Routledge Handbook on Tourism in the Middle East and North Africa by Timothy Dallen J.;

Author:Timothy, Dallen J.;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Routledge

Conclusion

All potential uses of deserts, including tourism, mining, grazing and wildlife management should be accompanied by environmental impact assessments as well as studies on the possible economic and cultural impacts to local inhabitants. Key issues that should be resolved in desert tourism planning and management include such questions as: Are local water withdrawals from fossil (non-renewable) water supplies sustainable for future generations? What other water capture or production strategies are viable? Will pollution including human sewage compromise potable water sources? Will extinctions of key species in vulnerable desert food chains (only a small number of species are adapted to hyperarid conditions) cause the collapse of other species, degrading the environment further? Will potentially valuable medicinal plants perish permanently from unregulated collection, off-road vehicle traffic, and walking and animal riding in the desert? Do permanent or temporary exclusion zones need to be established during migration or breeding periods of birds and animals? Will increased human activity harm current aesthetics or built heritage making them less attractive to visitors? Will local inhabitants be included in tourism policy planning and management and will they share in profits? Will indigenous cultural practices be protected from exposure to tourists? Without a solid evidence base to answer these fundamental questions, all human activities in deserts have the potential to render these regions eventually unsuitable for tourism. Table 15.1 summarises these varied challenges and suggests strategies for mitigation.

Table 15.1Desert tourism challenges and recommended mitigation strategies

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