THE THREE MAIN AREAS OF IMPACT OF TOURISM========================================= ====== * Three main areas of impact: natural resources, pollution, physical impacts* Global environmental impacts* Other industry impacts on tourism* How tourism can contribute to environmental conservation Negative impacts of tourism occur when the level of visitor use is greater than the capacity of the environment to accommodate this use within acceptable limits of change. Uncontrolled conventional tourism represents a potential threat to many natural areas around the world. It can put enormous pressure on an area and lead to impacts such as soil erosion, increased pollution, discharges into the sea, loss of natural habitats, increased pressure on endangered species and a greater vulnerability to forest fires. It often places a strain on water resources and can force local populations to compete for the use of critical resources. BALANCE OF NATURAL RESOURCES ------------------------ ------Tourism development can put pressure on natural resources when consumption increases in areas where resources are already scarce.Water ResourcesWater, and in particular fresh water, is one of the most critical natural resources. The tourism industry generally overuses water resources for hotels, swimming pools, golf courses, and tourists' personal use of water. This can lead to water shortages and degradation of water supplies, as well as generating a greater volume of wastewater. In drier regions such as the Mediterranean, the problem of water scarcity is of particular concern. Due to the hot climate and the tendency of tourists to consume more water on holiday than at home, the amount used can be up to 440 liters per day. This is almost double what the inhabitants of an average Spanish city consume. Golf course maintenance can also deplete freshwater resources. In recent years, golf tourism has become increasingly popular and the number of golf courses has grown rapidly. Golf courses require a huge amount of water every day and, like others, cause excess water