The Impact Of Tourism On Water Consumption Tourism Essay

The Impact Of holidaymakerry On wet employment touristry EssayTourism is the major economic domain for numerous countries around the world e peculiarly for small is repose developing conveys. . The major ripening of the tourism industry started in the 1980s culmination increasing coastal phylogeny with major coronations in hotels Mauritius is now a well set up high class tourer resort destination and tourism is the deuce-ace pillar of the Mauritian economy after the export processing regularize manufacturing sector and agriculture. It contributes signifi sesstly to economic growth and has been a key broker in the overall breeding of Mauritius. In the ult two decades tourist arrivals affixd at an average annual rate of 9% and in 2000, gross tourism receipts contributed about 11% of the GDP of Mauritius. (CSO, 2007))The political platform of the government is targeting 2.0 million tourists from 2015 to 2020. The dodge for the development of the Tourism sector takes its root word in the Tourism maturement scheme (2002). It presents a twenty twelvemonth vision which sees the tourism industry growing but ensuring that surroundingsal and affectionate issues atomic number 18 addressed to the benefit of the people of Mauritius (Min .of Environment and NDU).The Action Plan includes private sector investments in tourist accommodation, touristattractions, and ancillary facilities, servicemanity sector investment in tourism support programmes(e.g. roads, car parking, body of pee and sewage schemes), infrastructure and critical tourismproduct improvements, diversification and innovations, human resource development/socialprojects and environmental management support. There resulting be an accompanying dealfor operate for high quality up-market tourists with specially trained staff and hotel suiteincluding trained tour guides and support services such as flight bookings, airline operations,etc.Tourism and weeweeThe industry is alike a ma jor consumer of pissing system resources and impacting heavily on urine convey of island states. The puzzle of water supply is further exacerbated by the impact of climate potpourri. Tourism industry relies also on a safe and reliable supply of water.With the goal of attracting 2M tourists by 2015 in Mauritius the intensifier tourism development that will follow will hurl a major impact on our natural resources (CSD, 1996). It has been growing rapidly and impacting on the natural resources of the host countries. everywhereexploitation of water resources can impact negatively on ecosystems which atomic number 18 major comp wholenessnts of its tourism industry. Competition for water resources by the tourism sector and domestic population is a global chore exacerbated by the climate change (Goodwin, 2007). Mauritius is facing each category postpone drought problems during the dry season where it is also the peak tourist period. Over extraction and lowering of ground water table can break away to eventually the depletion of aquifers as it is not replenished as rapidly it is consumed. Pollution from sea water intrusion will further limit the availability of freshwater. The latter(prenominal) will be much app bent with sea level train due to global warming (Goodwin, 2007).The tourism industry faces two issues with regards to water as a resource namely how it affects distribution of water and secondly the impact of the industrys consumption on the environment and the availability of water (Goodwin, 2007). For the development of large resorts, especially in water scarcity areas, the water easy for the local people is deviated to provide for these resorts (Goodwin, 2007).In many another(prenominal) places water is turn to provide for tourists and thus leaving indigenous population short of water. European Environment Agency (2003) in its assessment reported that tourists consume up to 300 Litres (up to 880 Litres for luxury tourism) and generate a round 180L of wastewater per day. The number of tourists see particular places is season dependent and is not unbroken all year round and tends to be concentrated in places which feed limited water resources (Garcia and Servera, 2003). There are conflicts of interests as the tourism industry is able to cloud water at higher costs whereas the poorer population will have to a greater extent frequent water shortage (Goodwin, 2007). In Tunisia groundwater resources that were important for agriculture were diverted to provide for the tourism industry and thus creating a tender problem of dried out land that are unarable and had to be abandoned. The European Tourism Study Group report 2007 conclude that hotels are high consumers of water, as a tourist staying in a hotel uses on average one third more water per day than a local inhabitant. The desalinisation of sea water on a large scale is a measure affordable to countries with high revenues such as United Arab Emirates and Maldive s which have oil resources (Dluzewska, 2008).LAND USE PATTERNS in TourismTourism is world given special attention with respect to its actual and potential impacts in land use (Rico-Amoros, et al., 2008). The tourism distribution is not homogenous for many countries and the different forms and types of tourism have different water requirement (Gossling, 2001). Water consumption by the tourism sector is not well authenticated by statistics at present. More complete information on water pick up of tourism and its different subsector ( second homes, facilities, activities etc,) is needed by state and local authorities to define priorities for water conservation or fill management programs ( Hof. et al, 2011). Rico-Amoros et al. (2008) mentioned that the development of tourism in Mediterranean region is enhancing compel on water demand because in that location high numbers of tourists at specific period and summer droughts which further decrease the availability of water. However, from surrounding(prenominal) study of the different type of tourists, Rico-Amoros et al (2008) found out that assimilation of tourists such as in hotels tend to use comparatively less(prenominal) water than disperse, low density residential resorts. Hof and Schmitt (2011) found out that extend water consumption is directly related to the low-density residential tourist land use due to outdoorsy uses such as smooth pools and gardens comparing with tourists in hotels. The research of Hof and Schmitt (2011) concluded that in summer 70% of the total water consumption in the residential tourist areas is utilize for gardens irrigation which has been identified as the main cause for increase in water consumption. The additional ram on water use is from individually experience swimming pools which accounts for 22 litres/ person/day as shown by Hof and Schmitt (2011). Hotels with play game courses were analysed for their water consumption patterns and regression analysis demonstrate d that the size and price were important factors that will influence the water use by play courses (Gopalakrishnan, 2003). Resorts and hotels golf courses are heavy water users and for small islands the problem is imperative as there is limited resources of drinking water, and thus the water mustiness be judiciously managed ( Graefe and Vaske, 1987).Benchmarks for water use in guest rooms in litres per guest nightGoodFairPoor equable250250-300300Mediterranean270270-320320Tropical300300-350350Source IBLF WWF-UK (2005) p.19Mauritius as SIDS its picSmall Island States are mostly dependent on their natural environment for promoting tourism development but paradoxically the tourism development protrude to be a fast track to social and economic development and thus little care is given for the ecosystem (CSD, 1996). The environment impacts of tourism are more consequent in Small Island States due to its limited land space and freshwater resource. Land is use to build infrastructures and facilities for tourists along with hotels and the new trend of residential houses or apartment. Rising prices of building land increase the pressure to build on agricultural land as the tourism sector is more lucrative. In many countries including Mauritius, there has been unchecked wrench along the coast whereby the original pristine beauty of these areas has been changed in party favor of urbanization since the development of the tourism sector (CSD, 1996). It is only recently that governments are taking measures through legislations to protect the natural resources and promote sustainable. development. Over the past years, there has been a drastic increase in water demand from the different economic and demographic sectors, which in general is leading the domain to a water stressed internet site.Mauritius and its water resourcesAccording to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report, Mauritius is already facing a situation of water stress bec ause it has a supply of 1083 m3 per person per year (based on actual population), which is below the norm of 1 700m3 per person per year. Mauritius is expected to conduct from water scarcity by 2020 with a projected supply of 974 m3 per person per year (based on a projected population of 1 335 000). Although the figures can be interpreted in various ways, they provide an indication of the problems that Mauritius whitethorn face in the future regarding water supply. The water sector faces a number of challenges resulting from increasing demand from the different sectors. New dams are aforethought(ip) to be built and reduction in unaccounted for water are beingness envisaged with big investment in new pipe networks.Diversification of the tourism product-IRS in MauritiusIn view to attract more foreign investment Mauritius has recently introduced a new type of development namely the structured Resort Schemes (IRS) whereby resorts are being constructed that include hotels, residentia l villas and golf courses. Since 2005 there has been an increase in the number of resorts and golf courses though the financial crisis has countersink a halt to this rapid increase. These developments have put further pressure to the unusual water resources. In Mauritius strategies are being put in place to manage the water resources the demand as well as the supply sides. The IRS promotes the concept of residential tourism with second permanent homes for recondite retired or rich celebrities. This market diversification has therefore allowed the development of golf, villas, spas and also permanent second homes or residential that have increased the demand of water from the tourism sector.In encouraging this type of development and targeting more and more tourist this will again have a consequences on the water resources. Mauritius depend on a few number of reservoirs and are already under pressure to supply for the domestic, industrial, agricultural and tourism sector. The touri st hotel mainly the large ones have started to have desalination plants to have constant supply of water.Due to high water demand Mauritius has reached almost its limits in terms of underground resources. The table below shows the water requirements till 2050. put back 1Water requirements in Mauritius(Proag, V., 2006, Water Resources Management in Mauritius. European Water 15/16 45-57)Available Water resources and climate change could withal have an impact on the diversification strategy thereby causing a decline of growth in the tourism sector especially if these water crises are not well managed. (Essex et al, 2004)Residential Tourism or second homesThe different types of tourist accomodation and new type of residential tourism do not consume water resources similarly. The golf courses are consuming more and more water for irrigation purposes. A.Hof et al (2011) have shown that outdoor uses such as swimming pools, garden irrigation are also have a high impact on water resources. As located by a study (Gopalakrishnan and Cox 2003) shows that number of units of swimming pools and golf courses will determine the consumption of water.Aim of paperTo develop allot strategies for the management of the water resources information on the tourism sector demand for water and the different usage will be required. There is however an information gap with regards to its impact on water resources .This paper will try to show the influence of tourism hotel, non hotel and residential on the scarce water resources and thereby assist in developing a strategy for a sustainable tourism.