AVIATION AND ENVIRONMENT AT TOURISM DESTINATIONS: ISSUES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

摘要

In the increasingly globalised society of the twenty-first century, air transport plays arnsignificant role by supporting social and economic development and by providingrnaccessibility. While those benefits of aviation are substantial, so are its environmentalrnconsequences at global and local scales. At the global scale, the contribution ofrnaviation to climate change is prompting increasing concern amongst scientists,rnpolicymakers and consumers. At the local scale, the most significant environmentalrnimpact is usually aircraft noise, which inflicts considerable nuisance on communitiesrnsurrounding airports. Aircraft noise-in conjunction with a range of other localrnenvironmental impacts-can reduce the attractiveness of some tourism destinationsrnand can generate opposition amongst local residents; in turn, that opposition may leadrnto restrictions of airport operations. This paper draws out some of the key issues in thernrelationship between aviation, tourism and environmental impacts. Aviation businessrnchanges are considered and the most significant trends relating to businessrndevelopment in tourism destinations are presented. The results of a SWOT analysisrnare presented, and the potential of environmental issues to constrain growth at tourismrndestinations is explored.