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A16 LOCAL
Monday 6 January 2020

Research highlights risks of over-tourism and climate change in Aruba

ORANJESTAD – Recently, dynamic challenges of ists per citizen) and tourist
the Central Bank of Aruba over-tourism and climate density (number of tour-
carried out a study on the change in a small mature ists per km2), manifesting
challenges of over-tourism island tourism economy. itself through increased
and climate change in economic vulnerabilities,
small island tourism econ- Over-tourism is a recent growing social burdens,
omies. It focused on small phenomenon that de- and the degradation of
island tourism economies scribes the uncontrolled the environment and frag-
in the Caribbean and, in growth of tourism beyond ile ecosystems. This often
particular, Aruba. Based on a level of socioecological causes a further deteriora-
a historical analysis of eco- saturation, the so-called tion of visitor experiences
nomic, social, and environ- 'tipping point'. It is a nega- and tourism income. Cli-
mental developments, the tive consequence of the mate change can intensify
study provides an in-depth significant growth in tourist and worsen the adverse ef-
picture of the complex and intensity (number of tour- fects of over-tourism, espe-

cially in small island tourism experienced in the long
economies where tourism term with negative conse-
is concentrated in coastal quences for generations
areas. thereafter.
The results of the study in- The study concludes that
dicate that Aruba is one structural reforms and
of the most tourism intense transformation are urgently
and tourism dense small called for to mitigate the
island economies in the accelerating costs of over-
Caribbean. Annually, the tourism and risks of climate
island attracts, on aver- change. The symbiosis of
age, 17 visitors per capita over-tourism and climate
and more than 10,000 visi- change poses substantial
tors per km2 with over 800 risks to sustainable eco-
rooms per km2 of coastline. nomic development. To
The increasing pressures mitigate these risks, signifi-
and risks of over-tourism cant innovation and invest-
are associated with rising ments are required in both
social costs of deteriorat- national policies and the
ing labor participation, execution thereof. These
stagnant productivity, include strategic and com-
higher public expenditures, prehensive policy reforms
and rising income inequal- to strengthen macroeco-
ity, as well as loss of nature nomic resilience against
reserves, coastal erosion, economic shocks and neg-
and environmental degra- ative impacts of climate
dation. These adverse ef- change. Moreover, it is of
fects are also exacerbated the utmost importance to
by increasing effects of strengthen the institutional
storm surges, floods, and capabilities and gover-
rising seawater tempera- nance for sustainable and
tures. It is estimated that at inclusive tourism. While
least 46 percent of house- small island-based tourism
holds are at significant and economies may not be
increasing risk of climate able to control the climate,
change. The results sug- policy makers have control
gest that over-tourism has over – and are responsible
both direct and indirect ef- for – steering these vulner-
fects in small island tourism able economies towards a
economies. While the di- more sustainable future.
rect economic benefits of
tourism are achieved in the The complete publication
short to medium term, the is available on the CBA’s
socio-ecological costs and website (www.cbaruba.
effects of over-tourism are org). q