Tourism & the environment

Tourists in wadi Rum in Jordan

Island castle in Rikka, Syria

Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. More countries are becoming aware of the importance of tourism as an income generating enterprise. This is why we are witnessing an inclination on the part of governments to promote tourism without abusing the tourist attractions. Mass tourism to exotic places has exhausted the pleasure spots, and destroyed the ecosystem. Consequently, income potentials from tourism activities are destroyed too.

Middle Eastern countries started to promote Ecotourism facilities because they became aware of the advantages of this kind of tourism, and the fact that it can ensure the safety of their popular locations and natural sites..

Ecotravel goes by many names: adventure travel, nature based travel, environmental or ecological travel, scientific expedition, cross-cultural exchange, language study…etc. It is geared towards concerned individuals who want to understand and preserve the planet's natural beauty.

Developing countries began to feel the risks caused by tourism, especially if they didn't enjoy a sufficient technological and financial capacity to deal with what the travelers might consume, and leave behind as left overs or garbage. For example, one big Hotel in Egypt consumes the amount of electricity that could be used by 3600 moderate-income Egyptian families.

Nature lovers discover Balooh Balaa in Lebanon

Doma village in north Lebanon

The increase of touristic activities in the region had a negative effect on the ecosystem of the Mediterranean coasts, and on environment in general, causing land degradation, water sarcacity and pollution.

Mediterranean countries attract 30% of international tourism. In 1990, 135 million tourists visited the Mediterranean coasts. In 1999, 3million tourists visited Syria, and 5 million visited Egypt. The United Arab Emirates emerged as a new market place for Arab tourism, attracting 2.5 million tourists in 1999, who visited the UAE seeking shopping and the pleasures of exploring exotic wild life and the biodiversity of the desert..

It takes three elements to sustain this big business: the tourist, the tour operator and the government. It is the responsibility of the tourist to be respectful of the culture and the people and the environment of the place visited. One shouldn't make high expectations against the resources available. (Don't expect a 5 star hotel in the middle of an old forest!). Tour operators should take the initiative in helping to reduce pollution, and creating regulations that tourists should abide by. Governments should provide strategical planning for the environment sector, ensure the environmental impact assessment for the touristic sites and projects, gas emission standards, the infrastructure, in addition to controlling the capacity of touristic locations.