OMSLAG 5.indd - IUCN

1. 4
NVT steers clear of the political debate.
Current proposals for massive upmarket developments in the catchment
area* of the Salt River show that the eco guides project was timely. During
the recent public debate about tourism and development, the Salt River
was discussed as a tourism opportunity and a source of fresh water that
needs to be preserved as a healthy system.
Providing the communities with knowledge about their natural
environment will enable them to make informed decisions about
development processes. This means that they will no longer be gullible
when developers promise them housing and employment. Often, these
developers have little or no intention of fulfilling their promises and – even
worse – they will end up harming the natural environment.
A wolf in
sheep’s clothing?
The list of possible benefits from tourism development looks very
encouraging, but reaching a point where these benefits become tangible
is quite another thing. Before organizations get overly enthusiastic, they
should consider many factors. The key to successful tourism development
without unacceptable consequences is thorough planning. This is a
complex issue, and – sadly – planners and managers do not always give it
the consideration it deserves. Without good planning, tourism can have a
negative impact on soil, vegetation, water, air and wildlife. Infrastructure
development has a direct impact on the environment: vegetation is
removed, animals are disturbed and ecosystems are fragmented. The visitors
themselves trample on vegetation, damage the environment by taking
souvenirs, and disturb the wildlife. And then there is the use of local
resources: the basic needs of tourists for fresh water and food are often
much larger than the needs of the local population. They place a high
demand on these resources. A well-known example is that of the tourists
on the hiking trails in Nepal. Because the Western visitors want warm
showers, the local people collect large amounts of wood to heat the water.
This has led to deforestation and erosion on the slopes along the trails.
On a macro-level, tourism is part of the discussion on climate change.
According to research, tourism, mainly by air transport, is responsible
* Catchment area: The area of land from which rainwater or melted snow drains into a
reservoir, pond, lake, river or stream.
Clearing
vegetation for
development
16 17
for approximately 5% of total climate change. It is estimated to rise to
a contribution of 10 to 20% in 2030. According to Thomas et al. 2004,
climate change may contribute to loss of 25%of total biodiversity. An easy
calculation then learns that tourism might become responsible or 2, 5 to
5% of all biodiversity loss caused by climate change, when the increase of
air transport for tourism purposes continues. This stands for a loss of some
250,000 to 500,000 species.
An overview of the main negative impacts of tourism on biodiversity
is given in the table below. A reduction in biodiversity, or in number of
species of plants and animals, will upset the balance in an ecosystem. If the
quality of the natural environment is reduced, the natural tourist attractions
will inevitably lose some of their value as well.
The IUCN NL Grant Programme also supports projects aimed at
regulating tourism activities that are already in development. One of these
projects is an initiative of the local organization Al Hayah from the Farafra
Oasis in Egypt. The White Desert lies in the Western Desert, approximately
550 km outside Cairo, 40 km from Oasis Farafra, and 200 km beyond the
first oasis, Bahariya. It is a popular destination for tourists who want to see
more than just the pyramids of Luxor and the luxury resorts on the Red
Sea coast. As the number of tourists increases, more and more local people
and tour operators from Cairo are taking them on jeep rides through the
desert. The high number of these unregulated trips is not only bad for
biodiversity, it also spoils the trips for the tourists themselves: gazelles and