Managment of Tourism (Edexcel IGCSE Geography)

Tourism is important to Cyprus as it provides thousands of jobs and contributes an average of 20% to the country's GDP

Cyprus island is partitioned into the Turkish Northern Cyprus and the Greek Cypriot Republic of Cyprus

This case study will focus on the southern Greek part of the island

Cyprus has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers (average 28°C) and rainy winters (average 10°C)

Due to a series of water shortages, annual demand now outstrips supply and Cyprus is classified as 'water poor'

There is an increasing reliance on desalination plants

The desalination plants:

• Increase energy consumption

• Only provide 45% of the increased demand

• Are harmful to the environment

In 2006 the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative (CSTI) was launched to develop a sustainable approach to tourism in Cyprus through:

• Improving the quality of life in poorer communities disadvantaged by tourism

• Promoting the preservation, conservation and protection of Cyprus's environment, whilst sustainably using its natural resources

• Reducing Cyprus's carbon footprint due to tourism

• Promoting research and education in sustainability

Some of the projects undertaken are:

• Managing water, energy and water -

  • Gardens and landscaping account for up to 22% of a hotel's water consumption

  • Limiting the use of grass and exotic vegetation which require frequent watering

  • Encouraging hotels to use native plants as they naturally adapt to less rainfall and are representative of Cyprus

  • Reducing the number of swimming pools

  • Increasing the use of renewable energy - solar power is a major source of energy for Cyprus 

  • Use of energy-saving devices in hotels and public spaces

  • Reducing the use of plastic and plastic waste

• Improving conditions on beaches through organised beach cleaning events

• Working with the tourism sector to reduce demand and consumption of single-use plastics in tourist hotspots such as Ayia Napa 

• Organising turtle watches during hatching time to ensure the hatchlings get to the sea and not into hotel resorts

• Encouraging rural tourism to spread the benefits among poorer communities through art and history projects, accommodation and local events

Reducing Cyprus's carbon footprint in a significant manner is difficult as most tourists arrive by air and tour the island either by car or coach

Ecotourism aims to ensure that visitors leave as small a carbon footprint as possible to the benefit of the community and environment

As one of the poorest developing nations, Bhutan can claim to have one of the most sustainable tourist industries in the world 

Bhutan's tourist sector is one of the most exclusive travel destinations in the world with a reputation for a spectacular natural environment, authenticity, remoteness and a well-protected cultural heritage 

Ecotourism is usually run by private enterprises, however, Bhutan's government has adopted a different approach of 'high value but low volume' tourism creating a sense of exclusivity

After 300 years of self-isolation, Bhutan opened its borders to tourists in 1974

Due in part to the realisation that hotels built for the King's coronation could be used to accommodate paying guests and so boost foreign exchange and provide much-needed revenue for the country's development

Initially only 2500 foreign visits were allowed, that number has now doubled reinforcing the exclusivity

All tourists are escorted in groups to specific locations and must travel on officially approved tour operators

All are expected to pay a 'Sustainable Development Fee' or surcharge of $200 (£167) per day

The surcharge goes towards offsetting tourists' carbon footprint and upskilling workers along with protecting Bhutan's unique heritage and spectacular mountain scenery

Some people argue that all it does is attract wealthier visitors and promote Bhutan as a niche destination

Ultimately, Bhutan's strategy does control the volume and impact of tourism