Table 4. Negative impacts of tourism

Economy

Loss of traditional economies

Costs of opportunity stemming from the use of resources for alternative uses

Costs derived from fluctuations in tourist demand

Possible inflation due to tourist activity

Possible loss of potential economic benefits if the investors are foreign

Environment

Water pollution by discharges of wastewater

Sound pollution from tourist transport and activities

Air pollution from vehicle emissions

Destruction of natural habitats

Changes in the diversity of species

Changes in migration and reproductive cycles of species

Elimination of specific species from hunting and the souvenir trade

Damages to geological structures or buildings from the tourist influx

Damages to vegetation and soil erosion

Exhaustion of mineral resources, fossil fuels and supplies of underground water sources

Proliferation of fires and the desertification of specific areas

Alteration of urban and rural landscapes

Society and culture

Changes in the traditional lifestyle of the host communities

Changes in social values and religious beliefs

Changes in the local identity of the host communities

Changes in the economic structure and the social roles of the host communities

Increase in social problems (violence, prostitution …)

Loss of authenticity in local crafts

Possible displacement of the local population in favor of tourism development

Source: Compiled by authors based on Hong (1985), Wahab and Pigram (1997), Mowforth and Munt

(1998) and Ayuso and Fullana (2002).

 

However, in comparison to the large number of studies conducted on the general impacts of tourism on the economy, the society and environment, there have been few attempts to comprehensively analyse the impacts attributable to the hotel sector. Furthermore, the majority of them centre on descriptive studies, which try to estimate the environmental impact caused by a hotel establishment over the course of its lifecycle (Ayuso and Fullana, 2002). According to these studies, the largest environmental impacts in the hotel sector take place in the provision of services and operational phases (maintenance, cleaning, cooking, restaurants and laundry, among others), and to a lesser degree in the phase prior to providing the service (construction and production of auxiliary products). The main environmental impacts stemming from corporate activity are considered to be the consumption of electricity, water and raw materials and the generation of wastes. However, the hotel sector not only interacts with natural systems, as these types of activities also entail both direct and indirect contact between the tourists and the local population. In any case, these contacts could lead to problems such as transforming the local lifestyle and culture, changing local values and increased delinquency (Hong, 1985; Wahab and Pigram, 1997; Ayuso and Fullana, 2002).

In addition, negative sociocultural impacts from tourism can even start before the tourists reach a destination. The fast, and often poorly planned, development of tourism accelerates the quick transition of traditional lifestyles toward a modern and more Western style (Ayuso and Fullana, 2002). This involves a fast loss of cultural identity and the deterioration of traditional values, a situation that could lead to negative consequences including: the rupture of family and social cohesion, as the people work harder to improve their social status, causing them to spend less time with their families; the abandonment of traditional economies like farming and fishing, which are replaced by tourist-related activities; and increased social problems like drug abuse and prostitution (Hong, 1985; Ayuso and Fullana, 2002).