Book Review - Iris Glimmerveen

Summary of Preserve or destroy – Tourism and the environment by Jonathan Croall

Chapter 1 paints a doom and gloom picture of how touists have destroyed destinations in the Mediterranean, Nepal and Lakes District. Tourists are also affecting alternative destinations such as Bali, which in 1968 had 5,000 visitors per year, and in 1989 had 450,000. The Peak District is used for a case study where a tourist management plan was developed by locals with the help of consultants. Ideas implemented are parking money and volunteers contributing to a Trust with the aim to alleviate problem.

Chapter 2 explains sustainability and ecotourism and the need to maintain a balance between tourism and the environment. It gives 7 do’s and don’ts. Case study Seychelles have limit bed availability and have designated half of island as National Park.
Isle of Purbeck is example where locals have been involved in sustainability project from start.

Chapter 3 countryside matters. Lakes National Park get 20M visitors per year, exerting pressure on roads infrastructure and all facilities, as well as cultural honeypots.
Tarka Trail – 180 mile route – 7 pledges made, in conjunction with Tarka Country Tourist Association (140 members) producing green guide and has group of local volunteers.

Chapter 4 highlights the need to change public perception away from Benidorm tour operators, Galapagos, where visitor numbers are controlled, but any proceeds are going to the government, not to islanders, and sex tourism in south Asia.

Chapter 5 talks about limiting tourism damage through changing tourist behaviour, interpretation, boardwalks – preventing physical damage, and attracting visitors away from honeypots, developing tourism codes and tourist strategies, e.g. Wales.

Chapter 6 tackles car use as preferred mode of transport by listing alternatives, e.g. Carlisle-Settle Railway, bus, shuttle busses, cycle, walk & ride schemes and park & ride schemes.

Chapter 7 covers the impact on business of exploitative tourism. Some tour operators are homing in on ‘Holidays that don’t cost the earth’. Others pay a contribution to green organisations as a pay off. Better info exchange between hotel chains on green issues, and some hotels taking action, e.g. brick in every cistern. In west France a ‘back to wilderness’ project even cleared buildings to restore it to former wilderness state. Attitudes are changing so the notion that industry and tourists have to pay to compensate for their impact.

Chapter 8 acting locally. Rural fora and local involvement and local products are seen as crucial to future development of sustainable tourism. This is helped by changing land management practices – farm/forestry diversification, as well as involving arts in the countryside. Sculpture trails, walking festivals, Eden benchmarks, Goldsworthy, etc.

Rural connections – Ireland is used as an example of how rural areas have developed to attract tourists, with both positive and negative examples.

The conclusion says that we should take action, even though failures may arise, as doing nothing is not beneficial.