Tourism GW 3 Slides

Chapter 1 Tourism (Gateway 3)
(1) Impacts of tourism
• Economic
• Socio-cultural
• Environmental
(2) Managing the impacts of tourism
• Conservation
• Tensions
• Responsibilities of various stakeholders

Are there more +ve or –ve impacts?
At what cost(s) are countries
developing tourism?

Employment
opportunities
Growth in
income
IMPACTS OF TOURISM
Development of
infrastructure
and facilities
Handout 6
Seasonal
unemployment
Under-use of
facilities at
certain times of
the year
Shortage of
services
Preservation of
local customs
and heritage
Dilution of local
customs and
heritage
Increased crime
Conservation of
natural
environments
Vandalism
Littering and pollution
Increased carbon
footprint
Socio-Cultural Impacts Environmental ImpactsEconomic Impacts
Destruction of
habitats
Increased congestion

Economic Impacts
Employment opportunities
Employment: work performed for a wage or salary, in cash or in kind
• UNWTO estimates that the tourism industry employs over 235
million people worldwide (that’s ~6-8% of all jobs worldwide!)
Figure 1.67a) A chef in a restaurant. b) Women making batik. c) A flight attendant. Adapted from: Singapore
Airlines

Economic Impacts
Jobs directly linked to tourism industry
• Jobs that are specifically created to serve the needs of
tourists
• eg. hotel staff/retailers, travel agents, tour guides

Jobs indirectly linked to tourism industry
• Jobs that play a supporting role in catering to the needs of
tourism
• eg. hospitality trainers/poly lecturers, taxi drivers/tuk-tuk drivers
Economic Impacts

Expansion/diversification of jobs in the tourism industry
• Ever-newer/different types of tourism activities to cater to
different tourist profiles
• Need for personal tour guides, trained specialists in sports,
diving – more niche & more personalized services
Economic Impacts

Income growth for individuals
• Example: Fishermen on Pamilacan Island, Philippines
• Local tour companies hire fishermen to help them view
and swim with whale sharks
• Fishermen can earn additional income on top of their
fishing livelihood
• Fishermen are paid between US$80–US$100 per boat
for their service
Economic Impacts
Growth in Income

Increased revenue for companies & country
• Companies get earn higher revenues as their tours
become more popular with tourists
• Overall increase in revenue for the country through taxes
collected from the fishermen, tour companies and
tourism receipts*
• Tourism receipts – money received from tourist spending
Economic Impacts
Growth in Income

Figure 1.68 A Filipino
fisherman and a group
of tourists watch as a
whale shark passes
underneath their boat.
Adapted from: Steve De
Neef Photography
Income growth for individuals
Economic Impacts
Growth in Income

Whale Shark Pamilacan Bohol Philippines - YouTube

• Income growth for individuals
• eg. fishermen are hired by tour operators to
take tourists on their boats
• Increased revenue for country
• eg. taxes from fishermen / tour companies
• eg. tourism receipts
Economic Impacts
Growth in Income

BUT leakage of tourism receipts
• 50-80% of tourism revenue “leaks out”
• International airline tickets
• Imported food
• Foreign owned hotels
• State-owned airlines
• National F&B products
• Local transport
• Local guesthouses
• Local tours
Tourists
Spending
Global
economy
National
economy
Local
economy
Economic Impacts
Leakage in income

Global
economy
National
economy
Local
economy

Global
economy
National
economy
Local
economy
$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$
$$
Decreasing / little
trickle-down benefits

• Leakage occurs when revenue earned from tourism is
paid to other countries for the import of goods and
services needed to meet the needs of tourists
• Example: Phuket, Thailand
o Travellers may use the services of foreign-owned
businesses and buy imported items
o Some of the profits made by local businesses are
sent to another country to pay for imports
o Money that does not stay in the local economy
may bring few benefits to local businesses and
workers
Economic Impacts
Leakage in income

• Example: Phuket, Thailand
Economic Impacts
Leakage in income

Foreign exchange: Money earned from other
countries in exchange for goods and services
• Example: Singapore
– Has many international hotel chains, e.g.
InterContinental, Marriott and Shangri-La
– These chains invest in building and furnishing hotels
and resorts, and training staff at tourist destinations
– Hotels exchange their own currency to purchase
Singapore dollars in order to make their investments
– Increases demand for Singapore dollars and
contributes to Singapore’s capital inflow
Economic Impacts
Increase in Foreign Exchange

Incoming tourism business investments
• eg. when international hotel chains invest in
building / furnishing hotels / training staff
Economic Impacts

Foreign exchange: Money earned from other
countries in exchange for goods and services
• Direct contribution to government revenue
• Tourists pay taxes to government
• Indirect contribution to government revenue
• Tourists spend $$ in tourism-related goods
& services
Since taxes are collected in local currency, this
increases the foreign exchange of the host country
Economic Impacts

Direct
contribution to
government
revenue
Indirect contribution to
government revenue

• Infrastructure development: Construction of transport,
facilities and communication networks, electrical
frameworks and systems for water and waste disposal
• Infrastructure and appropriate facilities need to be built so
that tourism can develop and can operate on a large scale.
–Airports, roads, electricity, hotels etc
Economic Impacts
Infrastructure development

Figure 1.73
Examples of
infrastructure
developments
needed for
tourism.
[Clockwise from
top left]
a) Train
infrastructure,
Singapore.
b) Beijing
National
Stadium,
Beijing, China.
c) A sewage
treatment plant
for liquid waste.
d) Electricity
pylons to
transmit power

Economic Impacts
• Example: Roads
– Link airports, cities and tourist sites which allow tourists
access to local attractions
– Allow local people better access to markets, health care,
education and jobs
• Example: Sports venues and other infrastructure
– Built for major sporting events, e.g. Olympic Games, World
Cup
– Improve sporting infrastructure of host countries
– Useful even after the key event, e.g. Summer Olympic
Games in Athens and Beijing

Economic Impacts
• Creates employment for local workers as many workers
are needed during the construction process
• Local industries are boosted because local materials
may be used to construct the infrastructure
• Encourages economic growth due to increased
spending in the local economy
• Infrastructure built to enhance tourism also brings
benefits to the locals

• Maintenance burden for the country
Economic Impacts
Underuse of facilities

The top pictures
show the dilapidated
conditions of the
Athens Olympic Park.
The bottom showing
the poorly
maintained
conditions of
Beijing’s venues.

• Example: Venue for Summer Olympic Games in Beijing
– Venues allegedly deteriorating years after the Olympics
– Some were renovated to become more profitable,
e.g. Beijing National Aquatics Center was renovated into a
water park
– Only one-third of major sports venues in China have managed to
break even
Economic Impacts

– e.g. Beijing National Aquatics Center was renovated
into a water park
Economic Impacts

• Money from tourists normally pays for the cost of maintaining such
facilities
• But when the major events are over, the number of tourist
decreases  revenue for maintaining these facilities decreases
• Underused facilities can be costly to maintain
• Facilities may become neglected when there are few tourists
Economic Impacts

The Rio Olympics were only a year ago, but the venues look like they’ve been deserted for decades

• Certain tourist activities
depend on climatic conditions
• Countries may experience
regular fluctuations in
tourist numbers
• People in tourism-related jobs
have to find other sources of
income when employment
is temporarily unavailable
Economic Impacts
Seasonal Unemployment
Figure 1.75a) A
ski resort in the
Alps in Europe
during summer.
Figure 1.75b) A
ski resort in the
Alps in Europe
during winter.

• Employment during periods of high tourist
demand only
• eg. mountain ski resort operators –
employment during winter only
Economic Impacts

The Alps Opportunities and Challenges (Preview) - YouTube

• Employment during periods of high tourist
demand only
• eg. mountain ski resort operators –
employment during winter only
• In other times of the year (eg. during summer
season), people employed in the tourism industry
become jobless & they have to find other sources
of income / return to other jobs such as farming.
•  Loss of employment / Decrease in incomes
Economic Impacts
Why is seasonal
unemployment a
negative impact?

Economic Impacts
Figure 1.76a) Changes in employment in the hotel and restaurant sector in the European Union
compared to annual averages (represented by 100), 2009. b) Changes in employment among
tourist accommodations in the European Union compared to annual averages (represented by
100), 2009. Adapted from: European Union Eurostat (2010).

Poor/uneven resource allocation:
• Tourist infrastructure may require the use of large amounts
of land, water and power
• This could lead to a shortage of services
(e.g. water supplies or power in non-tourist areas)
Economic Impacts
Shortage of Services

Economic Impacts
Shortage of Services

Tourism leaves Balis poor facing drought - 27 Oct 08 - YouTube

Socio-Cultural Impacts
Preservation of culture & local customs
Preserve sites with historical/cultural value
•Protection of the way people live, including their economic
activities, traditional beliefs and religious practices
•Could apply to heritage and customs
Figure 1.79 The difference between heritage and custom.

•Preserved and restored sites are more attractive to tourists

•Preserved and restored sites are more attractive to tourists
•Restored sites benefit the local population by:
o Enhancing people’s sense of history
o Build a sense of belonging to the community
o Tourism revenue can fund the preservation and
restoration of cultural heritage, e.g. entry fee to
Angkor Wat in Cambodia

• For tourists : place becomes more attractive /
worthy of visit
 promotes heritage/educational tourism
• For locals : promotes a sense of pride,
belonging and identity

•Identity, culture and values
of a place can be lost when
tourism becomes the major
activity of an area
•Tourism-oriented
commercial activities
(e.g. food outlets, travel
agencies, souvenir shops)
can overwhelm an area
Dilution of local customs & heritage
Figure 1.81 Local street vendors selling
souvenirs at the Swayambhunath Temple in
Kathmandu, Nepal

•Buildings may be modified or built to accommodate
tourism
•Locals may relocate elsewhere, which changes
the original atmosphere, appearance and functions of
the area they left

Sarawak Longhouses
Problems within each
longhouse community
• Increasing gender inequality
• Alcoholism (esp males)
• Over-reliance on tourism Problems between different
longhouse communities
• Increasing inter-longhouse
competition
• Division of individual
communities
Problems between community
& other stakeholders
• Power resides with
operators
• Invasion of privacy

• For tourists : Real local culture . . .
or just a performance? (authentic?)
• Ethnic tourism in Sarawak

•Example: Kayan Lahwi women
•Tourists pay entrance fees at Kayan Lahwi village
•Some tourists treat the women as exhibits

Long Neck Karen Tribe in Thailand - YouTube

Imagine you are a local
long-necked Karen woman,
what are your thoughts about tourists’ visits?
Video_Long Neck Karen Tribe in Thailand - YouTube

•Local cultural festivals and religious rituals are
sometimes modified to meet the demands and
expectations of tourists
–Dancers deliberately pose for tourist photographs
–Rituals are shortened to fit into itinerary of tourists
–Rituals are repeated several times a day
•Reduced authenticity and significance of cultural
events because of commercialisation

• For tourists : Real local culture . . .
or just a performance? (authentic?)
• For locals :
• Locals viewed as exhibits/commodities
• Loss of place identity

•Tourists carry valuable items, e.g. watches, cameras
•Tourists are prone to being mugged, cheated or
scammed in tourist areas or tourist traps
Increased crime

•Tourist traps: Places where information, goods or
services are sold at greatly inflated prices
–Can also refer to places where tourist scams are
common
–Can deter tourists from visiting
•Many countries have police to help serve tourists and
sort out conflicts with locals over purchases
Increased crime

•Example: Scam on Japanese tourists in the UK
•In 2010, Japanese tourists were scammed by a woman pretending
to be a tourist
•The woman would ask for directions or ask to have her photo
taken
•Her accomplices would appear and pose as police officers
requesting for the group’s identification and credit cards
•The woman would hand over her identity and credit card and
convince the tourists to do the same
•Once the credit cards are handed over, they would be used to
withdraw money from the ATM or buy expensive items
Increased crime

• Overpriced goods
• Scams
• Pickpockets
Increased crime

• All inclusive holidays
• Self-contained resorts
• Fenced up boundaries
• Little/almost no tourist-local
interactions
Tourism enclaves

Environmental Impacts of Travel and Tourism (excerpt)

Environmental Impacts
Conservation of natural environments
• Funding from tourism helps protect and conserve
environments such as coral reefs, rainforests and
mountainous areas

• Example: Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre
– Partly relies on visitor entry fees to pay staff
– The staff help rehabilitate orang-utans that have been
orphaned or injured

• Example: Kenya
– Survival of animals relies on
funding from international
tourists who want to see these
animals in the wild
– Estimated tourist revenues for:
o A lion: US$7,000 a year
o A herd of elephants: US$600,000 a year
– Money raised from wildlife tourism becomes a way to
continue to preserve the animals and their habitats

• Revenue from entrance fees to national parks and
diving sites, levies on accommodations enable
countries to conserve their natural environments and
biodiversity.
• Money raised from wildlife tourism becomes a way to
continue to preserve the animals and their habitats

• May be due to:
– Large numbers of tourists near popular attractions
– Tourist shops and accommodations that cluster near
tourist areas
• Tourism boom may
cause huge increases
in vehicular and
pedestrian traffic.

Figure 1.83 A large
crowd of tourists at Trevi
Fountain in Rome, Italy.
• Example: In Rome, many older walkways and
narrow streets are filled with tourists

• Increased congestion can
bring much inconveniences
to the local’s daily activities
such as travelling to work.
• Apart from adding to local
traffic, huge inflow of cars
and buses can contribute
to air pollution.

Vandalism
Figure 1.84 Graffiti on the Great
Wall of China, Beijing, China.
• Vandalism: Crime of
deliberately damaging
property belonging to other
people
• Cultural, historical or natural
sites may be vandalised by
individuals or developers.

Vandalism
• Example: Thousands of
stones and bricks of the
Great Wall of China are
covered with graffiti
• Vandalism causes these
historical sites to lose its
original facade
• This destroys sites of great
significance and value to the
local community. Figure 1.84 Graffiti on the Great
Wall of China, Beijing, China.

Pollution and littering
• Authorities sometimes fail to implement measures that
would properly manage waste left behind by tourists
• Tourist sites may become polluted due to irresponsible
tourist behaviours (e.g. littering)
• Example: Cruise ships
– Tourists dump plastic bottles, food packaging and old batteries
overboard from cruise ships
– Solid and liquid waste are sometimes dumped into the sea by
ships
– Harbours, marinas and the ocean become polluted

Pollution and littering
• Authorities may
have to close
tourist sites, or
spend money
and manpower
to clean up the
pollution
• Pollution in the
oceans can harm
aquatic life

Destruction of habitats
• Natural habitats can be destroyed by
–Careless tourists trampling on plants, while others
collecting eggs and feathers of birds as souvenirs
–These tourists making too much noise which can disturb
and frighten off animals

• Example: Red Sea
– Major diving and snorkelling destination for around 1.2 million
visitors annually
– Habitats of coral reefs and
exotic fish have been damaged
o Swimmers collect shells or
corals as souvenirs
o Hotels & restaurants in the
area sometimes dump
waste and sewage into
the sea

• Popular tourist sites (e.g. beaches and villages) can
be overwhelmed with visitors during busy times of
the year
• When too many tourists visit a destination, they
may destroy habitats and wildlife

Increased carbon footprint
Tourism activities may involve the emission of
carbon dioxide
• Carbon footprint is measured in equivalent
amounts in carbon dioxide
• Example: One-way economy class flight from
Singapore to Kuala Lumpur generates 30
kilogrammes of carbon dioxide per passenger

Increased carbon footprint
Figure 1.85 Tourism-related activities that add to a tourist’s carbon footprint. a) Travelling by planes. b) Tour buses.
• Carbon footprint: Amount of greenhouse gas
emissions that would be produced by activities that
involve the use of fossil fuels
• Activities may include travelling by planes and tour
buses, and electricity consumption by hotels

Waitomo
Glowworm caves
(New Zealand)
Video_Waitomo Glowworm
caves - YouTube

Waitomo Glowworm caves - YouTube

How can we manage the
impacts of tourism?

Managing the Impacts
a. Promote sustainable tourism
• A organized form of tourism that allows
tourism to continue without:
• causing damage to the environment
• leaving negative impacts on the
surrounding society & culture

a. Promote sustainable tourism
• Also involves minimizing leakages from
tourist revenues by
• Training locals to perform skilled tourism
jobs (eg. management & marketing)
• Developing homestay accommodations
(eg. visitors pay local people directly
for accommodation)
• Promoting local F&B  provide market
for local food industry

b. Conservation
• Careful management & use of resources so
that these resources will not be depleted
• It includes protecting fragile environments
• How? By Implementing laws & regulations
+
Getting the support of local people

Figure 1.87
[Clockwise
from top left]
a) Whitsunday
Islands in the
Great Barrier
Reef, Australia.
b) Map of the
Great Barrier
Reef, Australia.
c) Upolu Cay,
Great Barrier
Reef, Australia

Video_Tourism puts Mexicos reefs at risk - 18 Sep 08 - YouTube

UNESCO (org that is very involved in conservation)
• A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a
place that is listed by United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) as of special
cultural / physical significance
• UNESCO provides funding to
threatened sites to conserve them.

• Role of United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
o Involved in conservation
o Responsible for declaring sites as ‘World
Heritage’
o Provides funding to conserve threatened sites
o World Heritage sites in 1978: 12
o World Heritage sites in 2012: Almost 1,000

What’s the big deal about UNESCO sites?
 The status as a UNESCO site gives the place a
special cultural or physical significance that
makes people think that they should visit it.
 If the place is special enough to fulfill the criteria
of the UNESCO selection, there must be
something really extraordinary or meaningful
about it that would make people want to visit
that place to discover/learn about its cultural or
physical significance.

UNESCO
UNESCO provides funding to threatened
sites to conserve them.
Stonehenge
RapaNui

UNESCO
GreatWallofChina
GalapagosIsland

UNESCO
CityofAyutthaya
MacchuPicchu

Why manage tourism impacts?
Because a well-protected
environment attracts more
tourists to visit / repeatedly visit
Leads to steady arrival of tourists
Promotes local economic growth
Income
from
tourism
Motivates locals to
care for the sites properly (ie. conserve)
+ develop tourism sustainably
Ensures regular stream of tourism income for the future
Protects local nature, culture & heritage sites

Tensions in Managing Impacts
• Due to differences between the needs &
expectations of different groups.

Video_Slumming it- Tourism in India's Shanty Towns

“Slumming it: Tourism in India’s Shanty Towns”
a) What is the tension between the tourists and the locals?
b) In your opinion, is slum tourism a form of exploitation or does it
help the local communities?
c) How can this tension be better managed to prevent conflicts
between the tourists & locals?

Video_Climber Mr Everest Turning into Trash Heap

“Climber: Mt Everest Turning into ‘Trash Heap’
a) What are the main sources of rubbish and why are they dumped
on Mt Everest?

Video_Mount Everest new rule- climbers must return with 8kg of trash

“Mt Everest new rule’
a) What is the new rule in place?
b) How effective do you think this strategy will be?
c) What are some of the pros and cons of this strategy?

• The needs of tourists may conflict with
needs of locals
• e.g. Tourists wearing skimpy clothing may
go against conservative values of locals

• Cultural insensitivity
• Because tourists may not be familiar with
local culture & customs
Tourist actions :
• Wear skimpy clothing
(eg. spaghetti straps & shorts)
• Public display of affections
• You must understand that some societies (esp in SEA)
are still pretty conservative
• And tourists must be respectful towards the locals’
beliefs & traditions
But locals perceive that as :
• Tourists fail to respect local customs
and values

• Example: Bali, Indonesia
o World Heritage site
o Visited by many tourists for natural landscape
and food
o Cultural landscape renowned for its Hindu temples,
art, dance and other heritage and customs
o In 2012, 2.9 million
international tourists
visited Bali

Figure 1.89 The cultural landscape of Bali, Indonesia. a) The Mother Temple of
Besakih. b) Rice terraces near the village of Belimbing.

o Tourist sites (e.g. Kuta) are congested due to
tourists
o Tourist congestion makes it difficult for locals to
conduct their daily business

o Tourist facilities potentially deprive some locals of
their water supply
 The tourism industry consumes much water and
may result in water shortages
 Some dug wells have now gone dry, making
vulnerable the island’s poorest

Video_Tourism leaves Balis poor facing drought - 27 Oct 08 - YouTube

o Locals expect tourists to respect local customs and
values, which tourists sometimes fail to do
o Example: Many locals still object to public displays
of affection, which some tourists may perceive as all
right to do in public

• Arise when the needs of tourists conflict with
the need to conserve the environment
• E.g. Natural attractions depend on tourist
income for their conservation but tourist inflow
may damage the attraction itself

• Example: Machu Picchu, Peru
o City built by Inca Civilisation on Andes Mountains
o Located 2,430 metres above sea level
o Has stone walls, ramps, pillars and stairways that are
now remnants of a once-thriving city
o Provides insight into ancient Inca life
o Rich history and
breath-taking
landscape draw
3,300 visitors
every day

Figure 1.91 Machu Picchu, Peru

Physically able tourists opt to use the ‘Inca Trail’
 Stunning mountain scenery, cloud forests,
rivers, Inca ruins
 Populated with rare indigenous plant and
wildlife

o The site’s popularity has caused some tensions between
the needs of tourists and that of the environment
o Frequent use of “Inca Trail” by tourists:
 Eroded by more than 75,000 tourists that hike on it
each year
 Hikers leave behind rubbish, e.g. water bottles,
plastic wrappers

o Tourists may prefer to reach the site using helicopters for
convenience
 Helicopters were banned for fear that its noise disturbs
the area’s indigenous animal and plant species
o Sheer weight and combined footsteps of tourists damage
land and artefacts on the site

Measures to manage tensions
Withhold permission
do harmful tourism-
related projects
Employ staff to
maintain
& repair site
Tap into local indigenous
knowledge
Restrict tourists from
entering certain local areas
Limit no of visitors to
minimize congestion &
degradationMeasures
to manage
tensions
Government authorities play an important role in
balancing & resolving tensions!

Responsibilities of Different Stakeholders
• Various groups of people contribute in
different ways to protect tourist areas.
• The purpose is to ensure that the local
population benefit from tourism
Tour
operators
NGOs

Responsibilities of Diff Stakeholders
• Group of people living in the same territory
• Have key role in conserving and protecting
tourist areas
• Can benefit economically from tourism,
especially through community-based tourism

• Community-based tourism: Tourism that has
close contact with, and mainly benefits, local
communities
• Done in partnership with a government or non-
governmental organisation (NGO)
• Example: Candirejo Village, Central Java,
Indonesia

Indonesia
o Villagers set up a cooperative in 2003, with
support from the government, to manage
and implement community tourism-related
programmes

Indonesia
o Villagers participate in decision-making through
discussions and consultations with cooperative
about programmes such as:
 Developing homestay accommodations
 Developing organic farms
 Organising local transport
 Villagers trained to produce handicrafts,
provide catering and work as tour guides
Ensure that benefits
from tourism will go
towards helping the
local population

Indonesia
o In 2002: 10 homestays, 5 andongs, no restaurants
o In 2004: 22 homestays, 22 andongs, 6 restaurants
o Also reported in 2004: 63 new jobs, 5 new businesses,
12.5% increase in average income per villager
Tourists will gain a deeper appreciation
of local sites and spread awareness to
other tourists to conserve these sites.

Figure 1.94 The andong, a type of local
transport used at Candirejo Village (village
not shown), Central Java, Indonesia.

• Have responsibility to respect both the
environment and the local population of a place
• Should visit without causing damage or offence
Figure 1.95 Visitors should be dressed
appropriately to visit temples, such as this
one at Wat Benchamabophit, a temple in
Bangkok, Thailand.
To ensure that local people’s lives
are not disrupted by tourists visiting.

• Encouraged to select destinations based on
conservation efforts and carbon footprint.
• Some factors visitors should consider:
o Amount of water used
o Amount of waste recycled
o Can have rewarding visits
o with responsible tourism
When visitors choose to engage in tourism activities that operate responsibly,
this can help to minimise the negative environmental impacts of tourism.

• Tour operators may belong to associations
concerned with conserving and protecting
environments visited by tourists
• Fewer tourists are likely to visit a place if the
unspoilt landscapes, rich biodiversity and
unique cultures deteriorate

• Example: Phuket Alternative Tours (PAT)
o Tour operators have to adhere to the
guidelines under the Environmental and
Cultural Code of Practice:
 Operate in an environmentally sustainable way
 Seek to enhance the natural environment and
the way that the industry uses it
 Create awareness about environmental
conservation for visitors to Phuket

When tour operators like PAT conduct
tourism activities in a sustainable &
responsible manner, it can help to
ensure that damage to the
environment & local site is minimised.

• Non-profit organisations operating
independently of governments
• Concerned with tourism’s impact on natural
and human environments
• Instrumental in achieving sustainable tourism
and for protecting the environments
frequented by tourists

• Example: The International Ecotourism
Society (TIES)
o Developed guidelines on tourism
o Conducted training courses
o Provided technical assistance
o Published research papers related to tourism and the
environment
o Works with numerous organisations, including travel
associations and conservation groups in 124 countries

• The most important group in ensuring that the tourist
areas are protected
• Can greatly influence the future quality of
environments by:
o Determining how many visitors a site can cope with
o Allocating space for infrastructure, e.g. roads & hotels
o Funding the maintenance of tourist site
Ensure that tourist sites are kept in good condition and
prevent deterioration of cultural/heritage buildings.

• Consider local sensitivities in the area while
maintaining its physical and socio-cultural
condition
• Enforce rules, regulations, values and principles
for sustainable tourism in consultation with the
industry and community
Ensure that tourists follow the laws when visiting tourists
sites to reduce damage to the site.

• Example: Singapore Tourism Board (STB)
o Attracts large numbers of tourists to Singapore
even as development plans take into account the
need to conserve national heritage
o Implemented programmes to conserve the ethnic
districts of Singapore, e.g. Chinatown, Kampong
Glam and Little India
o Helps visitors and locals have a greater
appreciation of Singapore’s rich heritage

Figure 1.96 [Clockwise from top left] The ethnic districts of Singapore. a) Arab Street. b) Chinatown. c) Little India

• Important for the different groups to work together to
develop strategies to protect tourist areas
• Example: Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
NGOs
Tour
operators
built an
education
centre
organise
displays
bring visitors to
the centre
visit and learn
about nature,
act responsibly

• Important for the different groups to work together to
develop strategies to protect tourist areas.
• Each group has its own strengths and limitations in
protecting tourist areas.
NGOs
Tour
operators

Strengths Limitations
Local
communities
Involve locals in
decision-making
Difficulty in obtaining external
funding
Increase in tourism-related
employment and business
for locals
Shortage of skilled labour
Visitors Fund conservation and
preservation
Damage tourist attractions
Provide income opportunities
for locals
Dilute local culture and customs

Tour operators Provide feedback on tourist
attractions
Need to generate profits
Shortage of skilled labour
Regulate tourist behaviour
Non-
governmental
organisations
Facilitate communication between
various stakeholders
Difficulty in obtaining external
funding
Support various stakeholders in
managing the impact of tourism

Planning
authorities
Develop and maintain
infrastructure and attractions
Difficult to plan for unforeseen
factors
Draft laws and policies Opposing stakeholders

Tourism GW 3 Slides

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Tourism GW 3 Slides

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