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Tourism and the environment: A sustainable relationship?
Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services Vol 4, No 2, pp. 139-144, 1997 Publishe by Elsevier Science Ltd. Printed in Great Britain 0969-6989/97 $17.00 + 0.00
Pergamon
Book reviews Tourism and the Environment: A Sustainable Relationship? Colin Hunter and Howard Green Routledge, London (1995) 212 pp £40 I S B N 0 415 085254 1 Globally, tourism and the associated development of the necessary infrastructure has increased at a phenomenal rate. The World Tourism Organization (WTO) estimates that tourism will be a 3 trillion dollar (US dollars) industry by the year 2000. One in every nine workers is involved in this worldwide industry, which represents over 10% of all global wages and is expected to grow at a rate of 5.5% per year (World Travel and Tourism Organization, 1995). Given the growth of this industry, there is considerable concern among researchers, planners, designers and citizens about the potential environmental impacts of tourism on local resources, as evidenced by the number of publications and international conferences on the subject. For example, the International Federation of Landscape Architects held their 32nd Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, in October 1995, based on the theme of tourism development and landscape changes. Specific problems of tourism development include the discharge of raw sewage into water used for swimming, fishing, diving and boating. Other issues involve the depletion of vegetation, wildlife habitats and soil erosion and siltation. Colin Hunter and Howard Green have written a much needed and timely book. The authors have their roots in the area of planning. Hunter is a senior lecturer in environmental science in the Department of Geographical and Environmental Sciences at the University of Huddersfield. The co-author, Howard Green, is Professor of Urban Planning at the School of the Environment, Leeds Metropolitan University. The book is intended for academics, professionals involved in the tourism
industry, and decision makers at local and central (regional) levels of government. The book describes many of the already documented impacts of tourism, and then leads to a discussion of sustainable development as related to tourism development. Proposed policy or planning alternatives are then discussed within the context of sustainable development. Finally, the book describes land use issues and planning methods, ending in a discussion of the application of environmental impact assessments as applied to tourism. The above are all major goals and could be separate textbooks in and of themselves. Chapter 1, 'Introduction', provides a brief introduction and overview of tourism. Specific travel figures are included to emphasize the scope of the industry. A short introduction to the possible environmental impacts of tourism is presented. A potential criticism at this point might be that the authors do not make a strong and forceful connection between the types of tourist demand (activities) and the potential of environmental degradation through outdoor recreation use by tourists. Chapter 2, 'The environmental impacts of tourism', consists of a review of documented environmental, social and cultural impacts. The authors state that the study of tourism impacts to date has been approached from a single academic discipline perspective. Possibly from an academic viewpoint this is the case; however, in some countries multidisciplinary teams are formed to analyze the potential impacts of resort siting. For example, the state of Oregon, USA, requires a full environmental analysis and conformity with the local comprehensive land use plan in order to approve such tourist developments. This chapter provides a good review of the literature in identifying the impacts on the natural environment (such as flora and fauna, pollution, erosion, natural resources and
visual and aesthetic impacts), the built environment (urban form, infrastructure, restoration, erosion and pollution), and finally impacts on the cultural environment (history, traditional arts, language, religion, and values and norms). Importantly, the authors suggest that there is no simple view of the relationship between tourism and the environment. Furthermore, they note that the individual and net effects of impacts may be detrimental, neutral, benign or enhancing, according to individual site circumstances (pp 40-41). This is an important point, and one that all planners, decision makers, academics and students must learn: just because something is an issue elsewhere, it does not mean it may be so in every situation or site. Chapter 3, 'Key concepts for tourism and the environment', introduces the notion of sustainable development and alternative forms of tourism. The discussion of the English Tourist Board's sustainable tourism development guidelines for tourism businesses (ETB et al, 1992) is a very useful feature of this chapter. Specifically, the guidelines provide material for the business owner who desires to 'go green'. The description of alternative forms of tourism makes comparisons of mass vs the newly expanding area of alternative forms of tourism (eco-tourism, green tourism etc). The tables are useful to the reader in making these comparisons. Another key feature is the inclusion of a table and discussion of the main policy instruments available to address tourism and the impacts on the environment (p 88). Chapter 4, 'Planning for sustainable tourism development', provides background material on planning, policy, land use control mechanisms and design concerns, among other issues. Importantly, the authors point out that land use planning should be seen as a central concern in the control and development of land, and
139
Book reviews tourism is one sector amongst the many that need to be integrated, controlled and managed within a comprehensive land use planning system. This is a key point and possibly the most important point about tourism development. Often, tourism development is viewed by the industry and some government officials as being 'outside' the legal land use system adopted by the local government. In order to promote a sustainable tourism industry with minimum impact on the environment, longrange planning and analysis must occur, using local people and experts within the process. This planning process will allow for mitigating measures to be designed or implemented prior to the impacts: therefore the approach would be proactive rather than reactive in nature. The section on land use planning provides some comparative information by country, which can assist the reader in differentiating what constitutes comprehensive models of land planning from more ineffective approaches. What is lacking is a discussion of land planning systems in the USA: particularly discussion of land planning systems in Oregon and Vermont, two very prominent and successful models. The discussion of decision making and planning is rather short and lacks some detail; however, enough references are provided to allow the reader to pursue this area. Finally, the discussion of 'people and planning' lacks depth. This issue is the key to sustainable tourism (as the authors note); however, little guidance is provided in the text. The authors do correctly note, however, that very little literature exists on the subject relative to tourism. Chapter 5, 'Environmental impact assessment and tourism development', provides the reader with a detailed discussion of the E I A process and basic features of such an assessment. Methodological concerns, checklists and example matrices are included to illustrate the key points of an EIA. Brief introductions to networks, overlay mapping, and simulation modeling are included. This chapter will be of interest to planners, landscape architects, architects and decision makers with regard
140
to the methods that are available for the presentation of assessments. Key references are included to allow the reader to pursue more detailed discussion and examples elsewhere. Additional material is presented on citizen participation, which supplements the material provided in Chapter 4. The 'Conclusions' chapter reinforces the position that tourism developments will be accompanied by a complex range and mix of (interrelated) positive and negative environmental impacts. Four principles are offered to promote the notion of sustainability, which are summarized and simplified here, for the purposes of this review: (a) the conservation and preservation of natural resources; (b) conservation and preservation of historical buildings and sites; (c) respect for the wishes of the local community; and (d) equitable distribution of the costs and benefits amongst locals, developers, and tourists. It may be added that business owners should share these costs and benefits also, and that government should be concerned about the impacts of the development. Overall, Tourism and the Environment." A Sustainable Relationship? is well written and includes many examples worthy of exploration and consideration by local governments and tourism officials. The book will appeal to students studying planning and design issues for tourism areas, and decision makers and practitioners who need to be informed on sustainable development issues and concepts. Many useful international examples exist, which allow the reader to understand the concepts presented more fully. However, one shortcoming is that virtually no references are made to examples in the USA. This seems rather odd, in that the environmental legislative movement (NEPA) began in that country, and has been used as a model for other countries in the adoption of environmental impact assessments. The authors do mention this, but no examples of environmental impact assessments from that country are made or presented. This work supplements and complements earlier tourism planning
work done by Murphy (Tourism: A Community Driven Approach, 1985), Gunn (Tourism Planning, 1988), Smith and Eadington (Tourism Alternatives, 1992), and Lindberg and Hawkins (Ecotourism: A Guide for Planners and Managers, 1993). There is a need for a book on this important subject. This book makes a valuable contribution on the subject and should prove useful to a number of people who are interested in and concerned about the impacts of tourism on the environment.
Samuel V Lankford School of Travel Industry Management and College of Education, University of Hawaii
Urban Public Transport Today Barry J. Simpson
E & F N Spon, London (1994) 222 pp ISBN 0 419 18780 4 In 1985 a tragedy happened to UK public transport. The Transport Act was introduced, which meant compulsory competition within the public transport sector. This is far from giving a stimulus to a strongly needed integration within public transport, necessary to be able to compete with private transport and by that to contribute to the solution of congestion and the environmental problems caused by our travel habits. In fact this tragedy is not the theme of the book to be reviewed here, but it is hanging as a shadow over it. The book discusses, in 13 chapters, technical, town planning, financial and political aspects of actual public transport problems. Although some examples from abroad, especially from Sweden and Germany, broaden the scope of the book, it focuses on UK public transport items. The first chapter shoots at some troubles, especially the problems of car traffic and lack of integration of transport planning and land use planning. I can not agree with Simpson when he argues that all recently built bus and urban rail systems have failed in terms of numbers of passengers, speed and comfort. It is a pity that figures are
Pergamon
Book reviews Tourism and the Environment: A Sustainable Relationship? Colin Hunter and Howard Green Routledge, London (1995) 212 pp £40 I S B N 0 415 085254 1 Globally, tourism and the associated development of the necessary infrastructure has increased at a phenomenal rate. The World Tourism Organization (WTO) estimates that tourism will be a 3 trillion dollar (US dollars) industry by the year 2000. One in every nine workers is involved in this worldwide industry, which represents over 10% of all global wages and is expected to grow at a rate of 5.5% per year (World Travel and Tourism Organization, 1995). Given the growth of this industry, there is considerable concern among researchers, planners, designers and citizens about the potential environmental impacts of tourism on local resources, as evidenced by the number of publications and international conferences on the subject. For example, the International Federation of Landscape Architects held their 32nd Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, in October 1995, based on the theme of tourism development and landscape changes. Specific problems of tourism development include the discharge of raw sewage into water used for swimming, fishing, diving and boating. Other issues involve the depletion of vegetation, wildlife habitats and soil erosion and siltation. Colin Hunter and Howard Green have written a much needed and timely book. The authors have their roots in the area of planning. Hunter is a senior lecturer in environmental science in the Department of Geographical and Environmental Sciences at the University of Huddersfield. The co-author, Howard Green, is Professor of Urban Planning at the School of the Environment, Leeds Metropolitan University. The book is intended for academics, professionals involved in the tourism
industry, and decision makers at local and central (regional) levels of government. The book describes many of the already documented impacts of tourism, and then leads to a discussion of sustainable development as related to tourism development. Proposed policy or planning alternatives are then discussed within the context of sustainable development. Finally, the book describes land use issues and planning methods, ending in a discussion of the application of environmental impact assessments as applied to tourism. The above are all major goals and could be separate textbooks in and of themselves. Chapter 1, 'Introduction', provides a brief introduction and overview of tourism. Specific travel figures are included to emphasize the scope of the industry. A short introduction to the possible environmental impacts of tourism is presented. A potential criticism at this point might be that the authors do not make a strong and forceful connection between the types of tourist demand (activities) and the potential of environmental degradation through outdoor recreation use by tourists. Chapter 2, 'The environmental impacts of tourism', consists of a review of documented environmental, social and cultural impacts. The authors state that the study of tourism impacts to date has been approached from a single academic discipline perspective. Possibly from an academic viewpoint this is the case; however, in some countries multidisciplinary teams are formed to analyze the potential impacts of resort siting. For example, the state of Oregon, USA, requires a full environmental analysis and conformity with the local comprehensive land use plan in order to approve such tourist developments. This chapter provides a good review of the literature in identifying the impacts on the natural environment (such as flora and fauna, pollution, erosion, natural resources and
visual and aesthetic impacts), the built environment (urban form, infrastructure, restoration, erosion and pollution), and finally impacts on the cultural environment (history, traditional arts, language, religion, and values and norms). Importantly, the authors suggest that there is no simple view of the relationship between tourism and the environment. Furthermore, they note that the individual and net effects of impacts may be detrimental, neutral, benign or enhancing, according to individual site circumstances (pp 40-41). This is an important point, and one that all planners, decision makers, academics and students must learn: just because something is an issue elsewhere, it does not mean it may be so in every situation or site. Chapter 3, 'Key concepts for tourism and the environment', introduces the notion of sustainable development and alternative forms of tourism. The discussion of the English Tourist Board's sustainable tourism development guidelines for tourism businesses (ETB et al, 1992) is a very useful feature of this chapter. Specifically, the guidelines provide material for the business owner who desires to 'go green'. The description of alternative forms of tourism makes comparisons of mass vs the newly expanding area of alternative forms of tourism (eco-tourism, green tourism etc). The tables are useful to the reader in making these comparisons. Another key feature is the inclusion of a table and discussion of the main policy instruments available to address tourism and the impacts on the environment (p 88). Chapter 4, 'Planning for sustainable tourism development', provides background material on planning, policy, land use control mechanisms and design concerns, among other issues. Importantly, the authors point out that land use planning should be seen as a central concern in the control and development of land, and
139
Book reviews tourism is one sector amongst the many that need to be integrated, controlled and managed within a comprehensive land use planning system. This is a key point and possibly the most important point about tourism development. Often, tourism development is viewed by the industry and some government officials as being 'outside' the legal land use system adopted by the local government. In order to promote a sustainable tourism industry with minimum impact on the environment, longrange planning and analysis must occur, using local people and experts within the process. This planning process will allow for mitigating measures to be designed or implemented prior to the impacts: therefore the approach would be proactive rather than reactive in nature. The section on land use planning provides some comparative information by country, which can assist the reader in differentiating what constitutes comprehensive models of land planning from more ineffective approaches. What is lacking is a discussion of land planning systems in the USA: particularly discussion of land planning systems in Oregon and Vermont, two very prominent and successful models. The discussion of decision making and planning is rather short and lacks some detail; however, enough references are provided to allow the reader to pursue this area. Finally, the discussion of 'people and planning' lacks depth. This issue is the key to sustainable tourism (as the authors note); however, little guidance is provided in the text. The authors do correctly note, however, that very little literature exists on the subject relative to tourism. Chapter 5, 'Environmental impact assessment and tourism development', provides the reader with a detailed discussion of the E I A process and basic features of such an assessment. Methodological concerns, checklists and example matrices are included to illustrate the key points of an EIA. Brief introductions to networks, overlay mapping, and simulation modeling are included. This chapter will be of interest to planners, landscape architects, architects and decision makers with regard
140
to the methods that are available for the presentation of assessments. Key references are included to allow the reader to pursue more detailed discussion and examples elsewhere. Additional material is presented on citizen participation, which supplements the material provided in Chapter 4. The 'Conclusions' chapter reinforces the position that tourism developments will be accompanied by a complex range and mix of (interrelated) positive and negative environmental impacts. Four principles are offered to promote the notion of sustainability, which are summarized and simplified here, for the purposes of this review: (a) the conservation and preservation of natural resources; (b) conservation and preservation of historical buildings and sites; (c) respect for the wishes of the local community; and (d) equitable distribution of the costs and benefits amongst locals, developers, and tourists. It may be added that business owners should share these costs and benefits also, and that government should be concerned about the impacts of the development. Overall, Tourism and the Environment." A Sustainable Relationship? is well written and includes many examples worthy of exploration and consideration by local governments and tourism officials. The book will appeal to students studying planning and design issues for tourism areas, and decision makers and practitioners who need to be informed on sustainable development issues and concepts. Many useful international examples exist, which allow the reader to understand the concepts presented more fully. However, one shortcoming is that virtually no references are made to examples in the USA. This seems rather odd, in that the environmental legislative movement (NEPA) began in that country, and has been used as a model for other countries in the adoption of environmental impact assessments. The authors do mention this, but no examples of environmental impact assessments from that country are made or presented. This work supplements and complements earlier tourism planning
work done by Murphy (Tourism: A Community Driven Approach, 1985), Gunn (Tourism Planning, 1988), Smith and Eadington (Tourism Alternatives, 1992), and Lindberg and Hawkins (Ecotourism: A Guide for Planners and Managers, 1993). There is a need for a book on this important subject. This book makes a valuable contribution on the subject and should prove useful to a number of people who are interested in and concerned about the impacts of tourism on the environment.
Samuel V Lankford School of Travel Industry Management and College of Education, University of Hawaii
Urban Public Transport Today Barry J. Simpson
E & F N Spon, London (1994) 222 pp ISBN 0 419 18780 4 In 1985 a tragedy happened to UK public transport. The Transport Act was introduced, which meant compulsory competition within the public transport sector. This is far from giving a stimulus to a strongly needed integration within public transport, necessary to be able to compete with private transport and by that to contribute to the solution of congestion and the environmental problems caused by our travel habits. In fact this tragedy is not the theme of the book to be reviewed here, but it is hanging as a shadow over it. The book discusses, in 13 chapters, technical, town planning, financial and political aspects of actual public transport problems. Although some examples from abroad, especially from Sweden and Germany, broaden the scope of the book, it focuses on UK public transport items. The first chapter shoots at some troubles, especially the problems of car traffic and lack of integration of transport planning and land use planning. I can not agree with Simpson when he argues that all recently built bus and urban rail systems have failed in terms of numbers of passengers, speed and comfort. It is a pity that figures are