CEEWEB - Central and East European Working Group for the Enhancement of Biodiversity

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• Rural Development
• CITES
• Natura 2000
• Sustainable Tourism

Tourism Impacts

This database includes thoeretical remarks and case studies that illustrate economical, environmental and cultural impacts of tourism. In addition, it contains information on such areas where tourism development can create opportunities for sustainable development. The case studies are from Central and Eastern European countries.

If you would like to submit a case study to this database, please check guidelines for case study preparation and contact Kristina Vilimaite at kvilimaite@ceeweb.org.

	Economical dimension	Environmental dimension	Cultural dimension	Opportunities
Poisitive impacts
Negative impacts

Economical Dimension

Positive Impacts: Stimulation of local economic cycles

	Tourism can provide a boost to the local economy	Case Study: Eco-tourism in the Northern Area of Piatra Craiului National Park — an example of local services development in Brasov/Zarnesti, Romania
	Tourism development can support the creation of a local supply network	Case Study: Impacts of the International World Music and Land Art Festival “SHESHORY”, Ivano-Frankivsk region, Ukraine

Positive Impacts: Capacity building and training for the local population resulting in the creation of long-term employment possibilities

Enabling local people to take advantage of new and additional job opportunities

Case Study: Seminars on Sustainable Tourism in Banska Stiavnica, Slovakia

Negative Impacts: Distortion of the public economy

Tourism is very often overestimated as the sole way out of economic problems of a region

Case Study: Over-reliance on Tourism in Sovata, Romania

Negative Impacts: Increase in local disparities

External investments allow sudden boosts but may bring forth a long depression if the destination proves to be unsuccessful

Case Study: Unfinished Ski Centre in Crni Vrh, Kucaj Mountain, Serbia

Ecological Dimension

Positive Impacts: Use of tourism-related income for nature protection

	Financing of nature protection efforts through tourism	Case Study: The Ecological Farm of Mr. and Mrs. Kavka — Vyskovec (Bile Karpaty), Czech Republic
	Sustainable tourism development affords the establishment of responsible resource management and thus contributes to the conservation of resources	Case Study: The Azure San River Programme for Better Resource Management, Poland

Positive Impacts: Environmental awareness raising through educational activities in the course of sustainable tourism development

The concept of sustainable tourism contributes to a better understanding of nature among the local population and tourists

Case study: Awareness Raising in the Tourist Area Vydrovo Valley, Central Slovakia

Negative Impacts: Landscape and nature destruction (e.g. through infrastructural expansion)
Increase of environmental pressures: air and water pollution, contribution to Climate Change

	A large attendance of visitors to ecologically vulnerable areas causes a loss in biodiversity	Case Study: Unmanaged Tourism at theCertoryje National Nature Reserve — Lucina Recreation Area (Bile Karpaty), Czech Republic
	The splinter development of infrastructure as well as the connected sealing of soil disrupts the balance of ecosystems and leads to an alteration of the landscape character	Case study: Ski Lift Splinters on Pilsko Mountain, Beskid Żywiecki

Negative Impacts: Increase of environmental pressures: air and water pollution, contribution to Climate Change

	Exceeding the carrying capacity of both natural resources and appropriate management capabilities enlarges the environmental pollution of water, air and soil	Case study: Exceeded Carrying Capacity in Slavs’ke area, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine
	The journeys towards and within the destination, e.g. by plane or car and the related increase in energy use, result in CO2 emissions and air pollution, which contribute immensely to climate change	Case study needed

Socio-Cultural Dimension

Positive Impacts: Appreciation and conservation of the local culture

Tourism can contribute to a new self-confidence of the locals which results in their own will to keep their traditions and customs alive

Case Study: Traditional Events in the National Park Djerdap and its Vicinity, Serbia

Positive Impacts: Cultural exchange as a driving force for mutual understanding and peace

The convergence of tourists and hosts in a destination fosters a process of approximation, understanding and peace

Case Study: The Gömör-Torna Festival in Aggtelek (Hungary) and Slovensky Kras (Slovakia)

Positive Impacts: Support of local participation as an enabling step towards more codetermination

Sound tourism development also means development of local codetermination

Case Study: Community Actions in Przysłop Hamlet, Poland

Negative Impacts: Degeneration of cultural values and heritage

Large attendance in formerly authentic tourist regions may change traditional lifestyles, leading either to a loss in traditions in favour of modern lifestyles or to an artificial commercialisation of customs

Case study: Loss of Traditions and Artificial Commercialisation of Customs in Bran, Romania

Future opportunities

	Benefits of sustainable tourism for areas with many visitors	Case study: Potential for Tourism Development around Czorsztyński Reservoir, Poland
	Sustainable tourism has potential in such areas where tourism is not yet developed	Case Study: Opportunities for Sustainable Tourism on Danube River in the Djerdap National Park, Serbia
	Sustainable tourism as a better alternative	Case Study: Tourism Development as an Alternative for Controversial Industrial Developments in Roşia Montană, Romania