Many countries believe that international tourism has harmful effects. Why do they think so? What can be done to change their views?
需可持续旅游
Despite the popularity of global travel, critics think that it has a negative impact on the countries involved. There is one key reason why some people are of this opinion, and it is likely that drastic action will need to be taken before they change their minds.
The most widespread concern is the detrimental effect that international tourism has on the environment. As the popularity of a location flourishes, the infrastructure often struggles to keep pace with the influx of visitors, and this puts a strain on the natural resources. For example, maintaining a golf course in a developing South American country uses about the same amount of water as around 60,000 villagers. As for pollution, it can be traced back to the carbon footprint caused by air travel and the plastic bottles left behind by foreign tourists on the beach. Even if some travel agencies claimed that their overseas tours would cause minimal damage to the environment, the fact is that some of these tourism businesses have failed to meet most requirements of environmental protection.
In order to address the adverse effects mentioned above and repair the damaged reputation of international tourism, I think governments around the world need to introduce and enforce much stricter rules and regulations. Tour operators should have to demonstrate the environmental impact of their operation before they are allowed to open for business. Then their activities should be closely monitored, and strict fines should be imposed for any transgressions.
If we are to preserve our natural world for future generations, it is vital that we focus on making international tourism environmentally sustainable.