The challenges arising from mass tourism

Overview

Problems overcrowding causes in tourist destinations, honeypot site and social sustainability in a tourist destination.

What you need to know

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Questions from this subtopic

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1. 1

   Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the forms of pollution generated by mass tourism.

   Model answer

   Air pollution from aircraft, cruise ships, coaches and hire cars, including greenhouse gas emissions from long-haul flying and local pollutants around airports and in congested resorts. Water pollution from inadequately treated sewage discharged to the sea or to rivers, from fuel and oil in marinas, and from run-off carrying fertiliser and chemicals from golf courses and hotel grounds. Noise pollution from aircraft, traffic, bars and nightlife, which affects residents most in the peak season. Light pollution from resort development, which disturbs nocturnal wildlife and, on some coasts, disorientates hatchling turtles. And solid waste, from litter on beaches and paths to the volume of packaging and food waste that overwhelms small local disposal systems.

2. 2

   Why does tourist sewage cause disproportionate problems in small coastal destinations?

   Model answer

   Because treatment capacity is built for the resident population but must serve several times that number for a few months of the year. Peak loads exceed design capacity, so partially treated or untreated effluent is discharged. The discharge goes into warm, shallow, enclosed coastal water with limited flushing, where nutrients promote algal growth that smothers seagrass and coral, and where bacterial contamination closes the very beaches the visitors came for. The capital cost of building treatment plant sized for the peak, and leaving it under-used for nine months, is high for a small local authority.

3. 3

   Explain the problems overcrowding causes in tourist destinations.

   Model answer

   Congestion on roads, in car parks, on public transport and on footpaths; queues at attractions, restaurants and services; pressure on beaches, viewpoints and narrow historic streets not built for such numbers; reduced access for residents to their own shops, buses, health services and public space; and a deterioration in the experience for tourists themselves, which damages the destination's reputation. Emergency access can also be obstructed, which is a genuine safety issue in historic centres and on mountain roads.

4. 4

   What is a honeypot site?

   Model answer

   A honeypot site is a location of particular scenic, historic or cultural attraction that draws very large numbers of visitors into a small area, in the way that honey attracts. Typical examples are a famous viewpoint, waterfall, castle, cathedral, village or beach within a wider protected area. The defining characteristic is the concentration: a large proportion of all the visitors to a region converge on a few hectares, so impacts that would be trivial if spread out become severe.

5. 5

   What specific damage occurs at honeypot sites?

   Model answer

   Footpath erosion, as trampling kills vegetation, exposes soil and allows rainfall to gully the surface, with walkers then spreading sideways onto the intact ground and widening the scar; damage to walls, gates and archaeological features; litter and human waste where facilities are inadequate; traffic congestion and verge parking on approach roads; disturbance of wildlife and of grazing livestock; and pressure on the small settlement nearby, whose shops convert to serving visitors and whose residents face congestion and, often, unaffordable housing.

6. 6

   Why is concentrating visitors at honeypot sites sometimes used deliberately as a management strategy?

   Model answer

   Because damage confined to a small area can be engineered for and repaired, whereas damage spread across a whole national park cannot. Managers therefore direct visitors to a few robust sites by providing car parking, toilets, cafes, information and surfaced paths there, which meets most visitors' needs and leaves the wider area quiet. The strategy sacrifices those sites in order to protect everywhere else. Its weaknesses are that the sacrificed sites are often the most attractive ones, that facilities themselves attract still more visitors, and that overflow occurs once the honeypot is full.

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