What is the role of biodiversity in the development of tourism?
The quality of environmental surroundings is important for all forms of tourism. Tourists demand places that are unpolluted and free from waste. Many tourists also appreciate the wildlife and flora around them even if this is not the main reason for their visit to a particular area. In a recent survey of high-volume tourism companies, many reported that large numbers of their clients take excursions to see wildlife at some point during their holidays. Biodiversity is a main component of specialist holidays, whether based on scuba diving around coral reefs or on wildlife watching. Because of the importance of environmental quality and biodiversity for tourism, the tourism industry has a long-term interest in environmental protection and conservation. However, the high rates of growth of tourism over the past two decades have seen the expansion of tourism into new destinations and regions in ways that have taken inadequate account of environmental protection, social impacts, or biodivers
