The quality of the environment, both natural and man-made, is essential to tourism. However, tourism's relationship with the environment is complex. It involves many activities that can have adverse environmental effects. Many of these impacts are linked with the construction of general infrastructure such as roads and airports, and of tourism facilities, including resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops, golf courses and marinas.
On the other hand, tourism has the potential to create beneficial effects on the environment by contributing to environmental protection and conservation. (Resoure: UNEP)

Read the facts below if you want to know more:

• 980 million people travelled internationally in 2010, a 4% increase over the previous year, and forecasts expect 1.6 billion tourists by the year 2020.

• ICAO reported that the number of international air passengers worldwide rose from 88 million in 1972 to 344 million in 1994. One consequence of this increase in air transport is that tourism now accounts for more than 60% of air travel and is therefore responsible for an important share of air emissions.

• For example, cruise ships in the Caribbean are estimated to produce more than 70,000 tons of waste each year.

• Travel & Tourism as a sector accounts for 258 million jobs globally.

• Costa Rica was a pioneer in ecotourism and exemplifies how tourism can be a key pillar of economic development policy. Costa Rica is now the premiere destination for ecotourism, and in 2010 tourism contributed 5.5% of the country's GDP.

• Ecotourism generated $2.1 million in 2010, and Jordan's Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature has received several global awards for its success in alleviating poverty and creating employment for local communities, in combination with integrating nature conservation.

• Environmental impacts
• Sustainable tourism
• Ecotourism vs. sustainable tourism