Responsible Tourism13 November 2011, 9:16 pm
Tourism is an important sector for the Malaysian economy. The formation of the Tourism Development Corporation in 1972 marked a new era for the tourism industry and today, tourism takes one of the leading roles in our economy. It is the second largest foreign exchange earner, only falling short of manufacturing. In 2010, revenue generated from tourism totalled RM 56.49 billion. The targeted 24 million tourists were also surpassed by 577,000 visitors. In Malaysia, the service sector is the largest and contributes 52.4% of GDP and constitutes 48.6% of total employment. It is safe to say that the tourism industry is very important not just for the country’s economic growth but also job provision.
The most distinct and charming aspect of Malaysian tourism is the country’s cultural and natural heritage. While cultural and historical tourist attractions can be found in destinations such as Malacca and Penang, eco and agro-tourism activities are more popular in the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia, and Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia. The quality of the environment, both natural and man-made is therefore essential to tourism.
However, many tourist activities can have adverse environmental effects. Many of these impacts are linked with the construction of general infrastructure such as roads and airports, and tourism facilities including resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops, golf courses and marinas. These negative impacts of tourism development can gradually destroy the environmental resources on which it depends. Such negative impacts occur when the level of visitor use is greater than the environment’s ability to cope with this use within acceptable limits of change.
Uncontrolled conventional tourism poses potential threats to many natural areas not only in Malaysia but also around the world. It can put enormous pressure on an area and this can lead to impacts such as: soil erosion, increased pollution, discharges into the sea, natural habitat loss, increased pressure on endangered species and heightened vulnerability to forest fires. It very often puts a strain on water resources, and this can force local populations to compete for the use of critical resources. For example, in the Mediterranean, where water scarcity is of particular concern, the usage of water by tourists is almost double what the inhabitants of an average Spanish city use.
Hence, just like everything else in life, a balance needs to be found. Tourism has the potential to create beneficial effects on the environment by contributing to environmental protection and conservation. It can help to raise awareness of environmental values and it can serve as a tool to finance protection of natural areas and increase their economic importance.
“Sustainable tourism” is a phrase that is very commonly used now. There is no doubt that climate change is affecting our planet and it can have a dramatic effect on tourism with rising temperatures, extreme weather patterns as well as water shortages. Even so, tourism is predicted to grow rapidly and hotels and other accommodations, together with tourists need to do everything they can to minimise the environmental impact of their business and reduce carbon emissions. For example, up to 70% of laundry is towels and bed linens used for one day. Most of us do not practice this habit at home, so why then do it when staying at a hotel? Implementing a towel and bed linen reuse programme can reduce the amount of material processed in the laundry by 39600kg per year and reduce consumption of laundry chemicals by 22% for a typical 100 room hotel according to the Travel Foundation. Implementing such a scheme can also reduce water and energy costs by up to RM 26,000. Sourcing local produce is also good practice as it allows local communities to benefit from tourism.
The potential here is endless; local suppliers can provide food, crafts, souvenirs, soft furnishings, handmade soaps, staff uniforms, etc. Doing this will naturally also reduce air freight miles. One study estimated that a single transatlantic return flight emits almost half the CO2 emissions produced by all other sources consumed by an average person yearly.
The introduction of the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) by the Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council provides a glimpse into the future of responsible tourism. Though it serves more as a guideline rather than a set of rules, it still offers a starting point for governmental, non-governmental and private sector programmes. It is the beginning of a process to make sustainability the standard practice in all forms of tourism.
For most of us consumers, we try our best to purchase sustainably sourced products. Why not apply this practice to the way we select our holiday destination? The GSTC is often criticised for not having evidence of consumer demand. WE can help by creating that demand.
Whilst tourism is a big economic driver, sustainable tourism is still in its infancy here in Malaysia. And with the industry only looking to grow in the coming future, it is imperative that a concerted effort between the government, private sector and most importantly, the consumers take shape.
Do your part: check out the
GSTC guidelines and see how you can contribute to making your holidays more sustainable.
Source: Reef Check Malaysia
