Tourism in Glacial Landscapes
Geography: AQA GCSE, topic 3.4.10
Impacts of Tourism in Glacial Landscapes
Millions of people visit glacial landscapes in the UK every year. This tourism has economic, social and environmental impacts:
Economic impacts
- Tourism is commonly the dominant industry in glacial landscapes. Tourists enjoy visiting ski resorts and mountains for hiking.
- But, the jobs that tourism provides are often seasonal and don't pay well.
- Demand for holiday homes drives up the price of property. This can force local people to move out of their home area.
- Tourism also drives up the cost of living more generally.
Social impacts
- Glacial landscapes are often isolated, with not much transport infrastructure. A small increase in the number of cars can lead to very large traffic jams.
- Glacial landscapes are usually found in places without much parking...
- Souvenir and gift shops could replace local greengrocers or bakeries if tourists are willing to pay higher prices.
Environmental impacts
- Walkers erode footpaths and, over time, landscape scars can form.
- Tourists bring more litter and noise pollution.
- Heli-skiing in glaciers involves bringing helicopters to the glaciers and watersports can also disturb animals' habitats.
Test yourself on Tourism in Glacial Landscapes
What are the environmental impacts of tourism in glacial landscapes?
Which of the following are economic impacts of tourism in glacial landscapes?
Which of these is a social impact of tourism in glacial landscapes?