Environmental Impacts of Tourism

 The history of tourism closely shows that the environment has contributed to the birth and progress of tourism.
 The term “environment” connotes both human and physical characteristics. Speakers and writers often refer to human environment, physical environment or a combination of both.
 A term that describes the human and physical characteristics of an area is preexisting forms.

BENEFITS
1. Environmental Awareness
Tourism has created environmental awareness in two ways:
 First, contact with scenic areas has raised man’s awareness of the earth’s beauty and made it easier for him to see and enjoy it with minimum damage.
 Second, environmental awareness has been heightened by mass tourism

2. Conservation
Conservation and prevention of the environment not only benefits the local area but they also determine the future of tourism.
 First, the local residents benefit from the preservation.
 Second, tourism for as long as it draws tourist, will continue to be socio-economic and culture asset.

The aim of National Park Services, with the inclusion of conservation, is much broader now than it was in the past. The national park in East Africa, Kenya and Tanzania were founded to protect wildlife.

Clare Gunn cited the following factors which led to the conservation movement:
1. There was a social concern to which park movement owes its beginnings. The growth of industry and commerce and their associated ills stimulated a demand for the parks and open spaces. The provision for public land was seen as an antidote to the immoral values of urban society and as an escape from the routine work and urban living.
2. There was an emphasis on the efficiency of resources being used, particularly of non-renewable resources. Early expectations stressed maximum utilization but with a minimum of environmental