Bridging local and global concerns: A study on globalized tourism and its implications on land-use and land-cover

Abstract

This paper discusses the consequences of tourism-induced land-use and landcover changes based on a study carried out in a well-known tourist destination Goa, India. One of the findings that emerged from this study is that it is not demand per se on account of tourism which causes change in land use and land cover but it is the local dynamics (which may not be tourism related but could be a result of land-holding patterns in terms of size and location or land/tenural rights) operating at the destination, which alter the relationship between people and environment. In this altered conditions, it is easier for people to disassociate themselves from land and put it to alternative tourism related use, as there is a demand for the same. Tourism-related land-use and land-cover changes trigger a domino effect not only on the physical environment but also on the society. A detailed understanding of the societal response to these impacts will provide an understanding of the issue with all its complexities, which, in turn, can help develop better strategies to cope with this issue locally. This issue has a great relevance at the global scale, as tourism is a worldwide phenomenon that is expanding at a rapid pace, and cumulatively its impacts can aggregate at a global scale.