Turystyka i urbanizacja jako elementy środowiskowych zagrożeń globalnych

Abstract

Tourism constitutes a voluntary change of place of stay, surrounding environment and rhythm of life, which a tourist expects will contribute to his or her development on various levels. Mass tourism is a similar phenomenon. However,  its larger scale may pose a threat to the natural environment comparable to the  impact of numerous industries or that of intensive agriculture.  Sustainable (green tourism) is a response to such threats. This type of tourism  is environmentally friendly in contrast to traditional (mass) tourism, which often  adversely affects the natural balance and disregards the needs of the natural  environment.  In turn, urbanization is a process entailing economic, spatial, social and cultural  changes contributing to the expansion of urban areas. This process is connected with industrialisation and causes migration of people from rural areas to cities in  search for employment in the service sector or industry.  Sustainable urbanisation is quite a new trend in urban development. This type  of urbanisation offers a number of economic benefits, such as reduction in energy  and water consumption, transport costs or costs of numerous services, including  medical, cultural, educational or those linked to lifestyle.  Th is paper describes tourism and urbanisation as mass processes which may have a negative impact on the natural environment. Additionally, the notions of sustainable urbanisation and sustainable tourism are presented as an alternative  to the chaotic urban development and undesirable ways in which tourism may  develop.