the sale of single-use plastic bags in 2019 and this is reducing plastic waste volumes," Professor McIlgorm said.

"However, dealing with all plastic waste through improved solid waste management in Dar es Salaam, one of the fastest growing cities in Africa, will take significant efforts. This is an area where government, industry and NGOs can cooperate by encouraging extended producer responsibility.

"Throughout the world, marine plastic pollution imposes significant costs on economies and the environment, but these costs are avoidable. Preventing these costs can restore economic benefits, particularly for areas that rely heavily on tourism, and also go a long way towards restoring the health of our precious ocean."

UOW Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research and Sustainable Futures) Professor David Currow said this research reflected the University's commitment to sustaining coastal and marine environments for generations to come.

"Congratulations to Professor McIlgorm and to World Bank PROBLUE on this important study, which captures the impact that marine plastic pollution has upon nations that rely on tourism for the livelihood of their citizens and their economy," Professor Currow said.

"Marine plastic pollution is an absolute scourge on our environment, and combating this is fundamental to creating healthy, sustainable oceans for our future."

Provided by University of Wollongong

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Sustainable tourism and its effects on waste management

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Historical Background
• 3 Key Concepts and Definitions
• 4.1 The impact of unsustainable tourism practices on waste management
• 4.2 Strategies for sustainable waste management in the tourism industry
• 4.3 The role of stakeholders in promoting sustainable waste management in tourism
• 5 Case Studies or Examples
• 6 Current Trends or Developments
• 7 Challenges or Controversies
• 8 Future Outlook
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Introduction

Sustainable tourism and waste management have gained significant attention in recent years due to their interconnected nature and impact on the tourism industry. This article aims to provide an in-depth exploration of these subjects, highlighting their importance and the role they play in shaping a greener and more responsible future.

Historical Background

To fully understand the current state of sustainable tourism and waste management, it is crucial to delve into their historical background. Sustainable tourism has evolved over the years, with its roots tracing back to the 1970s when global environmental concerns first gained momentum. Milestones such as the establishment of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the publication of the Brundtland Report have greatly influenced our understanding of sustainability in the tourism sector.

Key Concepts and Definitions

This section aims to define and explore key concepts related to sustainable tourism and waste management. Sustainable tourism refers to a form of tourism that takes into account environmental, social, and economic considerations, with the goal of minimizing negative impacts and maximizing positive ones. Waste management encompasses strategies and practices aimed at reducing, recycling, and properly disposing of waste generated by tourism activities.

Main Discussion Points

The impact of unsustainable tourism practices on waste management.

Improper waste management within the tourism industry leads to the generation of excessive waste, causing severe environmental and social consequences. Inadequate disposal methods, lack of recycling initiatives, and excessive waste production contribute to pollution, habitat degradation, and harm to local communities.

Strategies for sustainable waste management in the tourism industry

To address the challenges posed by unsustainable waste management practices, various strategies can be implemented. These include waste reduction and prevention techniques, promoting recycling and proper waste disposal, and emphasizing the importance of waste segregation and composting. Adopting these measures can significantly reduce the ecological footprint of the tourism industry.

The role of stakeholders in promoting sustainable waste management in tourism

Achieving sustainable waste management in tourism requires the collective effort of various stakeholders. Governments and regulatory bodies play a crucial role in setting and enforcing waste management policies. Tourism operators and businesses must take responsibility for implementing sustainable practices. Additionally, community involvement and education are vital in raising awareness and fostering a culture of sustainable waste management.

Case Studies or Examples

Real-world examples of destinations and organizations successfully implementing sustainable waste management practices in tourism can provide valuable insights. These initiatives showcase the positive outcomes and impacts of embracing sustainable practices, both in terms of environmental conservation and community development.

Current Trends or Developments

The field of sustainable tourism and waste management is constantly evolving with new trends and developments. Innovative technologies and practices, such as waste-to-energy conversion and circular economy approaches, are gaining momentum. Research findings related to waste management in tourism also contribute to our understanding of effective strategies and their potential impact on the industry.

Challenges or Controversies

Implementing sustainable waste management practices in tourism is not without its challenges. Economic factors, limited resources, and resistance to change can hinder progress. Additionally, differing viewpoints on waste management strategies can lead to controversies. Addressing these challenges and controversies is essential for finding effective solutions and ensuring the long-term success of sustainable waste management in tourism.

Future Outlook

Looking towards the future, sustainable waste management in tourism holds immense potential. Advancements and innovations in technology, along with increased collaboration between stakeholders, can lead to significant progress. Continued research and the integration of sustainable practices into all aspects of the tourism industry will drive positive change and foster a greener future.

In conclusion, sustainable tourism and waste management are integral to the well-being of our planet and the tourism industry. By acknowledging the impact of unsustainable practices, implementing effective strategies, and actively involving all stakeholders, we can create a more environmentally responsible and socially conscious tourism sector.

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Carbon Footprint of Tourism

How travel contributes to the climate emergency.

Tourism is responsible for roughly  8%  of the world’s carbon emissions. From plane flights and boat rides to souvenirs and lodging, various activities contribute to tourism’s carbon footprint. The majority of this footprint is emitted by visitors from high-income countries, with U.S. travelers at the top of the list. As the number of people who can afford to travel grows, so will tourism’s environmental footprint.

Keep reading to learn about some of the different ways that travel produces CO2. 

This graph shows the different activities that contribute to tourism’s total carbon footprint.

Data Source:  Nature Climate Change (2018)

Getting from here to there is the most basic component of tourism. Planes, cars, trains, boats, and even hot air balloons allow us to explore destinations all around the world. However, all of our jet-setting and road-tripping comes with a hefty carbon footprint. 

Today, transportation is tourism’s main source of greenhouse gas emissions. On average, planes and cars generate the most CO2 per passenger mile, with tour buses, ferries, and trains coming well behind. In recent years, the number of people traveling internationally skyrocketed as airfare became more affordable. Similarly, between 2005 and 2016, transport-related tourism emissions increased by more than  60% .

These are averages based on  2020 UK conversion factors.  Values will vary based on distance traveled, vehicle model, occupancy rate, flight class, and various other factors.

It would take an acre of forest a year to absorb the same  amount  of CO2 emissions of a one-way flight from London to New York. That’s about the same  amount  of emissions that the average person in Zimbabwe generates over an entire year.

In the same way your house generates emissions from energy use, so do the hotels, homestays, and rental homes that you stay in while on vacation. Many accommodations rely on heating and air conditioning to keep guest rooms at a pleasant temperature in hot or cold climates. These energy-intensive systems create CO2, as do the water heaters used to warm showers, pools, and spas. Electricity used to power lights, TVs, refrigerators, laundry machines, and other equipment is also a big contributor, especially in areas with dated or inefficient systems. 

Emissions from lodging tend to be highest in resorts and hotels that offer modern services, while smaller lodgings such as homestays and guest houses have lower emissions for the most part.

Data Source:  Caribbean Hotel Energy Efficiency Action Program (2012)

While hotels can lessen their footprint by utilizing clean energy sources, most still depend on dirty fossil fuels for the majority of their energy. According to the 2018  Green Lodging Trends Report , only 21% of hotels currently have on-site renewable energy.

Construction

Resorts, airports, and other tourism facilities can produce massive amounts of carbon even before they open their doors to tourists. Constructing a new building is an energy-intensive process – manufacturing the materials, transporting everything to the site, and constructing the building all generate carbon emissions. And it’s not just buildings that leave behind a footprint – the development of roads and other infrastructure for tourism also contributes to climate change.

Destruction of Carbon Sinks

Along with the construction process, tourism development emits carbon through the clearing of natural areas. Ecosystems, such as forests, act as carbon sinks by absorbing and storing emissions. When this carbon-rich vegetation is removed, CO2 is released back into the atmosphere. 

The mangrove forests that grow along coastlines in many tropical destinations have a tremendous capacity to store carbon. Studies show that they can store up to  4 times  more carbon than most other tropical forests around the world. Sadly, vast areas of mangroves are often cleared to make way for tourist infrastructure such as seaside resorts, beaches, marinas, and entertainment areas.  

The world lost a football field-sized area of tropical forest every five seconds in 2019, causing the same amount of carbon emissions that  400 million  cars would produce over an entire year

Food & Drink

Food production is responsible for roughly  one-quarter  of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Getting food from farm to table means growing, processing, transporting, packaging, refrigerating, and cooking – all of which require energy and contribute to your meal’s carbon footprint. Travel often multiplies this footprint since people tend to indulge more while on vacation. 

To cater to visitor tastes, many hotels and restaurants import the majority of their food products from other countries. Remote island destinations are especially dependent on imports. It is estimated that up to  80%  of the food consumed by the tourism industry in Pacific islands is brought in from overseas. The farther food travels, the more emissions are generated – and to get food to these secluded islands, it has to travel a very long way

Thanks to all-you-can eat hotel buffets and oversized restaurant portions, a substantial amount of the food produced for tourism ends up getting thrown away. When food is wasted, this means that all of those emissions that were generated by its production were unnecessary. Globally, less than half of hotels compost their food waste. When this food decomposes in landfills it creates methane which is  21 times  more potent than carbon dioxide. 

Data Source: Waste & Resources Action Programme    

Wastage of food in tourism is part of a larger, global issue. In fact, if food waste were a country, it would be the world’s  3rd largest  emitter of CO2. 

Though every trip must eventually come to an end, tourists are sure to return home with magnets, hats, art pieces, and other trinkets to remind them of their vacation. But traveler purchases aren’t limited to kitschy souvenirs. From street markets to high-end boutiques, shopping is now a travel experience in itself. 

Whether its jewelry or electronics, the carbon footprint of an item must be calculated with production, manufacturing and shipping in mind. There’s something special about purchasing an item that was made locally in the destination, yet oftentimes souvenirs and other products are mass-produced in factories far away. An item may have travelled between a number of countries and continents before reaching its final destination. For example, the cotton used to make a t-shirt sold in New York may have originated from China, been shipped to Vietnam for manufacturing then flown to New York for sale. Travelers’ buying habits are often different from locals’, thus increasing production emissions.

Looking Ahead

With the impacts of climate change becoming increasingly evident, it is critical that local governments, tourism businesses and suppliers, along with individual travelers all take action to reduce the industry’s reliance on fossil fuels.

New technologies such as solar-powered water heaters, temperature control systems, and energy saving appliances allow the industry to lessen its carbon footprint. Yet these innovations are not enough to outweigh the emissions created by a growing number of travelers.  Projections  indicate that tourism emissions could reach 6.5 billion metric tons by 2025. This represents a 44% increase from 2013, and is equivalent to about 13% of  current  global greenhouse gas emissions. For those emissions that aren’t yet avoidable,  carbon offsetting  should be used to complement sustainability practices and reduce tourism’s carbon footprint.

What You Can Do

Use our online calculator to determine the amount of emissions generated by your travels

Lessen the carbon footprint of your next trip by adopting these sustainable travel practices

Your carbon footprint by supporting forestry or energy projects that reduce CO2 and benefit communities

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Waste management, tourism

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Waste management, in general, refers to an integrated approach to eliminating waste effectively and efficiently, avoiding any impact on the society and the environment. It is a process which may include activities like collecting, separating, processing, reducing, recycling, reusing, and restoring waste. Waste is lately treated as an outcome of inefficient use of resources and contributes significantly to various environmental and social impacts, such as pollution and health issues. Though there are some commendable attempts to manage waste properly, many communities across the world are still suffering from the menace of its improper treatment. Industries, including tourism, constitute one of the largest contributors to waste production.

There are a number of waste treatment methods, including traditional types such as land filling, composting, and open burning, all of which are incomprehensive. The growing concern associated with the handling of waste led the Rio Earth Summit ( 1992 )...

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Chan, W., and K. Wong 2006 Estimation of Weight of Solid Waste: Newspapers in Hong Kong Hotels. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research 30:231-245.

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Dileep, M. 2007 Tourism and Waste Management: A Review of Implementation of “Zero Waste” at Kovalam. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research 12:377-392.

Kuniyal, C. 2005 Solid Waste Management in the Himalayan Trails and Expedition Summits. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 13:391-410.

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Dileep, M.R. (2014). Waste management, tourism. In: Jafari, J., Xiao, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Tourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_635-1

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• Ways In Which Tourism Contributes To Pollution

• With thousands of tourists flocking historic sites, beaches, and other places of interest, many environmentalists are noticing the significant amount of waste and pollution visitors often leave behind.
• According to a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change, tourism accounts for 8 percent of the world’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. About 90 percent of all these emissions come from transportation.
• According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), cruise ships produce 70,000 tons of wastewater every year, and that’s just in the Caribbean alone.

While it is generally believed that tourism is a strong economic driver that forms an integral part of a country’s economic backbone, many environmentalists are realizing its detrimental effects on the environment. With thousands of tourists flocking historic sites, beaches, and other places of interest, numerous environmental organizations are noticing the significant amount of waste and pollution visitors often leave behind. If not carefully planned by tourism industry stakeholders and not made sustainable, tourism can ultimately become a disadvantage especially when it comes to the world’s battle against climate change.

Here's a list of all the other ways tourism is contributing to pollution worldwide.

10. Tourists Are Leaving Trash In Beaches

Seeing plastic cups, glass bottles, and all kinds of garbage scattered around the shore by the beach isn’t something new. It has become a common sight, especially in those places most frequently visited by tourists. These items, most of which are non-biodegradable, get pushed to the waters and end up in the belly of some marine animals . Numerous fish have been seen swimming with trash wrapped around their body, and even dying after ingesting them.

9. Some Hotels Are Dumping Waste Water Into The Ocean

Numerous hotels even those belonging to popular hotel chains have been caught dumping wastewater into the ocean. Wastewater often contains toxic chemicals that can kill marine animals and aquatic plants thereby disrupting the ecosystem in the surrounding area. Because of this indiscriminate dumping of untreated wastewater into the sea, some seas have become heavily polluted with a severe depletion of oxygen levels.

8. Tourism Produces Greenhouse Gas Emissions

According to a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change tourism accounts for 8 percent of the world’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. About 90 percent of all these emissions come from transportation. Air travel is seen as the biggest contributor with transatlantic flights believed to produce the most emissions. Among all the countries three have been found to produce the most emissions from travel China, the US, and Germany .

7. Forests Are Cut Down To Make Way For Structures

A tourism boom in an area creates more demand for accommodation and areas of recreation. Many forests along with thousands of years old trees are getting cut down to make way for hotels, resorts, golf courses, and other leisure facilities. With not enough trees to filter the air, air pollution has become more apparent in many tourist spots. Cutting down trees to make space for parking lots and theme parks or hotels is taking its toll on air quality and temperature levels in some places.

6. Cruiseships Produce Tons of Wastewater

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) , cruise ships produce 70,000 tons of wastewater every year, and that’s just in the Caribbean alone. Mammoth ships often carrying thousands of visitors often produce waste streams that may be harmful to the environment. The United States Environmental Protection Agency lists a few types of wastewater cruise ships produce including sewage, bilge water (that’s collected at the bottom hull and contains oil and other contaminants), and gray water from showers or sinks among others.

5. Visitors Are Leaving Trash In The Mountains

Even campsites and hiking trails are sometimes littered with trash people leave behind. Many of those who settle in these forests for the night set up camp and then leave garbage the following morning. Camp rangers often find mounds of plastic waste including cups, soda cans, plastic spoon, or forks which sometimes end up lingering in the forests for years because they are not biodegradable. Some of these items can even end up injuring wild animals in the forest especially when they ingest sharp items like pieces of glass or cans.

4. Tourism Is Causing Noise Pollution

Many places that attract hordes of tourists every year produce a significant amount of noise either from the constant influx of vehicles or loud music played by visitors. Various studies have shown that noise pollution is detrimental to the well being of both humans and animals. Constant exposure to noise pollution puts people at risk of developing high blood pressure, heart problems, stress, and irregular sleep patterns. In some animals, noise pollution causes their hearts to beat faster and disrupts their ability to survive since sound is used to attract a mate, find food, or avoid danger.

3. People Leave Trash In Tourist Sites

Solid waste left behind in tourist sites like Machu Pichu, Venice, the Eifel Tower, and the Great Wall among other popular areas, is the biggest challenge brought about by large-scale tourism. Trash is continuing to pile up in tourist sites and sometimes these overwhelm waste management systems that have trouble keeping up. Plastic bottles, little pieces of plastic from trinkets or souvenirs, and other garbage are often left scattered by visitors, especially in big tourist destinations.

2. Visitors Can Cause Forest Fires

According to the US National Park Service , 85 percent of wildfires in the US are caused by human activities. “Human-caused fires result from campfires left unattended, the burning of debris, equipment use and malfunctions, [and] negligently discarded cigarettes,” the group says. Campers sometimes leave campfires unattended or leave the site without completely putting out the fire. A gust of wind is all it takes for it to spread into the trees and engulf the entire forest. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) wildfires release large amounts of carbon dioxide, black carbon, brown carbon, and ozone precursors into the atmosphere.

1. Mass Tourism Causes Light Pollution

Light pollution is another side effect of mass tourism. Blinding artificial lights from streamers, billboards, strobe lights, and spotlights causing light pollution could have negative effects on the health of humans and animals. Light is an important navigational tool for some animals, especially for sea turtles. Baby sea turtles are known to stay under the sand until temperatures get cooler, so they come out at night. They then instinctively move towards the brightest area which is the ocean. But due to light pollution sea turtles die when they get disoriented and move towards artificial sources of light around beaches.  

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Tourism and the war on waste

Why waste management is not 'just' an environmental issue.

When discussing waste in the tourism and hospitality industry, we often focus on the environmental impacts: the single use plastic that clogs the oceans and the wasted food that ends up in landfills where it releases harmful gases.

But waste is not “just” an environmental issue. It also has far-reaching social,  financial and moral impacts .

Food, food everywhere, and not a bite to eat

When it comes to food waste, two alarming statistics are at extreme odds with each other:

• One-third of all food produced globally is wasted; the hospitality and food service industry accounts for 26% of this.
• Although the world produces enough food to feed 10 billion people, almost one in 10 don’t have enough to eat.

When so many people face food insecurity, the issue of waste becomes a moral one.

Food – and the associated costs and emissions – is wasted at all points of the supply chain, from cultivation through transportation and storage, to preparation and final consumption.

Tourism businesses can quickly improve their bottom lines and reduce their footprint by tackling food waste. In fact, hotels that invest in food waste reduction programmes see an average 600% return on investment.

Check out our article on 10 ways to  reduce food waste in your tourism and hospitality business.

​Life in plastic? Not fantastic.

The tourism and hospitality industry produces 150 million tons of single-use plastic every year. At this rate, by 2050, the ocean will contain more plastic than fish.

There are plenty of areas where the industry can cut down on plastic, from cute bottles of soap, shampoo and lotion to heaps of single-use straws and cutlery to the ready availability of bottled water.

Example: Recycling Soap

Take soap as an example. Some hotels provide bars of soap to reduce plastic waste. But the US alone throws out two million partially used bars of soap every day. Yet soap is a luxury for millions of people worldwide, with the World Health Organization saying millions of children’s lives could have been saved throughout the COVID-19 pandemic if they had soap to wash their hands with. Two potential solutions exist to the soap waste problem in tourism and hospitality.

• The first is to ditch the soap bars and tiny plastic bottles and switch to larger, wall-mounted dispensers that can be refilled.
• Or hotels can recycle discarded soap into new bars that they can use in their own operations or donate to sanitation projects.

This was the approach taken by The Hilton . Together with Clean the World , the hotel chain distributed 7.6 million bars of recycled soap over the past decade, keeping two million pounds of soap and bottles out of landfills and potentially saving thousands of lives.

There is also an opportunity to upskill people in your community in the craft of soap making and recycling. This way, you’ll support local economic development, create jobs, and address the sanitation crisis.

Waste not, want not

The phrase “waste not, want not” emphasises the importance of not wasting resources today if we want to avoid shortages in future.

Here are other ways to address the environmental, social and financial impacts of waste in your tourism operations:

• Join the circular economy . Squeeze as much life out of your resources as possible. Compost food waste. Recycle everything that can be recycled. Repurpose used linens into cleaning rags or donate them to a local charity. The Locke chain of aparthotels recycles used pillowcases into laundry bags for guests, a great example of simple circular innovation.
• Get your community involved . As custodians of their environment, local people often have interesting ideas and knowledge when it comes to protecting and restoring ecosystems.
• Pick the low-hanging fruit . Tackle water waste by fixing leaking taps, installing timers on irrigation systems, choosing indigenous plants, switching to low-flow taps and shower heads, using grey water in the gardens and encouraging guests to reuse towels and linen to reduce the amount of water and energy used in laundry.

Need help and ideas for getting to zero waste? Weeva’s Zero Waste and Sustainable and Ethical Procurement parameters help you to educate your staff, reduce waste across your operations and implement practical, effective measures to make a positive impact.

Like what you read?

Read our article on Food waste management in the tourism industry .

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Food for Thought

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14 important environmental impacts of tourism + explanations + examples

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The environmental impacts of tourism have gained increasing attention in recent years.

With the rise in sustainable tourism and an increased number of initiatives for being environmentally friendly, tourists and stakeholders alike are now recognising the importance of environmental management in the tourism industry.

In this post, I will explain why the environmental impacts of tourism are an important consideration and what the commonly noted positive and negative environmental impacts of tourism are.

Why the environment is so important to tourism

Positive environmental impacts of tourism, water resources, land degradation , local resources , air pollution and noise , solid waste and littering , aesthetic pollution, construction activities and infrastructure development, deforestation and intensified or unsustainable use of land , marina development, coral reefs, anchoring and other marine activities , alteration of ecosystems by tourist activities , environmental impacts of tourism: conclusion, environmental impacts of tourism reading list.

The quality of the environment, both natural and man-made, is essential to tourism. However, tourism’s relationship with the environment is complex and many activities can have adverse environmental effects if careful tourism planning and management is not undertaken.

It is ironic really, that tourism often destroys the very things that it relies on!

Many of the negative environmental impacts that result from tourism are linked with the construction of general infrastructure such as roads and airports, and of tourism facilities, including resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops, golf courses and marinas. The negative impacts of tourism development can gradually destroy the environmental resources on which it depends.

It’s not ALL negative, however!

Tourism has the potential to create beneficial effects on the environment by contributing to environmental protection and conservation. It is a way to raise awareness of environmental values and it can serve as a tool to finance protection of natural areas and increase their economic importance.

In this article I have outlined exactly how we can both protect and destroy the environment through tourism. I have also created a new YouTube video on the environmental impacts of tourism, you can see this below. (by the way- you can help me to be able to keep content like this free for everyone to access by subscribing to my YouTube channel! And don’t forget to leave me a comment to say hi too!).

Although there are not as many (far from it!) positive environmental impacts of tourism as there are negative, it is important to note that tourism CAN help preserve the environment!

The most commonly noted positive environmental impact of tourism is raised awareness. Many destinations promote ecotourism and sustainable tourism and this can help to educate people about the environmental impacts of tourism. Destinations such as Costa Rica and The Gambia have fantastic ecotourism initiatives that promote environmentally-friendly activities and resources. There are also many national parks, game reserves and conservation areas around the world that help to promote positive environmental impacts of tourism.

Positive environmental impacts can also be induced through the NEED for the environment. Tourism can often not succeed without the environment due the fact that it relies on it (after all we can’t go on a beach holiday without a beach or go skiing without a mountain, can we?).

In many destinations they have organised operations for tasks such as cleaning the beach in order to keep the destination aesthetically pleasant and thus keep the tourists happy. Some destinations have taken this further and put restrictions in place for the number of tourists that can visit at one time.

Not too long ago the island of Borocay in the Philippines was closed to tourists to allow time for it to recover from the negative environmental impacts that had resulted from large-scale tourism in recent years. Whilst inconvenient for tourists who had planned to travel here, this is a positive example of tourism environmental management and we are beginning to see more examples such as this around the world.

Negative environmental impacts of tourism

Negative environmental impacts of tourism occur when the level of visitor use is greater than the environment’s ability to cope with this use.

Uncontrolled conventional tourism poses potential threats to many natural areas around the world. It can put enormous pressure on an area and lead to impacts such as: soil erosion , increased pollution, discharges into the sea, natural habitat loss, increased pressure on endangered species and heightened vulnerability to forest fires. It often puts a strain on water resources, and it can force local populations to compete for the use of critical resources.

I will explain each of these negative environmental impacts of tourism below.

Depletion of natural resources

Tourism development can put pressure on natural resources when it increases consumption in areas where resources are already scarce. Some of the most common noted examples include using up water resources, land degradation and the depletion of other local resources.

The tourism industry generally overuses water resources for hotels, swimming pools, golf courses and personal use of water by tourists. This can result in water shortages and degradation of water supplies, as well as generating a greater volume of waste water.

In drier regions, like the Mediterranean, the issue of water scarcity is of particular concern. Because of the hot climate and the tendency for tourists to consume more water when on holiday than they do at home, the amount used can run up to 440 litres a day. This is almost double what the inhabitants of an average Spanish city use. 

Golf course maintenance can also deplete fresh water resources.

In recent years golf tourism has increased in popularity and the number of golf courses has grown rapidly.

Golf courses require an enormous amount of water every day and this can result in water scarcity. Furthermore, golf resorts are more and more often situated in or near protected areas or areas where resources are limited, exacerbating their impacts.

An average golf course in a tropical country such as Thailand needs 1500kg of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides per year and uses as much water as 60,000 rural villagers.

Important land resources include fertile soil, forests , wetlands and wildlife. Unfortunately, tourism often contributes to the degradation of said resources. Increased construction of tourism facilities has increased the pressure on these resources and on scenic landscapes.

Animals are often displaced when their homes are destroyed or when they are disturbed by noise. This may result in increased animals deaths, for example road-kill deaths. It may also contribute to changes in behaviour.

Animals may become a nuisance, by entering areas that they wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) usually go into, such as people’s homes. It may also contribute towards aggressive behaviour when animals try to protect their young or savage for food that has become scarce as a result of tourism development.

Picturesque landscapes are often destroyed by tourism. Whilst many destinations nowadays have limits and restrictions on what development can occur and in what style, many do not impose any such rules. High rise hotels and buildings which are not in character with the surrounding architecture or landscape contribute to a lack of atheistic appeal.

Forests often suffer negative impacts of tourism in the form of deforestation caused by fuel wood collection and land clearing. For example, one trekking tourist in Nepal can use four to five kilograms of wood a day!

There are also many cases of erosion, whereby tourists may trek the same path or ski the same slope so frequently that it erodes the natural landscape. Sites such as Machu Pichu have been forced to introduce restrictions on tourist numbers to limit the damage caused.

Tourism can create great pressure on local resources like energy, food, and other raw materials that may already be in short supply. Greater extraction and transport of these resources exacerbates the physical impacts associated with their exploitation.

Because of the seasonal character of the industry, many destinations have ten times more inhabitants in the high season as in the low season.

A high demand is placed upon these resources to meet the high expectations tourists often have (proper heating, hot water, etc.). This can put significant pressure on the local resources and infrastructure, often resulting in the local people going without in order to feed the tourism industry.

Tourism can cause the same forms of pollution as any other industry: Air emissions; noise pollution; solid waste and littering; sewage; oil and chemicals. The tourism industry also contributes to forms of architectural/visual pollution.

Transport by air, road, and rail is continuously increasing in response to the rising number of tourists and their greater mobility. In fact, tourism accounts for more than 60% of all air travel.

One study estimated that a single transatlantic return flight emits almost half the CO2 emissions produced by all other sources (lighting, heating, car use, etc.) consumed by an average person yearly- that’s a pretty shocking statistic!

I remember asking my class to calculate their carbon footprint one lesson only to be very embarrassed that my emissions were A LOT higher than theirs due to the amount of flights I took each year compared to them. Point proven I guess….

Anyway, air pollution from tourist transportation has impacts on a global level, especially from CO2 emissions related to transportation energy use. This can contribute to severe local air pollution . It also contributes towards climate change.

Fortunately, technological advancements in aviation are seeing more environmentally friendly aircraft and fuels being used worldwide, although the problem is far from being cured. If you really want to help save the environment, the answer is to seek alternative methods of transportation and avoid flying.

You can also look at ways to offset your carbon footprint .

Noise pollution can also be a concern.

Noise pollution from aircraft, cars, buses, (+ snowmobiles and jet skis etc etc) can cause annoyance, stress, and even hearing loss for humans. It also causes distress to wildlife and can cause animals to alter their natural activity patterns. Having taught at a university near London Heathrow for several years, this was always a topic of interest to my students and made a popular choice of dissertation topic .

In areas with high concentrations of tourist activities and appealing natural attractions, waste disposal is a serious problem, contributing significantly to the environmental impacts of tourism.

Improper waste disposal can be a major despoiler of the natural environment. Rivers, scenic areas, and roadsides are areas that are commonly found littered with waste, ranging from plastic bottles to sewage.

Cruise tourism in the Caribbean, for example, is a major contributor to this negative environmental impact of tourism. Cruise ships are estimated to produce more than 70,000 tons of waste each year. 

The Wider Caribbean Region, stretching from Florida to French Guiana, receives 63,000 port calls from ships each year, and they generate 82,000 tons of rubbish. About 77% of all ship waste comes from cruise vessels. On average, passengers on a cruise ship each account for 3.5 kilograms of rubbish daily – compared with the 0.8 kilograms each generated by the less well-endowed folk on shore.

Whilst it is generally an unwritten rule that you do not throw rubbish into the sea, this is difficult to enforce in the open ocean . In the past cruise ships would simply dump their waste while out at sea. Nowadays, fortunately, this is less commonly the case, however I am sure that there are still exceptions.

Solid waste and littering can degrade the physical appearance of the water and shoreline and cause the death of marine animals. Just take a look at the image below. This is a picture taken of the insides of a dead bird. Bird often mistake floating plastic for fish and eat it. They can not digest plastic so once their stomachs become full they starve to death. This is all but one sad example of the environmental impacts of tourism.

Mountain areas also commonly suffer at the hands of the tourism industry. In mountain regions, trekking tourists generate a great deal of waste. Tourists on expedition frequently leave behind their rubbish, oxygen cylinders and even camping equipment. I have heard many stories of this and I also witnessed it first hand when I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro .

The construction of hotels, recreation and other facilities often leads to increased sewage pollution. 

Unfortunately, many destinations, particularly in the developing world, do not have strict law enrichments on sewage disposal. As a result, wastewater has polluted seas and lakes surrounding tourist attractions around the world. This damages the flora and fauna in the area and can cause serious damage to coral reefs.

Sewage pollution threatens the health of humans and animals.

I’ll never forget the time that I went on a school trip to climb Snowdonia in Wales. The water running down the streams was so clear and perfect that some of my friends had suggested we drink some. What’s purer than mountain fresh water right from the mountain, right?

A few minutes later we saw a huge pile of (human??) feaces in the water upstream!!

Often tourism fails to integrate its structures with the natural features and indigenous architecture of the destination. Large, dominating resorts of disparate design can look out of place in any natural environment and may clash with the indigenous structural design. 

A lack of land-use planning and building regulations in many destinations has facilitated sprawling developments along coastlines, valleys and scenic routes. The sprawl includes tourism facilities themselves and supporting infrastructure such as roads, employee housing, parking, service areas, and waste disposal. This can make a tourist destination less appealing and can contribute to a loss of appeal.

Physical impacts of tourism development

Whilst the tourism industry itself has a number of negative environmental impacts. There are also a number of physical impacts that arise from the development of the tourism industry. This includes the construction of buildings, marinas, roads etc.

The development of tourism facilities can involve sand mining, beach and sand dune erosion and loss of wildlife habitats.

The tourist often will not see these side effects of tourism development, but they can have devastating consequences for the surrounding environment. Animals may displaced from their habitats and the noise from construction may upset them.

I remember reading a while ago (although I can’t seem to find where now) that in order to develop the resort of Kotu in The Gambia, a huge section of the coastline was demolished in order to be able to use the sand for building purposes. This would inevitably have had severe consequences for the wildlife living in the area.

Construction of ski resort accommodation and facilities frequently requires clearing forested land.

Land may also be cleared to obtain materials used to build tourism sites, such as wood.

I’ll never forget the site when I flew over the Amazon Rainforest only to see huge areas of forest cleared. That was a sad reality to see.

Likewise, coastal wetlands are often drained due to lack of more suitable sites. Areas that would be home to a wide array of flora and fauna are turned into hotels, car parks and swimming pools.

The building of marinas and ports can also contribute to the negative environmental impacts of tourism.

Development of marinas and breakwaters can cause changes in currents and coastlines.

These changes can have vast impacts ranging from changes in temperatures to erosion spots to the wider ecosystem.

Coral reefs are especially fragile marine ecosystems. They suffer worldwide from reef-based tourism developments and from tourist activity.

Evidence suggests a variety of impacts to coral result from shoreline development. Increased sediments in the water can affect growth. Trampling by tourists can damage or even kill coral. Ship groundings can scrape the bottom of the sea bed and kill the coral. Pollution from sewage can have adverse effects.

All of these factors contribute to a decline and reduction in the size of coral reefs worldwide. This then has a wider impact on the global marine life and ecosystem, as many animals rely on the coral for as their habitat and food source.

Physical impacts from tourist activities

The last point worth mentioning when discussing the environmental impacts of tourism is the way in which physical impacts can occur as a result of tourist activities.

This includes tramping, anchoring, cruising and diving. The more this occurs, the more damage that is caused. Natural, this is worse in areas with mass tourism and overtourism .

Tourists using the same trail over and over again trample the vegetation and soil, eventually causing damage that can lead to loss of biodiversity and other impacts. 

Such damage can be even more extensive when visitors frequently stray off established trails. This is evidenced in Machu Pichu as well as other well known destinations and attractions, as I discussed earlier in this post.

 In marine areas many tourist activities occur in or around fragile ecosystems. 

Anchoring, scuba diving, yachting and cruising are some of the activities that can cause direct degradation of marine ecosystems such as coral reefs. As I said previously, this can have a significant knock on effect on the surrounding ecosystem.

Habitats can be degraded by tourism leisure activities.

For example, wildlife viewing can bring about stress for the animals and alter their natural behaviour when tourists come too close. 

As I have articulated throughout this post, there are a range of environmental impacts that result from tourism. Whilst some are good, the majority unfortunately are bad. The answer to many of these problems boils down to careful tourism planning and management and the adoption of sustainable tourism principles.

Did you find this article helpful? Take a look at my posts on the social impacts of tourism and the economic impacts of tourism too! Oh, and follow me on social media !

If you are studying the environmental impacts of tourism or if you are interested in learning more about the environmental impacts of tourism, I have compiled a short reading list for you below.

• The 3 types of travel and tourism organisations
• 150 types of tourism! The ultimate tourism glossary
• 50 fascinating facts about the travel and tourism industry

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Trash and Overcrowding at the Top of the World

With more and more people visiting it each year, Mount Everest has grown increasingly polluted. This has led to the contamination of the local watershed, which threatens the health of local people.

Anthropology, Biology, Health, Conservation, Earth Science, Geology, Geography, Human Geography, Physical Geography, Social Studies

Controlling Pollution on Everest

In 1991, The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) was founded to help keep the Khumbu region clean, in part through the management of controlled waste collection sites such as this rubbish pit at the village of Lobuje near Everest.

Photograph by Royal Geographical Society / Alamy Stock Photo

In Nepal, Mount Everest is known as “Sagarmatha,” meaning “forehead in the sky.” Standing at 8,849 meters (29,032 feet), it is the highest mountain above sea level in the world. Everest is part of the Himalaya, which spans 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles) and runs through six countries in Asia.

Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first people known to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1953. It was a death-defying feat of endurance that captured the world’s imagination. Since then, thousands of visitors have flocked to the mountain , and it is starting to take its toll. Today, Everest is so overcrowded and full of trash that it has been called the “world’s highest garbage dump.”

The World’s Highest Garbage Dump

Sagarmatha National Park was created in 1976 to protect the mountain and its wildlife, and it became a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site in 1979. The park receives around 100,000 visitors each year, and all those people place a strain on the natural environment. Deforestation plagues the local area, as people fell trees to make lodges and firewood for tourists. During peak season, the park receives as many as 500 people per day making the hike to Base Camp, and the intense volume of visitors is eroding footpaths. But the biggest problem is on the mountain itself.

Over 600 people attempt to summit Mount Everest every climbing season during the few weeks of the year when weather conditions are just right. In addition, for every climber there is at least one local worker who cooks, carries equipment, and guides the expedition. The mountain has become so overcrowded that oftentimes climbers have to stand in line for hours in freezing cold conditions to reach the top, where the air is so thin an oxygen mask is needed to breathe. They walk single file at a snail’s pace over the Hillary Step, the last obstacle before the summit. When climbers finally reach the summit, there is barely room to stand because of overcrowding.

Each of those climbers spends weeks on the mountain , adjusting to the altitude at a series of camps before advancing to the summit . During that time, each person generates, on average, around eight kilograms (18 pounds) of trash, and the majority of this waste gets left on the mountain . The slopes are littered with discarded empty oxygen canisters, abandoned tents, food containers, and even human feces. At Base Camp, there are tented toilets with large collection barrels that can be carried away and emptied. But that is where the toilet facilities end. For the rest of their expedition, climbers have to relieve themselves on the mountain .

No one knows exactly how much waste is on the mountain , but it is in the tons. Litter is spilling out of glaciers, and camps are overflowing with piles of human waste. Climate change is causing snow and ice to melt, exposing even more garbage that has been covered for decades. All that waste is trashing the natural environment, and it poses a serious health risk to everyone who lives in the Everest watershed .

The Sagarmatha National Park watershed is an important water source for thousands of people living in communities surrounding Mount Everest. The watershed includes the land that directs rainfall and snowmelt from the mountains into streams and rivers. There are no waste management or sanitation facilities in the area, so garbage and sewage are emptied into big pits just outside of local villages, where they wash into waterways during the monsoon season. The local watershed has become contaminated, which could be incredibly dangerous to the health of the local people. Water contaminated with fecal matter is known to cause the spread of deadly waterborne diseases such as cholera and hepatitis A.

What Goes Up Must Come Down

Both governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have attempted—and are attempting—to clean up the mess on Mount Everest. In 2019, the Nepali government launched a campaign to clear 10,000 kilograms (22,000 pounds) of trash from the mountain. They also started a deposit initiative, which has been running since 2014. Anyone visiting Mount Everest has to pay a $4,000 deposit, and the money is refunded if the person returns with eight kilograms (18 pounds) of garbage—the avegae amount that a single person produces during the climb.

It is not just local authorities trying to make a difference. For years, the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) has been working tirelessly to keep the region clean. The SPCC is an NGO and nonprofit run by local Sherpa people. They manage waste in the area surrounding Mount Everest, ensure that people have legal permission to climb, and educate visitors on taking care of the environment.

The Mount Everest Biogas Project is also working to find a long-term, sustainable solution to the area’s sanitation problem. They have plans to build a solar-powered system that would turn human waste into fuel for the local communities. According to the project’s website, this would stop human feces from being dumped at local villages, which would reduce the risk of water contamination and create more local jobs.

Since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit in 1953, over 4,000 people have followed in their footsteps, and hundreds more attempt the climb each season. Some people have argued that the Nepali government should have stricter rules about how many people can try to climb Mount Everest each year, but Nepal relies on the income that the climbers bring to the area. In Nepal, one in four people live below the poverty line, and climbing permits generate millions of dollars of revenue for the local economy. Visitors to the park also generate jobs and income for local people who provide accommodation or work as porters and guides.

Hope for the Future

In the Tibetan language, Mount Everest is called “Chomolungma” (“Qomolangma” in Chinese), which means “goddess mother of the world.” To the Sherpa people, the mountain is a sacred place, deserving of dignity and respect. This was once a pristine landscape, but hordes of climbers and poor waste management have turned it into a polluted mess. However, there is hope that organizations like the SPCC and the Mount Everest Biogas Project, with the help of climbers and the Nepali government, can restore the world’s highest peak to its former glory.

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