Mountains, deserts, savannahs and the polar regions are fragile both in their ecologies and the cultures of their inhabitants. These fragile environments are characterised by a marked seasonality, and many human activities are limited to clearly defined times of the year. Environmental impacts arise not only from traditional economic activities, but also from tourism which has recently grown rapidly in many of these environments around the world. This trend is welcomed by the tourism industry but viewed with apprehension by many organisations concerned with protecting the human and natural systems of fragile environments. While tourism can provide new sources of revenue and help stem depopulation, it can also destabilise communities, making them dependent on external sources of money and endangering long-established traditions and ways of life. People and Tourism in Fragile Environments discusses many of these delicate interactions by presenting detailed case studies from five continents. The contributors write from a wide and well-balanced range of perspectives, including anthropology, geography, recreation, national park management, environmental consulting and the tourism industry. The common theme is clear: that tourism must always be seen in the long-term context of the communities with which it interacts. This book is an essential contribution to the literature of tourism and sustainable development and will be widely read by students of tourism, travel and tourism professionals, and anyone involved in related fields of sustainable development and fragile environments.

For many people, holidays are an increasingly central feature of contemporary western society. The tourism industry has expanded rapidly since 1950, but this book poses the significant question of consequent environmental impacts: are environments being benefited or damaged, by the tourist who visit them? A well-balanced introductory text, this topical book on the relationships between tourism, society and the environment, examines 'tourism' and 'environment' in detail, and gives a historical overview of the growth of the tourism industry. It discusses how the tourism industry markets physical and cultural environments to be consumed by the tourist, and the consequences of the tourism they then attract. It explores: * how the economics of tourism can be adopted in a positive way to aid conservation * whether the concept of sustainability can be applied to tourism * provides a critique of the 'new' forms of tourism, that have developed in recent years. An extensive range of international case studies from both the developed and developing world are used to illustrate the theoretical ideas presented, and to aid the student, it includes end of chapter summaries, further reading guides and boxed vignettes focusing on contemporary environmental issues and debates.

Our oceans are hugely important, as a source of food and mineral wealth, as an environment for a vast variety of wildlife, for the role they play in climate regulation, and as part of the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements critical to life. Dorrik Stow explores what we know about how oceans originate and are maintained.

In the face of rapid industrialisation in the last few decades, the tourism economy has blossomed into a major industry with positive impacts such as economic growth, infrastructure development, employment, and income generation. However, tourism brings negative environmental effects such as degradation of landscapes and habitats, increased vulnerability of avifauna and wildlife, and pollution leading to the decline of species. Environmental Impacts of Tourism in Developing Nations is a pivotal reference source that explores some of the critical challenges faced in the tourism economy particularly with regard to the impacts on the environment in developing nations. It also explores the impact tourism plays in the biophysical environment such as the issue of climate change. While highlighting topics such as environmental justice, ecosystems, and ecotourism, this book is ideally designed for academicians, policymakers, environmentalists, tourism professionals, and graduate-level students seeking current research on the environmental and economic impacts of tourism.

Natural environments, and the human interactions that occur within, are continuously changing and evolving. This comprehensive volume explores how the impacts of climate change, natural and man-made disasters, economic instability, and other macro-environmental factors can have profound implications for local and global economies, fragile ecosystems, and human cultures and livelihoods. The authors examine the numerous ways in which changes in the natural environment impact tourism, and how the tourism industry is responding and adapting to such changes, in both developed and developing regions. Through the various case studies that examine human interaction within what are often fragile ecosystems, this book makes it clear that, while adaptation can be passive in nature, it can and should be much more proactive, with individuals and organizations seeking improved knowledge and learning. Such actions will contribute to greater resilience within the tourism industry, whether in response to climate change and its subsequent impacts, or an increasing scarcity of the natural resources upon which tourism relies. This book was originally published as a special issue of the journal Tourism Geographies.

The global demand for tourism continues to increase as economic growth creates opportunities for its consumption as a lifestyle option across cultures. The spatial reach of recreational tourism into remoter environments reflects a desire to reconnect to nature that is partially created by the global trend toward urbanisation. At the same time, anthropogenic created environmental problems have led us to re-evaluate our relationship to nature and the values that are held by the environment. This third edition of Environment and Tourism incorporates additional material on environmental philosophies and ontologies of nature and how these influence our understanding of tourism’s relationship with the natural environment. In an epoch representing a critical juncture for the future well-being of the planet based on our relationship to nature, the text has been updated to reflect the growth in significance of the interaction between tourism and the natural environment as a part of this discourse. It communicates a range of key conceptual debates on the ethics and economics of the consuming nature for tourism and relates these to real world examples whilst evaluating environmental planning, and management responses. The book seeks to highlight the relevance of the significance of tourism for nature within the framework of society, as a system of inter-connected places across space and time, exploring the relationship of the environments of where tourists come from with the ones that they travel to. The updated features include: new chapters on philosophies and constructs of the environment, environmental ethics, and tourist consumption an extensive range of international case studies used to illustrate the theoretical ideas presented boxes offering bite sized insights, and think points designed to encourage students to further engage with the topics discussed Environment and Tourism emphasises a holistic view of the tourism system and how it interacts with nature, illustrating the positive and negative effects of this relationship. It emphasises how ontologies of the environment influence the planning and management of tourism for natural resource conservation and human development. It is an invaluable tool for anyone studying Human Geography, Tourism and Environmental Studies, as well as for policy makers and consultants working in the field of tourism development.

Tourism is at the forefront of the debate on development versus sustainability. The challenge facing the industry is how to translate principles into practice and to attain a balance between the objectives of tourism development and the long-term conservation of physical, ecological and sociocultural environments. This book addresses these issues, particularly from economic, ethical and environmental perspectives. It has been developed from selected papers presented at a conference held at Newton Rigg College, Cumbria, UK, in April 1996. It is divided into four parts, addressing: concepts, theories and methodological issues; the tourism industry's promotion of sustainable tourism; minimising environmental impact by means of alternative forms of tourism; and policy implications. The book includes a wide range of case studies and destinations where tourism is rapidly developing in fragile environments, including Belize, Crete, Goa, the English Lake District, Madagascar, Malaysia, the Seychelles and Spain. It represents important reading for both undergraduate and postgraduate students, research workers and tourism industry practitioners, whether from the standpoint of geography, sociology, economics, management and marketing or planning.

COVID-19 put a temporary stop to the crisis of overtourism. Yet there is no question that travel will resume; the only question is, when it does, what will it look like? Overtourism: Lessons for a Better Future charts a path toward tourism that is truly sustainable, focusing on the triple bottom line of people, planet, and prosperity. This practical book examines the causes and effects of overtourism before turning to emerging management strategies. Visitor education, traffic planning, and redirection to lesser known sites are among the measures that can protect the economic benefit of tourism without overwhelming local communities. As tourism revives around the world, these innovations will guide government agencies, parks officials, site managers, civic groups, environmental NGOs, tourism operators, and others with a stake in protecting our most iconic places.

Using a host of international examples Butcher examines what the advocates of 'new tourism' see as being wrong with mass tourism, looks critically at the claims made for the new alternatives and makes a case for guilt-free holidays.