Environment impacts of tourism and recreation

The undesirable impacts of tourism and recreation are largely site specific. They vary according to the type of setting, size of the area, the number of visitors, the seasonal concentration, the mode of transport used, pressure from development, resource use, waste disposal and how well the area is managed.

Specific negative impacts 


Environmental impacts are experienced at several levels.

At the local level, communities suffer from: competition for scarce resources (freshwater and land), air and water pollution, noise and environmental accidents (e.g. avalanches).

At the regional level, impacts may include air and water pollution, the loss of habitat and a drop in biodiversity.

At the global level, emissions from road traffic and the deforestation of large areas may contribute to climate change.