THE EFFECTS OF TOURISM ON LAND DEGRADATION

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THE EFFECTS OF TOURISM ON LAND DEGRADATION

• IN
• THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN
• by France Jade

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WORLDS TOP TOURISM DESTINATIONS
Source World Tourism Organisation, 2001
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INTERNATIONAL TOURISM RECEIPTS
Source World Tourism Organisation, 2001
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WORLDS TOP TOURISM EARNERS
Source World Tourism Organisation, 2001
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GLOBAL TOURISM

• NOW THE WORLDS LARGEST INDUSTRY

• IN 2000 INTERNATIONAL TOURIST ARRIVALS REACHED
  AN ALL TIME HIGH OF 698 MILLION.

• GROWTH RATE OF 7.4 DOUBLE THE GROWTH RATE OF
  1999.

• THE MARKET SHARE WAS FOUND TO BE EUROPE -
  48.6 AMERICAS - 28.7 EAST ASIA PACIFIC -
  17.3 (WTO 2000)

• THE MEDERTERRANEAN BASIN ACCOUNTS FOR 35
  OF THE INTERNATIONAL TOURIST TRADE AND IS THE
  WORLDS LEADING TOURIST AREA.

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DETREMENTAL EFFECTS OF MASS TOURISM

• INCREASED PRESURE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
  WATER AND ENERGY.

• INCREASED WASTE AND SEWAGE POLLUTION

• TRANSPORTAION POLLUTION

• COMPETITION FOR LAND USE LEADING TO INCREASE
  IN LAND PRICES IN DESIRABLE AREAS OFTEN
  INVOLVING LARGE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATIONS.

• CREATION OF TOURIST UBANISATIONS LEADING TO
  SKEWED SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS.

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AIR TRAVEL

• THE FASTEST GROWING SOURCE OF GREENHOUSE GASES

• 1 TONNE OF CARBON DIOXIDE PER PASSENGER IS
  RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE ON A LONDON-NEW
  YORK FLIGHT.

• AIRCRAFT POLLUTION CAUSES 3.5 OF MAN-MADE
  GLOBAL WARMING WITH ADDITIONAL EFFECTS FROM
  THE FORMATION OF ICE CRYSTALS AT HIGH
  ALTITUDES.(IPCC)

• NO TAX ON AVIATION FUEL

• INTRODUCTION OF GREEN TAX, THE INDUSTRY IS
  OPPOSED.

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THE IBERIAN PENISULAR

• A LONG HISTORY OF ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS
  RESULTING IN EVER INCREASING LAND
  DEGRADATION

• THE BAD LANDS ARCHEALOGICAL EVIDENCE SHOWS
  THAT THIS OCCURRED 5000 YEARS AGO.

• 16TH-17TH CENTURY ESTABLISHED CHRISTIAN RULE
  AND COLONISATION OF AMERICAS LED TO A
  SOUTHWARD EXPANSION OF
  AGRICULTURE AND HIGH DEMAND FOR WOOD
  WOOL

• 18TH CENTURY POPULATION INCREASE

• 1960S TECHNOLOGICAL, SOCIAL ECONOMIC
  CHANGES THAT ALTERED RURAL LIFE THAT
  CONTINUE TODAY

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POPULATION

• LAND DEGRADATION OCCURS WHEN THE PRESSURE ON
  THE AVAILABLE LAND RESOURCES AND SERVICES
  BECOME TO GREAT.

• SOURTHERN MEDITERRANEAN ZONES (SMZ) -300
  POPULATION INCREASE SINCE 1950.

• NMZ - 30 POPULATION INCREASE SINCE 1950

• IN NMZ POPULATION RELOCATION IS OCCURING DUE
  TO LITTORALIZATION OF THE ECONOMY

• THIS POPULATION CONCENTRATION IN COASTAL AREAS
  IS A DIRECT RESULT OF INDUSTRIALISATION,
  CHANGING AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AND TOURISM.

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INTENSIFICATION OF AGRICULTURE

• LAND DEGRADATION OCCURS WHEN THE PRESSURE ON
  THE AVAILABLE LAND RESOURCES AND SERVICES
  BECOME TOO GREAT.

• COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY(CAP) HAS
  ENCOURAGED FARMERS TO INTENSIFY PRODUCTION
  PARTICULARLY IN THE OLIVE SECTOR, THROUGH
  PRODUCTION SUBSIDIES.

• THIS HAS LED TO SMALLER FARMERS ABANDONING
  LAND OR SELLING TO DEVELOPERS.

• IN THE SOUTHERN REGIONS AN ESTIMATED 80t/ha OF
  TOP SOIL IS LOST ANNUALLY.

• LAND ABANDOMENT CAN ALSO LEAD TO EROSION WHEN
  INTENSIVE GRAZING OCCURS AND TRADITIONAL
  TERRACE SYSTEMS ARE NO LONGER MAINTAINED.

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PRESSURES CAUSING DESERTIFICATION

• DESERTIFICATION - THE DEGRADATION OF ARID, SEMI
  AND DRY SUB-HUMID AREAS CAUSED BY CLIMATIC
  CHANGES AND HUMAN ACTIVITIES. IT IS ACCOMPANIED
  BY A REDUCTION IN THE NATURAL POTENTIAL OF THE
  LAND AND DEPLETION IN SURFACE AND GROUND-WATER
  RESOURCES. (UNCCD)

• FOREST FIRES AND DEFORESTATION

• OVERGRAZING

• AGRICULURAL PRACTICES.

• IRRATIONAL MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES
  CONSTUCTION OF DAMS CANALISATION OF RIVERS
  OVEREXPLOITATION OF GROUNDWATER
  DRAINAGE OF WETLANDS POLUTION OF SURFACE
  AND GROUND WATERS.

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THEMEDETERRANEANENVIRONMENT
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THE EVER INCREASING DEMAND FOR WATER

• THE MAIN CONSUMER FOR WATER IS INTENSIVE
  AGRICULTURE BUT TOURISM IS INCREASINGLY
  COMPETING.

• ABSTRACTION ALREADY EXCEEDS THE RECHARGE
  CAPACITY OF GROUND WATER IN MANY AREAS.

• WATER SCARCITY LEADS TO THE CREATION OF
  RESERVOIRS, DAMS AND TRANSPORTATION OF WATER
  OVER LARGE DISTANCES.

• NATIONAL AND REGIONAL HYDROLOGICAL PLANS
  DEFECTIVE 1. INTERGRATED WATER RESOURCE
  SCHEMES NOT INCLUDED 2. DOMINATED BY SHORT
  TERM REQUIREMENTS 3. DRIVE TO INCREASE WATER
  AVAILABILITY THEN IMPROVE WATER
  MANAGEMENT.

• THE NATIONAL WATER PLAN PROPOSES TO PUMP ONE
  BILLION LITRES PER YEAR FROM THE NORTHERN
  EBRO RIVER IS MET WITH HUGE OPPOSITION FROM
  ENGOS.

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PROPOSED PIPELINE TO TRANSPORT WATER FROMTHE
NORTH TO REGIONS IN THESOUTH TO SUPORT THE
EVERINCRESING DEMANDS FOR AGRICULTURE AND
TOURISM
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ECOTOURISM

• THERE IS NO INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED DEFINITION
  OF ECOTOURISM, NO CERTIFICATION SYSTEM OR
  INTERNATIONAL MONITORING BODY. IT DOES NOT
  DENOTE SUSTAINABILITY.

• ECOTOURISM REPRESENTS A NICHE MARKET AND
  REPRESENTS 2-4 OF INTERNATIONAL TOURIST
  EXPENDITURE.

• SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLES SHOULD APPLY TO ALL
  TOURIST ACTIVITIES

• AN ECOTAX HAS BEEN DECIDED UPON IN THE
  BALEARICS TO ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS THE SERIOUS
  ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE TOURIST
  BOOM OF THE PAST 3 DECADES.

• THE INTERNATIONAL TOURIST INDUSTRY HAVE
  LOBBIED FIERCELY AGAINST IT SAYING IT WILL
  DAMAGE BUSINESS.

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THE TOURIST CARRYING CAPACITY

• PHYSICAL CAPACITY THEORETICAL MAXIMUM NUMBER
  OF RECREATIONALIST AN AREA CAN PHYSICALLY
  TAKE.

• PERCEPTUAL CAPACITY THE NUMBER OF
  RECREATIONALIST AN AREA CAN ACCEPT WITHOUT
  DIMINISHING THE QUALITY OF THE RECREATIONAL
  ACTIVITY.

• ECOLOGICAL CAPACITY THE LEVEL OF RECREATIONAL
  ACTIVITY AN ARE CAN UNDERGO BEFORE
  IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE IS SUSTAINED.

• IN MANY AREAS THE ECOLOGICAL CAPACITY HAS
  ALREADY BEEN EXCEEDED.