Physical impacts of tourism development
Construction activities and infrastructure development
The development of tourism facilities can involve sand mining, beach and sand dune erosion and loss of wildlife habitats.
Deforestation and intensified or unsustainable use of land
Construction of ski resort accommodation and facilities frequently requires clearing forested land. Coastal wetlands are often drained due to lack of more suitable sites.
Marina development
Development of marinas and breakwaters can cause changes in currents and coastlines.
Coral reefs
Especially fragile marine ecosystems - suffering worldwide from reef-based tourism developments.
Evidence suggests a variety of impacts to coral result from shoreline development, increased sediments in the water, trampling by tourists, ship groundings, pollution from sewage, souvenir extraction.