It's tourism of a different kind which is causing problems in Europe. Construction on the Mediterranean coast has been spiralling out of control for years. Beach resorts from an almost unbroken line from Gibralter to greece and natural habitats have disappeared under kilometres of concrete. And so we pollute the sea,the land-and the air travel is booming,in spite of (or perhaps helped by) economic problems in so many countries. Many Europeans consider that low-cost flights are ideal,allowing them to take several short holidays over the course of a year. Yet curiously,short flights actually have a much bigger effect on climate change than long-haul flights. So,are there alternative, less damaging ways of seeing the world? Rail travel,for example,isa much greener way of getting around. And many places have been experimenting with low-impact tourism such as ecotourism. It's time to ask ourselves some difficult questions. Have we,perhaps,been destroying the very places we value as holiday "escapes"?