Environmental damage of tourism comes under MPs' spotlight

Holidaymakers' responsibility for foul beaches, overcrowding, traffic, aeroplane emissions and other environmental impacts will come under parliamentary scrutiny.

An inquiry into the environmental cost of tourism and transport will consider whether the UK government should play a greater role in offsetting the waste and damage caused by the tens of millions of Britons who go on holiday overseas each year.

It will also look at ways to reduce the negative consequences of the growing domestic tourism industry, including the hefty carbon footprint of aviation and cruise companies.

According to the Commons Environmental Audit Committee, global tourism is responsible for 5% of greenhouse gas emissions.

Mary Creagh MP commented how now summer is here families look to go on holiday, but when booking a cruise, flights or popular tourist destination, it is easy to forget the impact that is having on the environment.

"While there are some sustainable practices, we want to look closely at the government's actions to ensure the economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism are minimised".

Due to cheaper flights and zero tax on aviation fuel, the holiday business is one of the world's fastest-growing industries and accounts for more than 10% of global gross domestic product. The tourism business is expected to continue expanding, with it being the fastest-growing industry in Britain. It is expected to expand by 3.8% a year until 2025 and account for more than a tenth of all jobs.

But the growing weight of tourists is putting a strain on many of the world's most popular destinations:

• the party island of Boracay in the Philippines had to be closed for six months to clean up sewage and other filth from unregulated and overstretched resorts;
• Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi Leh island in Thailand had to be shut down to allow the environment to recover from a daily influx of 5,000 tourists and 200 boats;
• complaints are growing in the US over back-country trails and mountain roads of national parks being clogged up by tourists;
• Venice plans to offset the damage with a new tax on the 30 million people who visit the city every year;
• Barcelona is one of many cities to hold anti-tourism protests.

Last year 37.9 million overseas visitors arrived in the UK, the seventh most popular destination in the world, which puts a substantial burden on the climate, and questions the government's target of net zero emissions by 2050.

The Committee will study the industry and report next year on ways to reduce the impacts by using incentives, taxation, offsets and greater scrutiny of corporate claims to provide sustainable or eco-friendly packages.

Green MP Caroline Lucas said she hoped the inquiry would review plans to expand airport capacity in the UK and reconsider subsidies that make air travel cheaper than train journeys.

"How we travel can make a major difference to the environmental impact of our holidays, yet far too often the greener options are less affordable. That must urgently change if the UK is serious about the climate emergency, yet the government is failing even to acknowledge the problem - instead supporting a third runway at Heathrow as well as reckless airport expansion elsewhere in the UK".

"This inquiry will allow us to focus on positive policy solutions as well as the environmental problems associated with travel and tourism".