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Popular tourist destinations that may be closed to tourists

Thu, 28 Sep 2006

Some tourist areas have become so popular that they may have to be closed to the outside world, according to a new report.

The report prepared by the Centre for Future Studies for Churchill Insurance company says areas such as the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Everglades in Florida could be under threat.

Such sites may be closed permanently or have a restricted number of visitors. The effect of climate change and intense tourism with cheap flights are having their toll on these delicate areas.

Other destinations named in the report are Croatia’s Dalmatian coastline, the Amalfi coat in Italy, the Taj coral reef in the Maldives and Goa .

The report suggested that areas requiring long haul flights to reach them from the UK, travellers may have to collect ‘air mile credits’ based on their personal needs and how much energy has been used so the holiday will have to be earned.

Another aspect that will be assessed is the social contribution travellers make to the community they are visiting, before the right to visit is granted.

Imogen Martineau from Forum for the Future, a conservation charity said "Anyone involved in the tourist industry needs to think seriously about climate change and tourist damage.

"The industry should consider the impact of carbon emissions when it transports people to a destination, as well as the impact people have when they get there.

"It may be appropriate to reduce visitor numbers at some destinations, like the Great Barrier Reef, but it’s not a blanket approach.

"Different sites have different environmental problems. But the situation will change because it has to. In the future, tourism will polarise between high-tech and low-tech holidays.

"We will see holidays with high tech solutions to reducing their environmental impact and more low-tech holidays where, for example, tourists stay with a family in Africa . Plus we will see an increasing number of people holidaying at home."

According to the report visitor numbers may drop in certain destination as a result of rising entry costs or by charging extra taxes.

Mike Ketteringham, head of Churchill Travel Insurance said, "The report highlights destinations we are used to hearing about or have on our wish list to visit one day.

"It finds that they may no longer be feasible tourist attractions for the majority of holidaymakers."
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