Why has mass tourism grown, what are its effects, and how can tourism be made sustainable?
The causes of the growth of mass tourism, its positive and negative effects on the environment and people, and the strategies - including eco-tourism and sustainable tourism - used to manage it.
An SQA National 5 Geography answer on tourism, covering the causes of the growth of mass tourism, its positive and negative effects on the environment and people, and management strategies such as eco-tourism and sustainable tourism.
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What this dot point is asking
The SQA wants you to explain why mass tourism has grown, describe its positive and negative effects on the environment and on people, and describe and comment on the strategies used to manage it, including eco-tourism and sustainable tourism.
Why mass tourism has grown
Effects of tourism
Tourism brings both benefits and problems.
- Positive effects - jobs in hotels, restaurants and transport; income for local businesses; foreign currency for the country; and money to improve roads, water and services.
- Negative effects on the environment - litter and pollution; footpath and beach erosion; habitat loss when hotels and resorts are built; and heavy use of water and energy.
- Negative effects on people - higher prices and house prices for locals; jobs that are often seasonal and low-paid; traffic congestion; and the loss or commercialisation of local culture.
Managing tourism
Management strategies include:
- Visitor management - limit numbers, build paths and provide facilities to reduce erosion and litter.
- Eco-tourism - keep groups small, use local guides, food and accommodation, and put money into conservation.
- Spreading the benefits - employ and train local people and reinvest tourist income in the community.
- Protecting key sites - National Parks and protected areas control development and conserve wildlife.
Examples in context
Example 1. Mediterranean mass tourism. Resorts in Spain and Greece bring large incomes and jobs but face overcrowding, water shortages, pollution and loss of traditional culture in peak season.
Example 2. Eco-tourism in Costa Rica. Small-group rainforest and wildlife tourism uses local guides and lodges and funds conservation, bringing income while protecting the environment.
Try this
Q1. State one reason mass tourism has grown. [1 mark]
- Cue. Cheaper flights/package holidays (or more money and holidays, the internet, faster transport).
Q2. Name the type of small-scale tourism that protects the environment and benefits local people. [1 mark]
- Cue. Eco-tourism.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA N5 style4 marksExplain the reasons for the growth of mass tourism.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark Explain answer wants developed reasons, so give several causes and link each to why more people travel.
People have more paid holidays and more disposable income than in the past, so they can afford to travel.
Cheaper air travel and package holidays have made foreign destinations affordable and easy to book.
The internet lets people research and book flights, hotels and trips quickly and compare prices, encouraging more travel.
Better and faster transport (jet aircraft, motorways) makes far-off places reachable in hours. Markers reward each cause (more money and holidays, cheap flights and packages, the internet, better transport) explained as a reason more people now take holidays.
SQA N5 style5 marksDescribe the negative effects of mass tourism on the environment and people, and explain how eco-tourism can reduce them.Show worked answer →
A 5-mark answer wants negative effects described and eco-tourism explained, so split the marks between the two.
Negative effects. Large numbers of visitors cause litter, pollution and footpath erosion; building hotels destroys habitats and scenery; and water and energy use rises sharply.
Effects on people. Local prices and house prices rise, jobs are often seasonal and low-paid, and local culture can be lost or commercialised.
Eco-tourism reduces these by keeping visitor numbers small and managed, so there is less damage to the environment.
It uses local guides, food and accommodation so more money stays in the community, protects wildlife and habitats, and teaches visitors to respect the area. Markers reward described negative effects and a clear explanation of how eco-tourism limits the damage and benefits local people.
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Sources & how we know this
- National 5 Geography Course Specification (C833 75) — SQA (2025)
- National 5 Geography - Course overview and resources — SQA (2025)