Visitor Impacts

The growth in tourist numbers in many parts of Australia and worldwide is putting significant pressure on national parks. Care is required in planning for tourism and recreation to minimise environmental impacts, provide desired experiences for visitors, achieve sustainable use and secure economic benefits for protected areas and local people (see Natural Area Tourism and Managing Protected Areas).

The environmental impacts of tourism and recreation fall into three main types: those related to transport, accommodation and shelter, and recreational activities (see Protected Area Management). 'Planning', active management, 'monitoring' and rapid response to unsustainable actions are the four basic elements of effective visitor management. A number of tourism and recreation planning models address these elements (see 'Recreation and Tourism as a Key Value of Parks').