Impacts of tourism in relation to the environment and biological diversity may include:
- Use of land and resources for accommodation, tourism facilities and other infrastructure provision, including road networks, airports and seaports;
- Extraction and use of building materials (e.g., use of sand from beaches, reef limestone and wood);
- Damage to or destruction of ecosystems and habitats, including deforestation, draining of wetlands, and intensified or unsustainable use of land;
- Increased risk of erosion;
- Disturbance of wild species, disrupting normal behavior and potentially affecting mortality and reproductive success;
- Alterations to habitats and ecosystems;
- Increased risk of fires;
- Unsustainable consumption of flora and fauna by tourists (e.g., through picking of plants; or purchase of souvenirs manufactured from wildlife, in particular such endangered species as corals and turtle shells; or through unregulated hunting, shooting and fishing);
- Increased risk of introduction of alien species;
- Intensive water demand from tourism;
- Extraction of groundwater;
- Deterioration in water quality (freshwater, coastal waters) and sewage pollution;
- Eutrophication of aquatic habitats;
- Introduction of pathogens;
- Generation, handling and disposal of sewage and waste-water;
- Chemical wastes, toxic substances and pollutants;
- Solid waste (garbage or rubbish);
- Contamination of land, freshwater and seawater resources;
- Pollution and production of greenhouse gases, resulting from travel by air, road, rail, or sea, at local, national and global levels;
- Noise Pollution
Source: Convention on Biological Diversity: Guidelines on Biodiversity and Tourism Development